Our Moral Obligation For Correction

[dominicansoul]

I was at Mass the other evening, and a young lady came in wearing what I like to call "diaper" shorts, because they look just like that....diapers, in that they only cover that much...



Did I have Moral obligation to take her aside and correct her? Why don't the priests these days talk about this so that women will stop dressing so improperly? I feel that the burdern of correction falls on lay people most of the time, and not many take it well when it doesn't come from someone with authority....

[CatherineM]

It can be very difficult to offer correction, because you are right, that people want things from those with authority. I have been told more than once that someone would prefer a priest to answer their questions here instead of me.

When confronted with a similar situation, I often correct without correcting them by putting the correction on someone else. Instead of saying that her shorts aren't appropriate in church (or anywhere else for that matter), you could tell her that you noticed some males acting inappropriately because of her dress. You know, "silly boys couldn't focus on mass for thinking impure thoughts about you because of your revealing clothing." Or even, "I wish I could bring myself to wear things like that as hot as it has been. I admire you for not being afraid to let people see your cellulite" (or stretch marks, or whatever is appropriate). Correction by praise has worked for centuries for southern belles.