"Those Who Serve God Should Not Follow the Fashions"

The Mind of the Catholic Church on Modesty in Dress

Often today we hear sensible people complaining about the immodesty in dress that is seen everywhere and unfortunately even in our churches. But, objectively speaking, where do we draw the line and call a garment immodest? And how can we be sure that we ourselves are dressing with proper Christian modesty that is pleasing to God? This booklet is provided to answer these questions. For on this subject, through his Church, God has made his Will clearly known. Perhaps for some, this booklet will be the litmus test to determine whether or not they are truly willing to deny themselves, to take up their cross, and follow Jesus.


1. The Need for this text

It is widely known that Pope Pius XII often said: “The greatest sin of our modern generation is that it has lost all sense of sin1”. It is less known that more specifically he once stated:
These words spoken over 50 years ago ring more true today than ever (and not only for women). For in today’s post-Christian society where indecent and improper dress have become the norm, even among good-willed and devout Catholics there is much ignorance as to what is meant by proper Christian modesty. Yes, even the most virtuous of Catholics who attend daily Mass and have an intimate relationship with Jesus, frequently are not fully aware of the Church’s teaching in this matter. Could it be that this booklet is for you? May Our Lady, our true Mother, be with you to enlighten you to understand and to be receptive to the Will of God in this matter — for indeed, it may be a challenge.

A Cultural Revolution.

Now, how is it that there exists today this ignorance among devout Catholics regarding proper Christian modesty? We have passed through a Cultural Revolution — a revolution aimed at destroying the once Catholic culture on which Western Civilization was founded. Although styles began changing for the worse soon after World War I, it was only 40-50 years ago that the true revolution took place. Since that time, little has been done to preach against the new, unchristian fashions which have become the norm. In a recent article, Catholic journalist, Marian Therese Horvat, Ph.D. ³explained:
She went on to explain that this revolution, which began to take place in the 1960s, affects our way of thinking and the health of our society:

Dr. Horvat went on to say, “Christendom has always been understood as a projection of the Catholic principles into every aspect of the temporal sphere.” This means Catholics are called to counter this anti-Catholic Cultural Revolution by reestablishing Catholic principles in society. One way they can and must do this is by choosing clothing that truly reflects our Christian belief. For as Horvat recognized, “The more a civilization becomes Christian, the more the clothing of men will be virile, dignified, noble — from the highest dignitary to the lowest worker.”

This booklet may seem lengthy for the topic it covers, but since this Cultural Revolution has “produced profound transformations in the mentality of modern day men — even of those who call themselves conservative,” many words are needed to point out the errors of this modern mentality. The goal of this booklet is not to preach self-righteously to those who are erring, but as humbly as possible, to present the Catholic truth. Thus it is hoped that the sincere Catholics will be assisted in replacing this false mentality with the truly Catholic one that is in full harmony with the Holy Will of God.


2. The Two Aspects of Christian Modesty


First Aspect: Avoid Being an Occasion of Sin

There are two aspects to Christian modesty. The first is to avoid being an occasion of sin. The second, more positively speaking, is to be instilled with the spirit of modesty inspired by a deep love for the virtue of chastity, and also by the proper understanding that our clothing is meant to enhance the dignity of the human body and to be a symbol of our state in life. Both aspects, while in no way excluding men, are much more important for women. Because of the natural differences in the genders, women are both far more prone to be occasions of sin, and, being “the weaker vessel” (1Pet. 3:7), to be treated with less dignity or respect. Proper dress does much to overcome this, and this is why St. Paul wrote in the New Testament that women should appear “in decent apparel; adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety.” (1 Tim. 2:9).

With regards to the first aspect — avoiding being an occasion of sin — the late Archbishop Albert G. Meyer of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has these words to say, taken from his Pastoral Letter to the Clergy, Religious and Faithful Laity of May 1, 1956:

Heaven too warned us to offer a “firm and courageous resistance to the styles and customs,” for Our Lady of Fatima told Blessed Jacinta Marto in 1919:

Unfortunately many modern women do not understand the strong reaction men have to immodest dress. For this reason, even fifty years ago Pope Pius XII was led to exclaim:

Dear Catholic ladies, you must clearly understand that, while not all men are tempted in the same way or to the same extent, in general, bare thighs, mid-riffs, shoulders, and backs; low cut, sheer or see through blouses and shirts; and dresses with long slits are all sources of temptation. Therefore, all these must all be absolutely avoided to avoid serious sin.

Strong Admonitions from the Saints

Be well aware that the strict necessity of modesty in dress has been the constant teaching of the Church throughout the centuries.

As Fr. Stefano M. Manelli, FFI (once an altar boy for Padre Pio), stated in his marvelous book, Jesus Our Eucharistic Love:
In fact, when coming to confess, if their dresses were low-cut or too short, Padre Pio would send the women away, refusing them this Sacrament. As dresses in the 60’s became scantier and scantier, he sent larger and larger numbers of women away. It finally came to pass — since he was sending so many away — that his fellow friars posted a sign on the door of the Church which read:
Certainly this action was most appropriate, since it would not have been right to grant them absolution while dressed in an indecent manner. For as St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church, taught:
These are some of those “hard sayings” (Jn. 6:61) of the Gospel which are often unpopular in our times. Yet, since the Gospel must be preached “in season” and “out of season” (2Tim. 4:2) no compromise can be made. The words of the Angelic Doctor help us to keep the proper perspective:
For precisely this reason, Pope Pius XII concluded that if a certain kind of dress “becomes a grave and proximate danger for the salvation of the soul…it is your duty to give it up¹².“ If these words are not enough to convince our Catholic women of the grave necessity of modestly covering their bodies, we hope that the following anecdote from Fr. Schouppe’s book on Hell will do so:
The Need for a Unified Standard

Seeing, then, what grave words have been spoken in the Church regarding modesty, one is left to ask: How can I be certain that I am dressing in a manner that conforms with the Church’s understanding of modesty? The answer is found in a 1935 publication of the “League of Modesty”:
Fortunately, the Church has (at least for women) given us just such a standard. This standard came into being because of Pope Pius XI’s order on August 23, 1928 for a “Crusade Against Immodest Fashions, Especially in Schools Directed by Religious ¹⁵.”

As part of that Crusade, on September 24 of the same year, by order of the Pope, Cardinal Pompili (Pius XI’s Cardinal-Vicar) issued a letter in which the following standard was given:
The Crusade was initially addressed only to the institutions directed by female religious in Italy. However, in 1930 the Pope extended his Crusade to all the world. By the Pope’s mandate, on January 12, 1930, a letter was issued from the Sacred Congregation of the Council to all the bishops of the world. In this letter, the directives on modesty were given not only to institutes directed by female religious, but “they were extended to include also pastors, parents and the laity in general¹⁷.”

It was from Pope Pius XI’s universal standard that an American priest, Fr. Bernard A. Kunkel, developed “The Marylike Standards For Modesty In Dress.” Fr. Kunkel’s idea was to use Mary as the model of modesty and the Pope’s standard as a concrete guide, and thus with his “Marylike Standards,” women could be sure of pleasing God. Fr. Kunkel’s Marylike Standards were submitted to the discretion of the Church, and, as a result, on December 8, 1944 with full ecclesiastical approval, the “Marylike Modesty Crusade” was born. For a full quarter century (till his death in 1969) Fr. Kunkel led this Crusade, preaching that the universal standard of Pius XI was binding on all Catholic women and offering his Marylike Crusade to assist them in embracing it. Though, for the most part, the Catholic hierarchy in the United States ignored the Papal standard, Fr. Kunkel courageously spread the Church’s teaching on modesty throughout the dioceses of the United States and beyond. On two separate occasions Pope Pius XII imparted his Apostolic Blessing upon the Crusade. In his blessing he called the Crusade a “laudable movement for modesty in dress and behavior,” and extended that blessing “to all who further¹⁸” it.

The Spirit of Modesty and The Traditional Form of Dress

The Traditional Form of Dress

The few leaflets on modesty that can be found today generally say that for preserving purity, loose fitting pants are actually loose enough to conceal a woman’s form. However, one current little leaflet distributed by the Franciscan Friars of Mary Immaculate says something more. After presenting what is necessary for preserving purity, it goes on to state:
This ideal, it should be observed, is nothing more than the traditional form of dress for men and women approved in Christian society ever since males went from wearing robes to pants.* It should also be noted that throughout centuries, from Apostolic times until the 1920’s, Christian women, as a rule, did not wear such things as tight-fitting or sleeveless tops, miniskirts, pants or shorts. Rather, even though styles have greatly varied, they have generally worn loose fitting dresses extending near or to the ankle. This is true even when women took part in activities such as riding on a horse or donkey (as Our Lady did en route to Bethlehem at the dawn of the Christian Era) or working in the fields (like St. Maria Goretti and her mother at the dawn of the 20th Century), though such activities are done more conveniently in pants or shorts. The length of garment was indeed fitting, since in the Book of Isaiah God refers to a woman’s bare legs as “nakedness” and “shame” (Is. 47:2-3).

By and large, Catholics have always understood that there are good reasons for traditions and thus have regarded them with respect. Traditions are simply good customs that help to safeguard and defend what we believe. They were practiced by those that came before and they are, in turn, to be handed on.

Modern man seems to place little value on traditions (whether cultural or religious). Perhaps this is because our advancements in technology cause us to think of ourselves as superior to the generations that came before us. Therefore, we easily discard traditions for the sake of expediency, convenience or even the desire for novelty. Yet, there is always much wisdom bound up in good traditions.

The Need for Distinction

Notice first, that the traditional form of dress for men and for women is different. And even in earlier times when men wore robes, their garments were distinctly different from women’s.* There is a dangerous tendency in our modern culture to reduce or minimize the differences between men and women and their complementary roles. As Horvat pointed out, we are becoming a “unisex” society. Hasn’t the most common and popular form of dress for both men and women been reduced to denim pants and a cotton T-shirt? God however, “created them male and female” (Gen. 5:2); therefore, though equal in dignity, they are indeed meant to be distinct from one another. So much so that the Bible says:

“A woman shall not be clothed with man’s apparel: neither shall a man use women’s apparel. For he that doeth these things is abominable before God.” (Deut. 22:5).

On this same subject Fr. William C. Breda, O.S.A., wrote in an article entitled “Proper Attire Makes Us Human” in the September 10, 1981 issue of “The Wanderer”:
(Men’s robes were narrower and shorter. Women’s robes were fuller and more colorful. This can still be seen today in some eastern cultures.)

From this we see the need for distinction in dress between the sexes. But why is it that the traditional form of dress for women is a long dress or skirt? The answer lies in the fact that dresses are a more dignified form of dress than pants, and thus they both adorn and safeguard a woman’s beautiful and delicate femininity. In fact, Chesterton points out that because this style of clothing is more dignified, “when men wish to be safely impressive, as judges, priests or kings, they do wear skirts, the long, trailing robes of female dignity²¹.”

Yes, even judges, priests, and kings traditionally wear distinguished robes signifying the special dignity of their office. Their manner of dress evokes the respect of others. And while it is fitting for a man to dress in robes (of masculine character), as was the custom in Biblical times, the thinking here is that it is not fitting for a woman to degrade her feminine dignity by wearing pants. As was stated above, because of the natural differences in the genders, women are more prone to be treated with less dignity or respect than men. Thus, Pope Pius XII taught that “the innate need to enhance beauty and dignity” is “more greatly felt by woman²²”

Reverence for the Female Body

There is also another reason why “the innate need to enhance…dignity” is “more greatly felt by woman.” The Franciscan Friars Leaflet (mentioned above) explains a special reverence due to the female body:
Reflecting on this “frightful privilege,” Chesterton was moved to express that “no one…can quite believe in the equality of the sexes²³.”

The leaflet goes on to say that “because the female body has this power and dignity it must be treated with reverence and should be kept ‘veiled’ with modest clothing. Immodest clothing thus profanes its sacred character.”

A Perceptive Cardinal’s Letter

The late Giuseppe Cardinal Siri explains some other important reasons for maintaining the traditional form of feminine attire. These reasons have to do with the effects of women wearing pants on families and society. The Cardinal explains them in a letter he wrote in 1960 when he first noticed “a certain increase in the use of men’s dress by girls and women, even family mothers” in his Archdiocese of Genoa²⁴.

This letter was addressed to all those responsible for souls (i.e. Priests, Teaching Sisters, Educators, etc.). He began by mentioning that since trousers generally tend “to cling closer” than other forms of feminine attire, “the tight fit of such clothing gives us no less grounds for concern than does exposure of the body.” Then, he went on to describe “a different aspect of women’s wearing of men’s trousers,” which he said, “seems to us the gravest.” He wrote:
A little study of history will reveal that, indeed, it was the desire to be “like a man” that motivated women to begin to wear pants. Today, of course, this can hardly be considered the conscious motive of all women in wearing pants. Many probably wear them because they are considered acceptable and for their convenience.

Nevertheless, the Cardinal pointed out that “the clothing a person wears, demands, imposes and modifies that person’s gestures, attitudes and behavior, such that from merely being worn outside, clothing comes to impose a particular frame of mind inside. Therefore, wearing trousers “is the visible aid to bringing about a mental attitude of being ‘like a man,'” and to some degree “indicates her reacting to her femininity as though it is inferiority when in fact it is only diversity.

Certainly not every woman’s psychology will be affected in the same way by the wearing of pants, but in reality, how many women have been affected without even realizing it, and by this, the whole of society? Are they still the heart of their families, desiring to be at home with their children? Are they still subject to the authority of their husbands as our holy religion teaches?

Or have they become more independent and taken interest in being out in the world, in competing with men at being the breadwinner and the head of the family²⁵?* All evidence indicates that this trend has already very much changed the psychology of women in society. How will Catholic women be able fulfill their God-given role as females if they do not preserve their true feminine identity?

With regards to “the woman as mother of her children,” the Cardinal explained that “all children have an instinct for the sense of dignity and decorum of their mother.” Therefore, although “the child may not know the definition of exposure, frivolity or infidelity, …he possesses an instinctive sixth sense to recognize them when they occur, to suffer from them, and be bitterly wounded by them in his soul.” Here we see the need for maintaining a dignified feminine modesty not only in public, but also within the sanctuary of the home.

Obviously, the Cardinal’s concern is not with restricting women, but in helping them preserve their beautiful and delicate femininity so vital to healthy families and to a healthy society. God made them male and female; and, Oh! how the world suffers when it loses the female element! As it is said: “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”

Further on in his letter, Cardinal Siri wrote:

The Church’s thinking on Women’s Attire

If we understand the female’s greater need to enhance her dignity and to safeguard her feminine identity, we can understand why pants were never considered acceptable garb for women throughout the entire history of the Church. Pope Pius XI’s 1928 standard for women’s attire mentions only a dress. No standard was given for pants because they certainly were not considered feminine garb at that time. Now, however, at the dawn of the third millennium, it is clear that secular society in general has approved of pants for women. But is that enough? Not according to Pope Pius XII. In his address to the Latin Union of High Fashion in 1957, he stated that a “garment must not be evaluated according to the estimation of a decadent or already corrupt society, but according to the aspirations of a society which prizes the dignity and seriousness of its public attire³¹.”

It is plain to see from mass abortion alone (not to mention many other commonly accepted immoral practices) that today’s society is “decadent” and “already corrupt.” It is also plain to see that today’s society does not “prize the dignity” nor the “seriousness of its public attire.” One has only to go to a typical public school and observe what our society permits children and teenagers to wear to be convinced (i.e. lowrider pants, miniskirts, halter tops, pierced noses, lips, eyebrows, etc.). Therefore, society’s approval of women wearing pants (contrary to Christian tradition) can be no guarantee that they are in fact a garment worthy of feminine dignity, or much less that they are pleasing to God.

Yet that is not all. In the same address, Pope Pius XII went on to say that people, being often “too docile” or “too lazy” to make their own critical judgment, “wish to be guided in style more than in any other activity.” Therefore, they often “accept the first thing that is offered to them and only later become aware of how mediocre or unbecoming certain fashions are³².”

Hence, we understand his warning that “style should be directed and controlled instead of being abandoned to caprice….” Though he was addressing first of all the designers, he went on to say:
We have seen that the ideal or traditional form of dress “for a woman is a modest blouse and dress extending close to the ankles.” We have also seen that pants on women are indeed “debatable on moral grounds.” Therefore, it seems clear that the Pope is asking for women to “react firmly against” donning pants (as well as other novelties in modern clothing) which not only cannot be found anywhere in “the best traditions”, but are actually opposed by Christian tradition. Instead, they are to continue the long-standing tradition of wearing long dresses and skirts.

In fact, this same Pope went on to point out where the “best traditions” in feminine attire could be found. As the best models for women’s clothing, he offered the “feminine figures in the masterpieces of classical art which have undisputed esthetical value. Here the clothing, marked by Christian decency, is a worthy ornament of the person with whose beauty it blends as in a single triumph of admirable dignity³⁴.”

The impressive dresses he speaks of, as a rule, had not only ankle length hems, but also modest collars and long sleeves never shorter than the elbow³⁵. Nor did this attire hinder women from looking chastely beautiful. Let us understand here that the Pope is trying to do nothing more than move fashions back to the common decency of 1900 years of Christian tradition. Today’s scanty and form-fitting clothes were virtually unheard of in past ages.

Perhaps such clothing that admirably covers so much of the body won’t be easily found today; nevertheless, a lofty example has been given for the virtuous woman to pursue. For while Pope Pius XII recognized that public morality certainly changes “according to the times, the nature and the conditions of the civilization of individual peoples,” he said that “this does not invalidate the obligation to strive for the ideal of perfection…. ³⁶“

Shrines of the Holy Ghost

As was said before, dressing modestly is not reserved for women alone. All Christians, men, women and children, must dress with apt dignity. If by our manner of dress “we express” not only “our masculinity and femininity,” as Fr. Breda explained, but also “our beliefs and convictions”, we can understand the reason for this. What is our conviction? What do we believe as Christians?

A Positive Effect on Society

Often in our day, good Catholics are rightly heard complaining because they frequently see priests going about without their cassocks and collars, and religious sisters without their traditional habits. What a great effect their outward appearance has upon us! Yes, outward appearance produces such great effects, that Pope Pius XII exclaimed: “It is often said almost with passive resignation that fashions reflect the customs of a people. But it would be more exact and much more useful to say that they express the decision and moral direction that a nation intends to take: either to be shipwrecked in licentiousness or maintain itself at the level to which it has been raised by religion and civilization38.

(To be continued)