Headcovering in Catholicism

[Lilllabettt]

You can use a scarf or a hat. Eastern Catholics tend to use scarves. The mantilla is a Latin custom.

If you are not very solid in your knowledge of the faith yet, I would not recommend wearing a headcovering to church immediately. This is partly because people who are just starting to lead a deeper Catholic life often get overly attached to externals such as mantillas (I've been there, it's not helpful) and partly because you need to be in a position to answer questions if people ask you about what you're doing.

It's also not really about covering yourself up. I have another mantilla that looks like this. It's transparent. The hair is completely visible. And yet a lot of traditional Catholic women wear mantillas like this, because the main idea behind our veils is to show reverence before Jesus in the Eucharist, not because there is something immodest about women's hair.

Do you know where I can find a mantilla like that? I am thinking about veiling again but I definitely would want it to be as unobtrusive as possible.Dark color, mostly see-thru ... I like that. My googling skills are not up to snuff cuz all I ever get is wedding veil stuff ...

Thanks, but no. She just confirmed my original thought. These (perfectly lovely) ideas were developed after veils were already worn for a considerable amount of time...Not my cup of tea.

 

There was a veil thread on Phatmass once that actually convinced me on an intellectual level that veiling was the ideal thing to do.  Maybe someone can find that.

  I remember thinking "ugh am I going to have to veil to avoid intellectual dishonesty now?" The logic was convincing and I did not want to be convinced.  (full disclosure, I did not start veiling. I am a little bit of a moral coward in this area. moral coward not as in veiling is morally mandatory but moral coward as much as I believe I should veil and lack the courage to do so.)

[beatitude]

 

Do you know where I can find a mantilla like that? I am thinking about veiling again but I definitely would want it to be as unobtrusive as possible.Dark color, mostly see-thru ... I like that. My googling skills are not up to snuff cuz all I ever get is wedding veil stuff ...

The veil I linked to is from Veils by Lily. They have a selection of fairly unobtrustive ones (this one is also mostly see-through).

[veritasluxmea]

Garlands of Grace has headcoverings that aren't like the typical lace mantilla but are beautiful. Check them out if you can, she has a lot of different styles and options. Chiffons, cowls, snoods...  I wear the typical Catholic bookstore mantilla (exactly where I got it from) but I'm seriously considering getting a new one from here.

 

 

 

There doesn't seem to be a real, theological, reason to wear a veil in mass, traditionally speaking. One and two thousand years ago the primary reason seems to have been, "because that's what women before us did". And before that the reasons were Jewish, which is said no longer applies to us...

The reasons y'all give for veiling now are nice and all, but they also seem to be very after the fact. Not just traditionally but personally. Like,"I just felt like it, and then there were all these reasons" which really makes them side effects or bonuses, not actual reasons for doing it... Just tryin to understand here.

You're not exactly right, but you're not to far off. There's not a back-and-white catechism answer but just because the theology behind veiling is more of a mystical thing doesn't mean it's not valued. It's like poring water into the wine at mass. Something that comes from our Jewish heritage and has great meaning for us now. (Water in wine is way more important than veiling, but I'm just making an comparison here). However, it is a little-t tradition. It's not mandatory to cover your hair and if it doesn't personally suit you it doesn't have to. 

[Archaeology cat]

Garlands of Grace has headcoverings that aren't like the typical lace mantilla but are beautiful. Check them out if you can, she has a lot of different styles and options. Chiffons, cowls, snoods...  I wear the typical Catholic bookstore mantilla (exactly where I got it from) but I'm seriously considering getting a new one from here.

 

 

 

 

While I think their headcoverings are nice, Garlands of Grace is somewhat anti-Catholic from what I've heard/seen.  

[veritasluxmea]

While I think their headcoverings are nice, Garlands of Grace is somewhat anti-Catholic from what I've heard/seen.  

Shame, and they have such nice headcoverings too... I wasn't aware of that, I just found out about them a few days ago. Thanks for sharing. There are a lot of comments on the FB post, wow! 

[Archaeology cat]

Shame, and they have such nice headcoverings too... I wasn't aware of that, I just found out about them a few days ago. Thanks for sharing. There are a lot of comments on the FB post, wow! 

I know! I wish they didn't feel that way, because they really are nice. I'm about to just get some material and make a quick/simple scarf, I think. I have a mantilla (two, in fact), and a snood, and some really old scarves, but I'd like a nice one before this baby's baptism. Silly perhaps. 

[veritasluxmea]

I know! I wish they didn't feel that way, because they really are nice. I'm about to just get some material and make a quick/simple scarf, I think. I have a mantilla (two, in fact), and a snood, and some really old scarves, but I'd like a nice one before this baby's baptism. Silly perhaps. 

Yeah, I want something really nice, but I have short, short hair  That's why GoG's shorter veils might have worked. long flowing ones, even medium-length ones, look a little odd with no hair behind them, I feel like I can't pull off the flowing feminine look very well, sigh. my current veil works, but I still like to window shop, so to speak... plus I have a birthday coming up so I need gift ideas to tell people  

I like this one 

But this might work better with my hair. 

Decisions, decisions. 

[Archaeology cat]

Yeah, I want something really nice, but I have short, short hair  That's why GoG's shorter veils might have worked. long flowing ones, even medium-length ones, look a little odd with no hair behind them, I feel like I can't pull off the flowing feminine look very well, sigh. my current veil works, but I still like to window shop, so to speak... plus I have a birthday coming up so I need gift ideas to tell people  

I like this one 

But this might work better with my hair. 

Decisions, decisions. 

Those are pretty! I have shorter hair right now, too, because it's too hot and my hair is thicker right now so it gives me a headache if it's longer. Seriously. So the snood doesn't really work right now. I always tie my mantillas behind my head to keep them out of the way from the nurseling/toddler who might pull on it, so I'm thinking of getting some gauzier fabric and sewing it a pretty tie to it to use that. 

[veritasluxmea]

Those are pretty! I have shorter hair right now, too, because it's too hot and my hair is thicker right now so it gives me a headache if it's longer. Seriously. So the snood doesn't really work right now. I always tie my mantillas behind my head to keep them out of the way from the nurseling/toddler who might pull on it, so I'm thinking of getting some gauzier fabric and sewing it a pretty tie to it to use that. 

Could you do a headband type of veil where it's longer in the back? That would good good and keep it out of your face/front. I don't have any issues keeping headbands on even with short hair. 

I think I'm going to go for the first type of veil, I think I can pull it off. Beautiful. I'll keep the old mantilla in the car as an emergency mantilla. 

[Archaeology cat]

Could you do a headband type of veil where it's longer in the back? That would good good and keep it out of your face/front. I don't have any issues keeping headbands on even with short hair. 

I think I'm going to go for the first type of veil, I think I can pull it off. Beautiful. I'll keep the old mantilla in the car as an emergency mantilla. 

I probably could do a headband type. It's just finding one that I don't deem to be too tight at the base of my head. I get weird tension headaches from some pressure points in the back (actually related to me being tongue-tied, but not getting that fixed because I can't have local anaesthesia - it's complicated). So when I tie a scarf, I have to make sure it's loose enough not to bother me, yet will stay on. I'm weird.

[Charbel]

Could you do a headband type of veil where it's longer in the back? That would good good and keep it out of your face/front. I don't have any issues keeping headbands on even with short hair. 

I think I'm going to go for the first type of veil, I think I can pull it off. Beautiful. I'll keep the old mantilla in the car as an emergency mantilla. 

How short short is your hair? Because I have very short hair too and I also really like that first veil you posted. The length is beautiful! My current veil is a little weird with my short hair so I've been thinking of getting a different one for a while. I have  a different one that is brown and more scarf like. It is like one long strip that rests in the middle with two long "tails" on the sides instead of a more triangular shape. That one might look better on me. Who knows, in the end, it's all externals!

God's will be done!

I like that emergency car mantilla idea by the way 

[veritasluxmea]

I probably could do a headband type. It's just finding one that I don't deem to be too tight at the base of my head. I get weird tension headaches from some pressure points in the back (actually related to me being tongue-tied, but not getting that fixed because I can't have local anaesthesia - it's complicated). So when I tie a scarf, I have to make sure it's loose enough not to bother me, yet will stay on. I'm weird.

No, that makes sense. My main problem with headbands is that it pulls my hair upwards at the roots which it's not used to, and it gets all achy and really hurts  Once I had to have it up for a five hour work shift and it was like having cramps with no ibrupropen except on my scalp... not fun. 

How short short is your hair? Because I have very short hair too and I also really like that first veil you posted. The length is beautiful! My current veil is a little weird with my short hair so I've been thinking of getting a different one for a while. I have  a different one that is brown and more scarf like. It is like one long strip that rests in the middle with two long "tails" on the sides instead of a more triangular shape. That one might look better on me. Who knows, in the end, it's all externals!

God's will be done!

I like that emergency car mantilla idea by the way 

Real short by girl standards... similar to this 

I know what you mean by the tails thing, my mantilla has that and I HATE it. That's why I like the long flowy one. Most typical, bookstore mantillas have a tails thing going on where it's short in the back and long in the front, and it kind of annoys me, it just looks weird to me. 

[MarysLittleFlower]

While I think their headcoverings are nice, Garlands of Grace is somewhat anti-Catholic from what I've heard/seen.  

That is sad :( however I think its possible to make head coverings like this if you have a bit of sewing skills. Maybe I'll try and see if it works out

By the way I couldn't go to the Traditional Latin Mass and wore my short beige veil to the Novus Ordo, where no one really veils (i've seen one elderly and one younger women before there, but didn't see them today). However after someone came up to me and said its nice that I wear it  

No, that makes sense. My main problem with headbands is that it pulls my hair upwards at the roots which it's not used to, and it gets all achy and really hurts  Once I had to have it up for a five hour work shift and it was like having cramps with no ibrupropen except on my scalp... not fun. 

Real short by girl standards... similar to this 

I know what you mean by the tails thing, my mantilla has that and I HATE it. That's why I like the long flowy one. Most typical, bookstore mantillas have a tails thing going on where it's short in the back and long in the front, and it kind of annoys me, it just looks weird to me. 

oh yea I know what you mean with them longer in the front and short at the back... I have long hair that constantly sticks out so I was also looking for a more flowy one. I couldn't afford ones like Veils by Lily so I just ended up getting some lace and making my own one thing I liked about that is that I could totally control the shape and size. It just needs to be a nice flowy lace and not the window curtains type. 

[He is Risen!]

I wouldn't even have a tablecloth that looks like a mantilla.

Hahahaha, oh my gosh yes. I cover my bean at church, but usually with a scarf or hat.  In my mind mantillas look so, I don't know...Italian/Spanish?  This is just personal feeling, no good reason for it, but a mantilla makes me feel a bit like I'm adopting the ethnic dress of some group that I'm not a part of, like if I decided to start wearing a sari or a grass skirt or something, beautiful in their own way, but a foreign feeling to wear.  I feel more at home with a hat, scarf, or hood.

[Willa]

I cover every day. It is part of my Roma heritage & I love it. Personally, I love seeing the ladies in church who cover, I think they look beautiful. I feel very comfortable with my covering though I do worry that people in church will think I am more conservative than I am because of it.