bride wears a veil to her wedding? The veil, which traditionally covers the face as well as the hair and shoulders, and is lifted by the Bridegroom, was so that no one but he could see her beauty. By means of the veil, she says effectively to her husband: I am for your eyes only. So what sense can it possibly make for a bride to wear a veil and at the same time exhibit before all the men present her shoulders, back and even part of her breasts? We are in the realm of the sacrilegiously absurd. Given all this, it should be clear that weddings are no exception to the rule of modesty, neither for the bride, nor for any of the women involved in the wedding, all the more since they are so visible to the congregation. Here again, the clergy have a grave responsibility before God.8 The moral authority given to a priest by the Church is precisely for the admonishing and guardianship of souls so that they may be led to Christ. Therefore, it is the priest’s duty (and only his) to charitably enlighten and gently admonish those men and women who are dressed in attire not fitting for the due worship of God. These souls are under his care, and if he fails in this regard, he will have to answer to God.9 The Fundamental Integration of Body and Soul Amanda, the modesty of your apparel, whether at church or in your daily life, should be consistent. It should not change in any context, for the simple reason that it is intimately dependent upon an unchanging reality: the fundamental connection between body and soul, the interaction between internals and externals. You alluded quite correctly in your letter to the fact that you act differently when dressed differently. This is not your imagination playing tricks on you; there is a reason for it. 18
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