Repost: Discretion Necessary in Preaching Against Immodest Dress of Women (April 1930)

[751] Question: In dealing with the matter of modesty in dress, is not the indirect method far more effective? We have heard numbers of sermons in which it was evident that the preacher was thoroughly enjoying his own talk, and the members of the congregation—especially the ones referred to—nearly or quite as much. For the chief reason for wearing such clothes was to attract attention by startlingness [sic], and they were receiving abundant and vociferous assurance that the object had been attained. Furthermore, they knew that they would be still more closely scrutinized by the men of the congregation. A theatrical manager would have paid handsomely for such an advertisement. Would not a sermon on the Blessed Mother or the Little Flower delivered with equal vigor and enthusiasm have produced far better results in promoting modesty?

PASTOR.

Answer: There is a great deal of truth in the remarks of our correspondent. If all preaching requires careful preparation and study as to what to say and how to say it in order that the discourse may be worthy of the sacred place and the holy purpose, preaching about modesty of dress of women and denunciation of sins committed by immodest apparel need careful weighing of words and expressions lest the serious-minded Catholic people be scandalized and the superficial ones be amused.

The seriousness of this particular form of immodesty is evidently very grave at the present time, for our Supreme Teacher of religion, the Vicar of Christ, remarked in his discourse to the Lenten preachers of the City of Rome (February 11, 1929) that the first thing he would request them to bring into their Lenten course of sermons is the shamelessness in the manner of dressing of so many disgraceful women and girls, who nevertheless call themselves and wish to be considered Christians. The preachers should endeavor with fatherly kindness, with patience and perseverance to convince them of the wrong they are doing, for many of them are slaves to this fashion, which is unworthy not only of Christian countries but of any civilized people. Very many, the Holy Father remarks, know that they are slaves to the fashion and are ashamed of it, but do not have the strength to rebel against a tyranny that exploits their [752] modesty as the slave trader does the blood of the slaves. Against those who do not only not feel their disgrace but glory in it and boast of it, the preachers should inveigh with all the vigor of their apostolic zeal.

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Source: "Discretion Necessary in Preaching Against Immodest Dress of Women," The Homiletic and Pastoral Review 30, no. 7-12 (April to September, 1930): 751–752.