Spoiler! This is a Rant!
Just yesterday, I wasn’t allowed to enter our parish church to attend a 7:00 pm mass partly offered to my father who passed away recently.
Why?!
Because I’m wearing shorts. Technically it’s shorts but It’s not a short shorts. It’s one of those casual walking shorts with buttons and side pockets that you wear when you go out to the mall. Please see pic below. Apparently, I didn’t know there was a policy in Resurrection of Our Lord Parish Church in our Barangay that Men who wear shorts won’t be allowed to enter the church, to attend the mass… Wow!
I regularly attend mass on Sundays in Sto. Domingo Church in casual walking shorts similar to what I wore yesterday but never was I reprimanded in anyway by anyone in that church.
I found it weird. Please correct me If I’m wrong, there’s no verse in the bible that requires a Man to wear long pants to be allowed in the house of God. I’m not much of a Catholic fan boy but I do respect our religion and the belief it stands for. But this… This is just ridiculous in my opinion.
The Story
Well, at 4:20pm, We went to our parish church to register and offer a mass for my father. I was wearing a walking short and shirt. There was a temperature ok… that’s ok… for our own safety. Then there’s a small booth just near the church entrance that asks you for any Identification card so that you can register for the upcoming mass which I find a bit odd but if this is their way of contract tracing I’m up for for it. Unfortunately, All slots for the mass offering was already filled so we need to come back at around 6:20pm for the 7:00pm mass. But, at that very moment, nobody told me that what I was wearing wasn’t allowed.
6:20pm and we alighted from the tricycle and walk to church gate. A guy asked me. “Excuse po, taga saan po kayo?”… and I answered. “taga-Guevarra po.” He continued. “Bawal po kasi ang nakashort sa loob.” “Pede naman po kayo bumalik.” . I was a bit surprised and thought, maybe I was mistaken as a woman because of my long hair so when I replied back I added a bit of bass in my tone. “Hindi ko po alam na bawal ang shorts sa lalake atsaka mag ooffer po kami ng mass sa tatay ko, baka naman po pede”. But the guy insisted that I can go back and change. At that moment, I was pissed and said. “Bakit, nakaka-offend ba ke Lord ang suot ko?” of course I was sarcastic. Then I saw a lady wearing tokong just about the length of my shorts and asked about it. He said It wasn’t shorts. He has a point. And at this time, I was really pissed and might have dropped an F-word slightly so I decided to just go home. Arguing is pointless and they will impose their No-shorts policy anyway.
My take on This
I just think it’s not right. There’s nothing lewd, insulting or blasphemous about my attire. It’s absurd to make such policies and dress codes for men or women alike. I would totally understand if the outfit is sexy, revealing or worn with malicious intent. I just think that the church should be more open to people who want to enter the house of God to attend mass, pray or just pay their respect. This people running the show in Resurreccion Parish Church should revise these policies and widen their perspective in enforcing dress codes. Not all Catholics belong in the Conservative Group. I don’t think God would mind if you open your eyes a bit to the real world and don’t act out solely on what you think is righteous and moral. Remember… Evil has no dress code…
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