Etiquette questions for any Catholics out there

[cjsmith]

Remember my foot problems?

I have a wedding to attend tomorrow. It's a full-on stand-up-a-bunch Catholic mass for a very, very devout couple. I will be dressed nicely (hisssss) which means GIRL SHOES (double hisssssssss).

My orthotics don't fit in girl shoes. I can't stand for more than a couple minutes without them before I'm in a fair bit of pain, and you would probably laugh to see me try to walk. I can, it's just that it's pathetic. And that's *barefoot* -- never mind the immense stupidity of elevating the heel and putting any weight on the ball of the foot. Yet I simply do not have any shoes that are Societally Acceptable(tm) that would be healthy for my feet. Frankly, I don't think there ARE such things. Not for GIRLS (hissssss).

If I wear girl shoes the inflammation will probably be back down to today's levels by next Wednesday, maybe a little longer depending on how much standing I do. Friday at the worst, I'd guess.

So - A POLL! What should I do? Please, people familiar with Catholic Mass, tell me. What's disrespectful, what's rude, what's acceptable and what's not? In case it makes a difference, I'll note here that I am not and have never been Catholic, and that I know exactly two people at this entire thing: rfrench and the bride. Oh, and that I have no wedding-appropriate clothing that goes even remotely reasonably well with black shoes.

[LJ-CUT TEXT="But you don't look sick"]

[Poll #470999]


Oh, I forgot to add options for "Get the @#$! over yourself, it's no big deal." Feel free to write that in. :-)

Comments

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Don't "kneel instead of stand". It's not respectful to do a different thing.

Ah - thanks for this tidbit. In the dim recesses of memory I thought I had seen, or heard of, people who knelt because they couldn't stand. Evidently not! :-)

[genderfur.livejournal.com]

Oh well, there is also kneeling in a Mass. Mebbe that's what you're thinking of.

In general, it's more respectful to respectfully not do the thing that you are an outsider to, than to try to "fit in" when you don't know what you're doing or what the significance is. Um, imho of course. [g]

I read a great book once, called "How to be a perfect stranger" and it was about how to behave as a stranger to a religion when you're there for a ceremony such as a wedding or baptism-equivalent. (Did that make sense?) It covered every xian sect there is, plus 3 or 4 other religions. :-/