BE MOPEST

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 28, 3 February 1932, Page 7

BE MOPEST

CHURCH EDICT ON

CLOTHES

(From "The Post's", Representative.)

SYDNEY, 21st January. Archbishop Kelly, head of the Roman Catholic Church, in New South Wales, has once again appeared in the role of censor of the modem young woman's dress. He has circularised all the Roman Catholic schools prescribing the limits 6f the school costumes for girls. He deplores sleeveless costumes.as immodest, and has laid it down definitely that no dress should be worn above the knees, and that the sleeves -should reach at least as far as the elbows. It is practically certain that all the schools will agree to the limits so prescribed. Since the vogue of the '.'restricted" skirt Archbishop Kelly has frequently been outspoken in the condemnation of what he once described as a "very unseemly fashion." Bare arms, bare backs iv evening wear, and dresses above the knees, were once the subject of a vigorous sermon by him, and soon after the Bishop's denunciation of the then prevailing fashion, a number of priests declared that they would refuse the sacrament of Communion to women who approached the.altar rails with sleeveless dresses. It was unseemly and immodest, they said.

Bishop Dwyer, of Wagga (N.S.W.), severely criticised the "wanton fashions of the demoralised world," and the Archbishop of Brisbane (Dr. Duhig) condemned the growing custom of girls and ■yonnjr women, competing in public sport. That, he said, affected the physique of young women, also their stamina, and the costumes worn by them were "grossly immodest." Many other Roman Catholic prelates have been severe critics of modern fashions, particularly those which give the modern girl moTe freedom of movement. In this connection'it is recalled that in all countries the Catholic Church has persistently turned its face against immodest dress, no matter what the fashions dictated. The Pope ,4as been. Jh*leader,^^Jftpapeaiga,