The Archbishop of Leon, Mexico is calling on Catholics to dress modestly at Mass.
“If you have any respect for this place (a church), dress
appropriately,” Archbishop Jose Guadalupe Martin Rabago told reporters
after Mass on July 24.
Criticism of the archbishop’s comments came after local newspapers
featured photos of posters at some parishes in Leon that said, “Respect
God’s house. Don’t come dressed like this.” The posters said women
should not come to church dressed in miniskirts, sleeveless shirts, or
low-cut blouses.
According to the newspaper Correo, the archbishop said women ought to know what they should wear and when.
“They know that for a wedding or a quinceanera they should dress one
way, and for a trip to the beach they should dress another.”
The archbishop also said men need to dress appropriately at Mass as
well.
“Some men show up at church dressed in way that is undignified,
wearing shorts or sandals. The place they are in requires something
else,” he said.
Archbishop Martin Rabago said the media should not focus exclusively
on what the Catholic Church says about how people should dress, as many
evangelical churches require their congregations to come to church in a
suit and tie.
He dismissed charges that his comments were misogynistic.
“This is not a misogynist attitude of any sort. I am simply asking
for the dignity and decorum that this place calls for, that is all.”