What is the Catholic Church's stand on social nudity?

Answer 1

The Catholic Church doesn't take a stand on nudity per se, however, it is covered under purity. Purity is covered extensively in the Catechism under the Ninth Commandment. The Ninth commandment is ordered towards veiling what is no one else's business to see (your person). It is ordered not just towards clothing the body, but clothing it respectfully. There are clothes which, in and of themselves, might be more provocative than nudity. That kind of clothing, along with nudity gives rise to scandal. Scandal, in Catholic morality, is any action OR its omission, that is likely to induce another to sin. Thus public nudity would be doubly sinful as we are required under the ninth commandment to dress modestly, and to give scandal is always gravely sinful.

Ninth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's. (Ex 20:17)

Every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Mt 5:28)

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from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

2518 The sixth beatitude proclaims, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Mt 5:8) "Pure in heart" refers to those who have attuned their intellects and wills to the demands of God’s holiness, chiefly in three areas: charity (Cf. 1 Tim 4:309; 2 Tim 2:22), chastity or sexual rectitude Cf. 1 Thess 4:7; Col 3:5; Eph 4:19), love of truth and orthodoxy of faith. (Cf. Titus 1:15; 1 Tim 1:3-4; 2 Tim 2:23-26) There is a connection between purity of heart, of body, and of faith:

The faithful must believe the articles of the Creed "so that by believing they may obey God, by obeying may live well, by living well may purify their hearts, and with pure hearts may understand what they believe." (St. Augustine, De fide et symbolo 10, 25; J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina {Paris: 1841-1855} 40, 196)

2521 Purity requires modesty, an integral part of temperance. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden. It is ordered to chastity to whose sensitivity it bears witness. It guides how one looks at others and behaves toward them in conformity with the dignity of persons and their solidarity.

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2522 Modesty protects the mystery of persons and their love. It encourages patience and moderation in loving relationships; it requires that the conditions for the definitive giving and commitment of man and woman to one another be fulfilled. Modesty is decency. It inspires one’s choice of clothing. It keeps silence or reserve where there is evident risk of unhealthy curiosity. It is discreet.