That Communion Dress: Now it seems to scream soft porn

I used to get all worked up about Communion Dresses as lead-ins to the craving for a wedding dress. 

After all, a Catholic Baby Boomer, my experience at Seton Hill College, Greensburg, Pennsylvania [1963-67] was mostly about which one of my classmates [place was all-women] received an engagement ring.  Such a ring was a prerequisite to getting the dress.  Of course, we all longed for the dress.  The worst of the roly-poly type would diet for the dress and the big day. 

On that day, the supposed happiest of our lives [next to being admitted to Seton Hill], the women and the unlucky guys who were set up for a life working for GM and a mortgage for a single family house in Troy, Michigan, along with a cottage up north, would receive the Catholic sacrament of matrimony.   Clever conditioning: The Communion Dress.

Now, I see the situation is or has gotten much more pernicious to females.  Turn to this site for Communion Dresses.  The tone seems to communicate soft porn.  There are, and I quoting from the sales copy verbatim:

• Serena First Communion Dress $159.95
• Grace First Communion Dress [marked down] to $79.95
• Amber's First Communion Dress $139.95
• Corinne First Communion Dress [marked down] $89.95.

My renewed interest in Communion Dresses came from my stalking Facebook this holiday season.  The social network has replaced Christmas cards.  There a reader of this blog who also came of age in Jersey City, New Jersey Jackie Wisner had posted a photo of herself in, yes,  her Communion Dress. 

Christmas over, New Year's Eve the next major holiday, Wisner more recently posted a blurb about a party.  Miffed that she had not invited me, I sent her a stern friend-note that if she wanted to stay buddy-buddy she would send me her Communion Dress.  An extreme shorty, I could probably wear it.  Haven't grown much since that day I made my own first communion in St. Boniface Church [no longer called that, Wisner informed me] in downtown Jersey City.  I have never felt that special since.  My white veil, prayer book, and pocketbook were also treasures.

Hey, Wisner:  Do you have any of that other paraphernalia in your basement in Maryland?

Update:

The owner of the First Communion Website Janice Lennon sent this email Download Communiondress.  It contended this post was "slanderous."  It also requested that I remove the link to its site from this post Download Communiondress. 

I disagree that this post is slanderous.  Please see my syndicated blog http://lawandmore.typepad.com.  I have been covering legal issues for years.  Those include bloggers's rights and protections.  In the mid 1980s I attended Harvard Law School.

I will not remove it, despite Ms. Lennon's statement that " ... we will defend with all legal options."  Should I be shaking in my boots and doing some serious time throwing up dinner? 

Actually, I perceive Ms. Lennon's email as bordering on harassment.   It might also be bordering or actually crossing the line on free speech, that is, the First Amendment.  The real issue might be if I should defend my right to free speech with all the legal options.   See, I'm a streetfighter from the meanest of streets in Jersey CityDownload CUsersjasneDocumentsjg.

FYI, here is the white paper I published on the subject of the futility of taking legal action on "slander" on the web Download Digitaldefamationcopy.  But, free speech is another kettle of fish.

I will seize this high-profile opportunity to promote my ironic novel which focuses on Catholicism specifically but, more generally, all religions.

Comments

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My dress is strapless and...white. What type of dress, first off, will go well..

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The best best way to surprise any girl by sending her communion dress with all the accessories this will freshen up her memory of childhood and she will be happy by remembering all her beautiful moments of that time

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[Charlotte]

A couple of years ago my mother sent me a box of memorabilia from my childhood and sure enough, the Commnion dress was there. My mother made the dress--white dotted swiss with ruffles, very modest. I no longer have it as it started to fall apart from age. I did save one small piece of cloth and will probably include it in one of my art quilts someday. I still have the candle I carried in the 1st communion procession.