I Wrote This Book For Our Lady of Fatima

I decided to publish the second edition of my book on this great feast on Our Lady of Fatima, because of its close ties. This book, since its beginning years ago has always been totally dedicated to Our Lady, and to St. Jacinta Marto, both of whom stressed emphatically the need for penance in reparation for sin, especially the sin of impurity. And that “The sins that bring most souls to hell are the sins of the flesh. Certain fashions are going to be introduced that will offend our Lord very much…. Do not give yourselves to immodest clothes.” (1)

Modesty was always a topic I loved to learn about and write about, even as a young teen. Since then however, I have thankfully learned more and more about the topic and better (less passive-aggressive shall we say?) ways of going about such heavy discussions. 

Because of the angry and uncharitable expressions of opinion from both sides of the argument, I felt I needed to look deeper into the topic for myself, and so this book was born. (It has 449 footnotes!) I can take no credit; this book was simply me finding the answers I was searching for and Our Lady truly paved the way.

This book covers pretty much any question or nuance about the topic of modesty that you can think of. It has timelines, Papal documents, and encouraging (clear) truth from clergy old and new. How blessed are we to be a part of the Church of Jesus Christ?

The Chapter list:

Preface
Introduction
What Is Catholic Modesty?
What Does The Catholic Church Teach About Modesty?
The Decline of Morals
Feminism, Freemasonry and the Church
Modesty, Merit, and Our Lady
Frequently Asked Questions
The Catholic Church on Dressing For Mass: A Timeline
Act of Reparation & Appeal for Pardon
Acknowledgments
Notes

I am so happy to share this project, because learning what I've learned in researching this book has aided me so much on my spiritual journey and I hope that it will help you as well.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:

"This writer has vividly braided, in a most colorful fashion, dance, dress, and morality. The footnotes are numerous as the words of Popes and Saints dance before our eyes fulfilling a needed understanding of Catholic modesty. Memories of the 'mini dress' and too tight pants fly from the pages. We are made to see, in 'modest' language, the effects made by us in the way in which we present ourselves to others. I have seen all the fashions from my bench at the organ and it has given me pause for thought. I heartily recommend this book, especially, for priests. Actually I recommend it to all. The many timeless quotes and the well sourced little side stories about the way humans have dressed themselves through the ages make for enjoyable reading."

Mary Anne Sheehy Retired RN Catherine Laboure School of Nursing Dorchester, MA

Retired Musician; Choir Director and Organist St. Margarets Church
Brockton, MA

Catholic Modesty Book Review - Rihanon at My Little Domestic Church

BOOK BLURB:
This is the second edition of a book entirely dedicated to Catholic modesty. There are a few things added to this edition, but for the most part it’s just the better version of the previous edition. More “i’s” dotted and “t’s” crossed, less rants and more to the point. I still can’t promise perfection and shudder to think of how many errors were in the previous edition, but whatever good may come from this huge project, to God be the glory.

———————

The virtue of modesty is a thread in the beautiful tapestry of Catholicism. However, the level of confusion among Catholics concerning this subject is staggering. Catholic modesty is a touchy subject and often avoided, usually because of well-meaning but overzealous remarks made by many Catholics and their austere views on the matter. Catholics are so divided on this issue and its application in our lives. We may all agree that modesty is essential, but no one seems to agree on what constitutes a modest outfit and what doesn’t.

As a concerned Catholic woman, searching for answers on the topic of modest dress was not easy. There were so many questions that seem to go unanswered, or at the very least they weren’t consistent, nor did they seem to coincide with Church tradition.

The confusion is rampant: Is it “two inches above the knee” or “ankles always covered” If one man thinks mini skirts are immodest and one doesn’t, does that mean women can wear mini skirts, or is this issue simply not about men at all? And perhaps the biggest question of them all is “does it even matter in the end?”

I wrote this book with the hope of uniting fellow Catholics in the proper understanding of the entirety of the subject of Catholic modesty. I believe that, out of all the disagreements we may have with each other in this vale of tears, the issue of Catholic modesty shouldn’t be one of them. So I have taken to the keyboard once again to write what I know for the glory of God, with the goal of clearing the air on this issue and hopefully bringing some peace and clarity to the table.

May God be glorified by this unprofessional piece of work, and may this bring you closer to Christ through Mary.

The author of this book fully accepts the Catholic Church’s entire Magisterium and is obedient to the Chair of Peter in Rome.

“(I)t will be the fault of ignorance, not malice, if I say anything contrary to the doctrine of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, may be held as certain. By God’s goodness I am, and always shall be, faithful to the Church, as I have been in the past. May He be for ever blessed and glorified. Amen.”(2) St. Teresa of Avila

Footnotes:

(1) Don Sharkey, “The Woman Shall Conquer” (Milwaukee: Bruce Publishing Co., 1952), p. 141; Robert J. Fox, “Fatima Today” (Front Royal, Virginia: Christendom Pub., 1983), p. 100; Irma Lucia de Jesus Santos, O.C.D., “Memorias e Cartas,” introduced, annotated, and translated by Fr. Antonio Maria Martins, S.J. (Porto, Portugal: L.E., 1973), p. 225.

Quoted by Regis Scanlon in “Flood and Fire”, https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/flood-and-fire-12318, from an article taken from the April 1994 issue of “The Homilectic & Pastoral Review”, Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J., 86 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10024, $24.00 per year.

(2) Interior Castle, page 15 Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Print Basis: London: Thomas Baker, 1921. 3rd ed