While I will miss wearing shorts without guilt to mass, I do not plan to change my religion or boycott masses just because of the new dress code. After all, if I believe that 2007 years ago, God became man and died to pay for our sins because of his infinite love for us, then wearing jeans or even slacks to mass doesn't seem such a tough request anymore.

The Catholic Church recently issued a dress code for people attending mass. The what not-to-wear was typical… for women, no sleeveless, spaghetti strapped, plunging necklines and other cleavage-baring tops, no mini skirts or shorts.

For men, it was no baseball caps and sports jerseys. Shorts and jogging pants were also discouraged from being worn inside the churches. Considering the naturally conservative nature of the church, it was nothing surprising, nothing extraordinary and totally understandable. However, I did sense a weak attempt by Church officials to appease those who would have been slighted by the dress code by claiming that the proposal asking for one did not come from them, but instead came as a response to complaints from conservative parishioners.

Yeah whatever. In today's world of convenience and fast-everything, the one thing that has also taken a back seat is formality. Heck, even sex is casual these days. That maybe the reason why the younger ones are finding the thought of a church-imposed dress code a bit difficult to stomach. People hardly ever dress up these days, it's almost always dressing down.

The word "Sunday best" hasn't been heard of in a while. I myself only dress up during KBL (Kasal, Bunyag, Lubung), and every time I have to dress up, I have to prepare those rarely used garments in advance by having them washed they already smell like the cabinet after spending too much time hanging unused.

I must admit that I am one of those people who go to church in shorts. If I were a girl, I probably guess I would have gone to mass in a sleeveless top without giving it too much thought too. I don't think that those who go to mass so casually (or provocatively) dressed are deliberately dissing God. I may agree with the conservative parishioners on the inappropriateness of wearing caps in church, something I never did even when I was desperately trying to hide my growing bald spot, but in general, I think that these days dressing casually, or provocatively, or hip hoppily, or emo-ly, or gothly, or punkly or whatever-ly has become more and more socially acceptable, and that form of self expression has been tolerated by the church until now.

Not to mention the fact that formal attire has been taking up less and less of the youth's cabinet space. "Sunday Best" no longer applies to new (or newly pressed) polo shirts and slacks for men and dresses for the women. This generation's definition of Sunday best is usually the newest buy from the hottest brands and boutiques at the mall. That means flashy, skimpy, provocative, colorful, loud, and yes, casual. Formal just isn't part of the fashion/clothing budget anymore.

Our country having such a tropical climate also isn't helping the cause of the church a lot, especially with regard to the recommendation for men to wear long sleeves to mass. The sweltering heat, especially during midday masses, makes long sleeves a pain to wear. Maybe if it were lent and suffering were cool, I might consider wearing long-sleeved polo shirts to church, but on any given Sunday in the Philippines, it just seems like a bad idea (at least for someone like me who can easily sweat buckets).

While I will miss wearing shorts without guilt to mass, I do not plan to change my religion or boycott masses just because of the new dress code. After all, if I believe that 2007 years ago, God became man and died to pay for our sins because of his infinite love for us, then wearing jeans or even slacks to mass doesn't seem such a tough request anymore. I will always reserve my right to disagree, but when the representatives of God on earth speak up on matters concerning their territory, especially that particular territory bound by the church grounds, like it or not, we have to follow their rules.

Like me, you may feel that your personal relationship with God is the type where you don't feel you have to dress up for him… after all, He is omniscient. Present in the church, present in the home, and present in the bathroom so why bother dressing up at all? Believing that is fine because faith is first and foremost a personal matter. But going to church for Sunday mass is one of the least personal things about our faith…it's a public celebration of faith, and being public, we have to respect the sensibilities of the people around us by showing up appropriately dressed.