Awkward about wearing a mantilla

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I explained to a non-Catholic friend, who does not understand why we Catholics kneel during the Mass, what it is “all about.” It really is very simple if you take the time to explain: we Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the Real Presence of Christ Jesus.

Thus, it is Our Lord before us in the Eucharist. I say to my Christian Brother or Sister, wouldn’t you kneel if Christ Jesus appeared before you? That is usually all it takes to make them understand why we Catholics kneel.

The Eucharist IS Christ Jesus. That being the case, what else could we do but kneel or prostrate ourselves before the Most High, Jesus Christ?

By all means, kneel. You just may start a spiritual revolution. And God will be smiling…

Love in Christ Jesus’ Holy Name,

Beverly Ann

Psalm 63 (New American Bible)
 
ML561 said:
This has nothing to do with anything regarding the Mass, but do any of you out there think that the lack of dressing up has also contributed to the spread of rudeness in general?
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Yes, I believe it is directly tied to it; it has everything to do with the spreading of disrespect toward people, toward life itself. Thus the spread of the culture of death.

When we dress in a dignified manner, in a way which affirms our femininity (if we’re women) or our masculinity (if we’re men), I have found that others can’t help but treat us better. I think that the more we dress this way, the more we as a group will truly restore manners to our society and ultimately, we will restore a respect for life (and all the life issues near and dear to our hearts). I have found that we have the power to change the culture of death just by the way we dress.
 
I’m 47 years old and have always wanted to wear the chapel veil like my mother did when I was a child.

She died when I was 19 years old having given up the veil because everyone else did because, “It ran out of fashion.” But since it’s Biblical I always felt that wasn’t a good enough reason, however I also felt that wearing a veil without proper discernment would be “showing off”.

Then, this year I became seriously ill and couldn’t go to Mass for 3 months. When I returned I was wearing the veil. During the illness I found God answered many prayers and brought be closer to him. When my husband got permission to bring me communion God began to speak so clearly and loud in personal revelation that I’m so very Thankful for the Love. I just knew Jesus would approve of me being as like Mary as I can which would mean wearing a veil.

So, I try to wear a veil every time I go to Mass. Once I had an unplanned chance to go to Mass so I didn’t wear the veil. I felt awkward not doing so but knew God wanted me there.

Now, my husband has a brain tumor which we believe is operable and not life threatening at this time but very scary. And I know that the veil for me is like carrying a rosary into Mass. I wouldn’t think twice about carrying a rosary so although I was quite embarrassed the first time I’m not any longer. Some ladies did ask me about the veil and I just said it brought me closer to Christ through Mary. They understood and just seemed to want to make sure I wasn’t making some political point.

I’ve only seen one other woman wear a veil out our English Mass. In the Spanish Mass there are more.
 
MargaretLFY said:
I’m 47 years old and have always wanted to wear the chapel veil like my mother did when I was a child.

She died when I was 19 years old having given up the veil because everyone else did because, “It ran out of fashion.” But since it’s Biblical I always felt that wasn’t a good enough reason, however I also felt that wearing a veil without proper discernment would be “showing off”.

Then, this year I became seriously ill and couldn’t go to Mass for 3 months. When I returned I was wearing the veil. During the illness I found God answered many prayers and brought be closer to him. When my husband got permission to bring me communion God began to speak so clearly and loud in personal revelation that I’m so very Thankful for the Love. I just knew Jesus would approve of me being as like Mary as I can which would mean wearing a veil.

So, I try to wear a veil every time I go to Mass. Once I had an unplanned chance to go to Mass so I didn’t wear the veil. I felt awkward not doing so but knew God wanted me there.

Now, my husband has a brain tumor which we believe is operable and not life threatening at this time but very scary. And I know that the veil for me is like carrying a rosary into Mass. I wouldn’t think twice about carrying a rosary so although I was quite embarrassed the first time I’m not any longer. Some ladies did ask me about the veil and I just said it brought me closer to Christ through Mary. They understood and just seemed to want to make sure I wasn’t making some political point.

I’ve only seen one other woman wear a veil out our English Mass. In the Spanish Mass there are more.
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I will pray for your husband and please look at www.hacres.com and click on the testimonials of the people who have had cancer and read some of these testimonies. It is worth anyone with any disease to read all of them.God bless you and your family.
 
Can i say how much i love this thread. For once there is not bickering over it. We are allowed just to be. When i read everyone’s post i totally understand how it transforms you. ITs so hard to explain why you get the calling to wear a headcovering and how it effects you.

There are just so many emotions all wrapped up in even deciding to wear one because it goes against the norms of our society. I say if you are feeling the calling try it out. Go to a daily mass or a mass at a different parish until you get comfortable.

I think my own resitance for so long was the devil trying to keep me away from getting closer to God. Seriously in the begining i was so worried what people would think. I only wanted to be invisible but i was afriad it was putting a big spot light on me. I think that was pride and vainty trying to take over. The devil knows that i am overly senseitive due to my years of playing in the choir and wanting the attention on me when i played and one of these reason i stopped playing anymore. God on the other hand knew what was good for me. He called me and it took me over a year to listen. In the process, I have come to realize that covering myself on the outside allowed me learning to open my heart and mind more fully during mass.

Ladies i swear to you that after wearing it for a few weeks people get use to you and they don’t even notice anymore. I have never had anyone say anything rude to me. I have only gotten questions of i love your veil and were can i get one. If the veil doesn’t work for you then finding something that does. A bandanda, hat, big headband etc. It doesn’t have to be fully covering every part of your hair.

Beckers
 
Thank you Jewels17, I’ll go check that site out right now. Your prayers are very welcomed.
My husband’s name is Jose if that helps in your prayer.

God Bless.
 
Does anyone know why women stopped wearing head coverings? I know it’s a new thing relative to the church since about 42 years ago is when it stopped. I kind of think it must of been a fashion thing since that is the reason given for not making women wear hair coverings…at least what I heard.

I was wondering if it’s a way of telling women we are equal to men and don’t have to wear head coverings? It’s biblical for women to do so…but jewish men also wear the yamuke – not sure on the spelling? I wonder if there is a paper to explain this head covering history, and purpose?
 
I have to say I (like others who’ve posted) I’m very pleased to see that people aren’t arguing about wearing a mantilla or chapel veil. It’s great to see I’m not the only one and I hope (and pray) that people in my parish won’t find it threatening as that’s not what it’s intended to be. I have asked God so many times in prayer to teach me how to humble myself, and I truly believe He is telling me this is one way I can.

Thanks to all of you for your posts and God bless you!

Katherine
 
MargaretLFY said:
Does anyone know why women stopped wearing head coverings? I know it’s a new thing relative to the church since about 42 years ago is when it stopped. I kind of think it must of been a fashion thing since that is the reason given for not making women wear hair coverings…at least what I heard.

I was wondering if it’s a way of telling women we are equal to men and don’t have to wear head coverings? It’s biblical for women to do so…but jewish men also wear the yamuke – not sure on the spelling? I wonder if there is a paper to explain this head covering history, and purpose?
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There are several dozen threads on the whys and why nots of wearing a mantilla; this thread is not a place to debate that. A quick search should yield the answer to your questions.
 
sarahraegraham said:
There are several dozen threads on the whys and why nots of wearing a mantilla; this thread is not a place to debate that. A quick search should yield the answer to your questions.
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Goodness yes!! That’s a surefire way to get a nice thread off in the weeds! 😉

~Liza
 
its good that you are wearing a mantilla. A girl actually looks attractive in a mantilla. One word of caution though the person wearing the mantilla is not necessarily any holier than the person next to them. Ok taking that step to wear the mantilla engenders acertain amount of courage initially and this helps a certain growth in virtue.
God bless.
 
I have started attending TLM and I always cover my head for it. About half of the women there wear a mantilla or a hat and in that sense I don’t feel obliged to wear one but I love to do it. It makes me feel more reverent towards the Lord and more focused on Mass. I now feel called to do the same when I go to NO as well. But it is difficult to make that first step.
Two weeks ago my husband and I were in Rome and went to St Peter’s for sunday Mass. I had my mantilla with me but couldn’t decide what to do. I really wanted to put it on but I was afraid of being the only lay woman there with covered hair. Just before the Mass started I did put it on and felf like I was doing the right thing. I wasn’t self-conscious and didn’t think about whether anyone was looking.

I remember seeing a woman with a mantilla for the first time ever not even a year ago. (at a NO Mass). I thought it was a bit odd and assumed that she was super-traditional and out of touch with the times. I felt intimidated and attracted at the same time. I could sense that it was a spiritual thing and not some kind of political statement (or a fashion statement) althought I did not know the exact idea behind it. Funny how things change. I’m now all for it and hope that my wearing it might inspire others to do the same.

I’m so glad there are women out there with the same desire and that here we can discuss these things freely. I’ve really enjoyed reading about everyone’s experiences and thoughts.
 
42 years ago when my Mother took the veil off and didn’t wear it to Mass anymore I don’t remember what happened. I was 5 years old. She would have never burned her veil or anything to do with the Church. But I do believe she would have done it because all the other women were doing it without much thought about it.

Now as women I think we’re really thinking about our place in the Church and I think more of us are coming to understand we are equal to the men of the Church but different and it’s time to be happy about that difference and wear our veils and come into communion with Christ as women. In a way the veil makes this emphasis but was definitely not my first thought. My first thought was coming closer to Christ and His Mother so I can be more of what He’d want me to be. And it is helping me.

I forgot my veil at home this last Sunday…of course I went to Mass anyway but now I have put a backup scarf in my glove compartment so I have a head covering. Funny enough I was almost as embarrassed walking into church without it. I felt a little bare.
 
MargaretLFY said:
… I was almost as embarrassed walking into church without it. I felt a little bare.
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I have felt the same way when I have forgotten my chapel veil - funny, after awhile you start to feel more self conscious about NOT being covered than when you are! 😃

I have back ups in the car now too - just in case. You never know when you are going to run into an adoration chapel on a whim or to Mass if you have time on a week day. I prefer to be prepared, so my console has a veil and extra pins tucked away inside. 😉

~Liza
 
What a great thread 🙂

I also am feeling lead to start covering my head during Mass. And to be honest I’m a little terrified… 😊

It started a while ago, I was reading the Bible and came across that verse where it says that women should cover their heads “because of the angels”… some people say that St Paul just wrote that cause it was a cultural thing, but that can’t be the case, because the Angels are always at Mass… it’s spiritual, not cultural. And then I looked at VII, and found that the Council never said that women should stop wearing veils…it wasn’t mentioned at all! women stopped wearing them because of misinformation…and perhaps pressure from the feminist movement.

And then one day I was at Mass, and I asked St Padre Pio to help me understand that the Mass is holy and to have proper reverence for it… (cause he saw the spiritual reality of the Mass in a vision.) And during that Mass, I did feel that it’s so holy, and for some reason I REALLY wanted to cover my head. Ever since then, I’ve felt this way at every Mass…

but here’s the problem, I go to a Novus Ordo parish where practically no one wears a veil.

I visited a Latin Mass some time ago, and almost all the women, around 90% of them, wore mantillas…and it was so beautiful cause you could tell it was all for the Lord and not for fashion etc.

I’m afraid that if I wear a headcovering, that will distract people, or people would stare at me… I don’t want to take any attention away from the Mass… but at the same time, I really feel like it would please God if I wear a veil.

So I’m kind of conflicted…

it’s been really encouraging reading all your stories though 🙂

I don’t think I could wear a full mantilla at my parish - I’d have to save that for the TLM (sadly I live far from that church though)… but what are the other options out there??? I was thinking of starting with one of those big fabric headbands… it would look sort of like this, only a different colour: headcoverings-by-devorah.com/images3/RedPolyHeadband.jpg

what do you all think?

I really wish mantillas would become the ‘norm’ again…
 
Any head covering is a good thing for women. Just like a ring rosary or a five decade pearl rosary are the same good thing. I wear a lace veil most the time…only when I forget and just this last Saturday I put a back up scarf in my car so I’ll always have a head covering. What God, I believe, is doing is allowing every woman come to her own terms on how to love him. I too believe that we (as women) stopped not consciously thinking of what He would want but did so for political and fashion reasons of the time, 40 plus years ago. Now, I believe that God is pleased to see women with head coverings.

What really convinced me was my husband, son and daughter seemed more proud of me for doing so – they didn’t even blink an eye or were embarrassed. For them it was natural that I should be wearing a veil although my 12 year old daughter doesn’t want to yet. My husband says it reminds him of the Blessed Virgin Mary and makes him feel happily humble. And that makes me even happier to wear it.
 
Had my hair covered for the first time at Mass on Sunday and did it again today. The first time I actually forgot I’d done it, until I went up to receive a blessing from the priest and began to fiddle with it. What surprised me is how much more at ease I felt talking with God and participating in the service. Sounds silly, but I felt that by (in a small way) showing a greater respect for God I was learning more about what it means to love and worship Him. Plus no one seems to mind, gonna keep on doing it.

God bless,

Katherine
 
4EverHis said:
What a great thread 🙂

I also am feeling lead to start covering my head during Mass. And to be honest I’m a little terrified… 😊

It started a while ago, I was reading the Bible and came across that verse where it says that women should cover their heads “because of the angels”… some people say that St Paul just wrote that cause it was a cultural thing, but that can’t be the case, because the Angels are always at Mass… it’s spiritual, not cultural. And then I looked at VII, and found that the Council never said that women should stop wearing veils…it wasn’t mentioned at all! women stopped wearing them because of misinformation…and perhaps pressure from the feminist movement.

And then one day I was at Mass, and I asked St Padre Pio to help me understand that the Mass is holy and to have proper reverence for it… (cause he saw the spiritual reality of the Mass in a vision.) And during that Mass, I did feel that it’s so holy, and for some reason I REALLY wanted to cover my head. Ever since then, I’ve felt this way at every Mass…

but here’s the problem, I go to a Novus Ordo parish where practically no one wears a veil.

I visited a Latin Mass some time ago, and almost all the women, around 90% of them, wore mantillas…and it was so beautiful cause you could tell it was all for the Lord and not for fashion etc.

I’m afraid that if I wear a headcovering, that will distract people, or people would stare at me… I don’t want to take any attention away from the Mass… but at the same time, I really feel like it would please God if I wear a veil.

So I’m kind of conflicted…

it’s been really encouraging reading all your stories though 🙂

I don’t think I could wear a full mantilla at my parish - I’d have to save that for the TLM (sadly I live far from that church though)… but what are the other options out there??? I was thinking of starting with one of those big fabric headbands… it would look sort of like this, only a different colour: headcoverings-by-devorah.com/images3/RedPolyHeadband.jpg

what do you all think?

I really wish mantillas would become the ‘norm’ again…
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I was nervous at first too, but after a while you hardly notice it! Since I have a toddler I wear a hat on some of her more rambunctious days. She can yank it without yanking bobby pins out of my hair. And during winter I wear knit hats.
 
4EverHis,

I like the head band on the photo. I think it would work.

As for people looking at you, they will definitiely notice. It will probably not be rude staring, more curious looks. I was definitely looking at the woman with the mantilla and had all sorts of ideas about her. But it intrigued me, I wanted to understand why she wore it and started searching for explanations. It shows that although people can be prejudiced and uninformed that a good example can inspire one to change an opinion.

I’m definitely going to start regularly wearing a beret at NO. This thread has been inspirational 👍
 
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