Do You Wear A Veil Or Headcovering In Church?

[Gabriela]

I would love to, and I do when at the MEF or a traditional MOF. But the parish in my hometown is pretty liberal, and I'm a new convert, and I don't want people thinking of me as the "holier-than-thou" convert. So...

 

:cry3:

 

EDIT: I prefer to wear a buff or scarf tied off in the Orthodox Jewish way.

Buffs: http://www.buffwear.com/

Orthodox Jewish headscarf: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdya6vYq7b1rlc8jjo1_250.jpg

 

I never liked mantillas. Too lacy.  :dontlike:

Edited February 1, 2013 by curiousing

[Mary+Immaculate<3]

I used to have a lacy white mantilla, but it was totally not me so I gave it to a friend. I used to wear a hat, but I've recently gotten out of the habit of wearing it. I should try wearing it again. For some reason my parents gave me a white chapel cap as a stocking stuffer for Christmas, but I think it looks stupid on me so I haven't worn it. All that to say that I have the desire to veil, but I haven't exactly found the way that works for me. The PSSC postulants wear black mantillas which I think I'd like better than white ones.

If you don't like those ways, some of my friends who attend the EF wear fashion scarves (my sister calls them "fishnet" scarves because they're thin material) on their heads during Mass, and then wear them as a scarf afterwards. That works well, and you can have a lot of fun matching the scarf to your outfit. Depending on the size/shape/style of the scarf, you can wear it tied under your hair at the nape of your neck, simply draped in your head with the ends hanging down, or draping on end down the front, and the other down the back. Also, sheiscatholic had a good video on church veils. I don't always wear them, but they're cool.

[JessicaKoch]

reminds me of St.Bernadette!

[TheLordsSouljah]

I should also mention that as a woman, I have been looked down upon by other women in the EF community (I attend both forms) and choose not to wear headcoverings because the degree of judgment that I have seen by some women who wear headcoverings in different EF parishes I've been to made wearing them unattractive to me personally.  I was just talking to one of the priests in my former parish and he was telling me how in Europe those who attend the EF seldom wear a headcovering and often come to Mass in slacks.  Thus I feel called to not wear a headcovering in Church to stand in solidarity with those who are judged for not wearing an optional item- sometimes quite severely.  This of course, is purely my personal position and feeling on the matter. 

 

Lastly, I pray very hard for the conversion of the followers of the false prophet.  The sack or head covering they wear is emblematic of servitude and supreme disrespect for women.  Somehow Christian men are able to endure the beauty of the glory of the woman (hair) in the office and can concentrate on business but all of a sudden it is distracting and tempting in Church?  I will not participate in blaming Eve for what is the man's responsibility. 

That's awful about being looked down on. That's just not right. Those people need prayers. 

Unfortunately in too many other places it is the other way round. People get accused of pride and trying to look 'holier' than everyone else. Its a bit sad really.

 

I wear the mantilla at uni because it is accepted and not a distraction, but it would be an utter 'what-era-did-she-spring-from????' at my home parish. Though when I am at uni I don't simply wear it cause some guy is going to be staring my hair all the time, but out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament. A woman's hair has always been known as her 'glory', so to speak (i.e., one of the most beautiful features), and so part of tradition is that women cover theirs so as to give all attention to Christ. It is also an ancient sign of holiness and devotion, not to mention humility. I love this tradition of the Church and hope people can learn to accept both views.

I must stress though that it is optional as you are saying, and you are right in that women should not be judged in simply because they wear a head covering or not. God bless

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Veiling was one of the best decisions of my life. :)

[ToJesusMyHeart]

I actually have a question sort of relating to this. 

 

Does anybody know with certainty what the Sisters of Life's policy on chapel veils is? Because when I visited them, none of the postulants wore veils, but several retreatants did. I can totally understand why they would ask postulants not to wear them (community uniformity), but does anybody know for sure if they flat out don't use them, or if it is simply optional to the postulant?

 

I will ask Sr. A next time I speak with her, but if anybody has any information in the mean time, I would really appreciate your input. 

 

Thank you. :)

[cartermia]

I would veil, but the problem is that my church is kind of lay back when it comes to dress. I would stick out like a sore thumb! And I don't want to draw any attention to myself during the Mass

Same as mine...

 

I am glad that you are able to do it in your Church.  My mom and aunt always comment on people who wear veils as if they are trying to act "holier-than-thou" or attracting attention to themselves.  The craziest thing is that they had to wear them at Mass before Vatican II!  I am reluctant to wear one because I don't want to start a big argument.  :(
 

My mom and grandmother do exactly that and that is why I don't wear the veil.

 

 

 

My Confirmation is coming up and I might get a veil for that :think: ...

[ChristinaTherese]

I was at a Byzantine Catholic church this morning and all of the women were wearing veils. :) (That is, they all had some kind of covering on their heads, none of which were mantillas, as far as I saw.)

Edited February 2, 2013 by Christina Thérèse

[TheresaThoma]

There are some older ladies at my Church that wear some awesome hats. I love it! but yup I'm pretty much the only person my age who veils. The only time that I felt really indecisive about wearing it was when I was asked to witness for RCIA to the whole parish after Mass. I went back and forth and then decided that I should just wear it and that I was worrying too much about what others thought.

[EmilyAnn]

I wear a mantilla, previously I used scarves to cover my hair. I have rarely seen anyone in either of the parishes (both OF) that I attend.

I wear it out of personal choice. Simple as that.

[beatitude]

I used to, but for various reasons, I stopped.

[maximillion]

I don't 'veil' as such but I do wear a head covering both indoors and out, and it follows that I don't take it off for Mass.

 

This came about because I felt really strange without my head being covered after I left the convent....

 

Then I just liked it, less fussing with hair styles needed if hair is covered, opportunity to vary the head gear according to my mood, time of season etc. Now I think most people who know me would be surprised to see me without head covering.

 

Is it 'veiling'? Not in the sense of doing it for spiritual reasons, though I think if I didn't already cover my head I would do so at Mass.

 

So not much to do with men, only to do with God at Mass, mostly to do with me.

[Rosa immaculata]

My home parish is EF but I work for an Ordinary Form church. I didn't wear a veil when I first started at the OF because of all the reasons mentioned by so many of you. I finally asked myself this question, "what do I think when I see another woman wearing a veil to an OF Mass?" We'll I had to admit that I was truly edified by her humility. I didn't think badly of her at all. So I began wearing my veil. Along with that I made the commitment to kneel and receive Our Lord on the tongue at OF Masses (not trying to start another topic but they are part of the same package to me). I hope that if I am prayerful and humble I will cause no one distress, but ultimately it is what I believe Our Lord is asking of ME - I would never expect it of others unless the Church did.
As a side note: Vat II and the current code of canon law never addressed "veiling" because it was a non-issue. They never dreamed that women would stop wearing the veil. Apparently a newspaper headline during Vat II said that women no longer had to wear veils and that was all it took to end thousands of years of wearing veils (old and new covenant).

God veils what is sacred and life-giving (His Presence in the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle in in the desert, in the temple, and in every Catholic Church). Mary is the new Ark of the covenant; tabernacle of the incarnate presence. As mother of all her spiritual children she administers life-giving grace from God to us. God has veiled and crowned her with honor. As women we are life givers. We have been made by God to cooperate in His creative power. Because we are set apart for this holy purpose God is pleased that we would honor Him by imitating His Blessed Mother. Being in the presence of Our Lord requires a response...internal of course...external also (kneeling, bowing, genuflecting)
It is certainly not required to wear a veil when in the presence of Our Lord, but I do so with humility and in imitation of Our Lady. I hope my rambling is edifying to someone!

 

Waow Hisalone, I really love your reply to this thread and the reasons for which you veil your head; there are the same for me and I veil almost always during the Holy Mass (EF); in France generally, very few pepople veil their heads at the OF Mass, I don't know why but I have friends who don't dare to do it because they would be alone and laughed at (silently of course)... Just my two cents, but I also understand why others don't do it; the main thing is to do it because it has a deep meaning for us... :)

 

I pray for all of you as I have not much time presently to be on the Phorum! and Lent is coming soon, aha :)

[Freudentaumel]

I never understood why the custom of wearing a headcovering in church fell out of use.

I mean it is clear from scripture and tradition that it has been like this since apostolic times, men are not allowed to cover their head in Church, but women should. Ironically, the rule for men still stands: a man who wears a hat in Church gets into trouble.

Until the middle of the 20th century both men and women always wore a headgear in public, and the men had to remove theirs in Church, so the rule seemed to discriminate against men. Today, nobody wears a headgear in public (mainly due to the invention of shampoo and showers with warm water in every flat), so the rule seems to discriminate against women, but in fact nothing changed.

 

I don't judge anyone, based on what he or she wears, I just don't understand it. :idontknow:

[Immanuel]

I don't 'veil' as such but I do wear a head covering both indoors and out, and it follows that I don't take it off for Mass.

This came about because I felt really strange without my head being covered after I left the convent....

Then I just liked it, less fussing with hair styles needed if hair is covered, opportunity to vary the head gear according to my mood, time of season etc. Now I think most people who know me would be surprised to see me without head covering.

Is it 'veiling'? Not in the sense of doing it for spiritual reasons, though I think if I didn't already cover my head I would do so at Mass.

So not much to do with men, only to do with God at Mass, mostly to do with me.