First time wearing my mantilla

[lizaanne]

I’m not a moderator… but can we keep this ON TOPIC please… remember the first time of wearing a headcovering…

Just my opinion… but please can we support this lady and not continue bickering over it?

~Liza

 

[Sure]

Oh, Sure…God forgive you.
For you to say that our Blessed Mother wears a headcovering just to be fashionable is just simply wrong, and extremely disrespectful to her. Mary is without sin, and vanity is a sin. She wore a headcovering because it was ordained by God.

It wasn’t until the “sexual revolution” and all of the other evils of the past 40 years that women have ceased this practice of holy, humble obedience. Up until 1983, wearing a headcovering was mandated by Canon law. Even if this mandate is not included under the current Code (and some would argue that technically, it still remains in force), St. Paul’s instructions in 1 Cor 11 had nothing to do with fashion. Unlike the laws of men, the law of God cannot be changed. Perhaps you’re saying that St. Paul’s letters are not the inspired word of God?

1. Mary wears what she wears because it represents her. I didn’t say it was fashionable, actually it’s quite unfashionable now.
2. Women wore veils outside the home NOT just in church.
3. Pauls instruction was similar to saying “Go to church fully dressed” or “wear shoes to church”.

And yes, this is off topic so start another thread.

And if the original poster feels called to wear a mantilla, she should do so and, hopefully, it will bring her much joy and closer to Christ.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

Someone said above- no bickering!

 

[Jean_Anthony]

Please stay on topic or I will have to close the thread. If you wish to discuss side issues, please start new threads or join existing ones in the appropriate fora. Thank you all.

 

[cecilia97]

I never thought I’d be one to consider a mantilla but I had such an experience this morning!

I was at Adoration and the woman who relieves me had not appeared. I kept turning around and didn’t see her. After 15 minutes I got up to call her because I had a doctor appointment. She had been sitting in the back the whole time under a beautiful lace mantilla. I didn’t even recognize her until she spoke to me!

I’ve been thinking about getting a veil to wear to the chapel but I kept thinking it would be “showing off”. Seeing this woman covered with her veil was surprising….I saw the veil but didn’t see HER and my eyes just skipped over her figure. It seems like a way to pray in public without being seen, it’s not showing off at all!

I’m a 30-yr-old post V2 Catholic so I feel like God just bopped me on the head with an insight today. Is this what any of you ladies who wear a veil feel about them? I’m sure I haven’t discovered anything new here.

 

[seremina]

I’m usually the only one where I go to adoration with my head covered - I really couldn’t care less what anyone thinks about it. It’s between me and God, and if someone has a problem with it, they can take it up with God.

Go for it! If you feel called to cover your head, just do it, and see how it goes! If you don’t try, you will never ever know.

~Liza

Dear Liza,

Very true! Thank you. I appreciate the support. It seems you are doing well with it. I need all the support I can get.

Dear Byers,

…? As far as I know, a devotion is anything that helps bring you closer to focus, or bring you closer to prayer and closer to Jesus [or closer to Mary, which brings you closer to Jesus], so I fail to understand what you’re soap-boxing about. I am not a schsmatic…I know I can’t spell this word right…nor am I one of LeFever’s followers.

I also ask you to pray before you criticise. There was honestly no need for it. Please also remember what this thread is about…sharing the joy of your first veiling and how the experience went. Perhaps in the future, it may be possible for veiling topics to block out male posters. That way, we women can share without the intrusions.

In Jesus and Mary…

 

[beckers]

As I have said before it amazes me how much angry comes forth in a discussion about head coverings. Head coverings are not going to destroy the church or push women’s position backwards in time. It seems to me that maybe the devil truly does have his hands in the church. With all that is going on in the world/church, (churches breaking into new dominations, destruction of the families, sexualization of society, abortion, etc), that people would argue over what people choose to use to bring them closer to God seems ridiculous and petty especially when the practice has been something that has a history within the church. What if we used half this angry towards ending abortation. Wow…what effects we could have on the world

It shocks me that people jump to so many far extreme reasons about why people have certain devotions. Women who wear head coverings are seen as vain, attention grabbers, romantics and holier than thou type of people. These are the exact opposite reasons why a women wears a head covering. We wear them because we are sinners who are trying to humble ourselves in front of the Lord and gain a closer relationship with our heavenly father and wearing the veil helps us. What is wrong with that? We are not standing at the door passing out veils saying you have to wear one, nor are we judging those women who don’t wear one. We wear them to church and other women are gaining the courage to listen to the Spirit within in themselves to join us in this devotion. Maybe the Holy Spirit is speaking to the church as a whole and using the women to help.

To the original OP.
I like wearing my veil at adoration too. Luckly at my church there a lot of us young adults who wear them to church and adoration so I don’t always feel like the sore thumb sticking out. Be strong!

 

[beckers]

I never thought I’d be one to consider a mantilla but I had such an experience this morning!

I was at Adoration and the woman who relieves me had not appeared. I kept turning around and didn’t see her. After 15 minutes I got up to call her because I had a doctor appointment. She had been sitting in the back the whole time under a beautiful lace mantilla. I didn’t even recognize her until she spoke to me!

I’ve been thinking about getting a veil to wear to the chapel but I kept thinking it would be “showing off”. Seeing this woman covered with her veil was surprising….I saw the veil but didn’t see HER and my eyes just skipped over her figure. It seems like a way to pray in public without being seen, it’s not showing off at all!

I’m a 30-yr-old post V2 Catholic so I feel like God just bopped me on the head with an insight today. Is this what any of you ladies who wear a veil feel about them? I’m sure I haven’t discovered anything new here.

Might have been the Holy Spirit or your guardian angel…They have a wicked sense of humor.

i kept thinking there was something missing in my faith life. I had seen a few women through my life time wear the veil. Slowly over the last year i kept seeing signs or converstations with friends about the veil. i finally got enough courage to ask wear i could get one and a friend handed me one of her extras. i held on to it for a week and kept looking at it. It was like God was saying “no more excuses. You’ve got one so wear it.” I finally got the nerve to wear it daily mass on a tuesday night. that sunday i didn’t wear it mass and felt completely naked. from them on i have been wearing except for my friends wedding. I didn’t want to draw attention away from her on her wedding day since the veil is not normal seen in rural ohio.

I see that you are in Houston. If your interested in a young adult groups or want to try out wearing a veil with support then try Tuesday night at st. vinvent de paul (holcomb and buffalo speedway). we have a young adult daily mass. We on average will have about 5 of us wearing them.

 

[cecilia97]

Might have been the Holy Spirit or your guardian angel…They have a wicked sense of humor.

i kept thinking there was something missing in my faith life. I had seen a few women through my life time wear the veil. Slowly over the last year i kept seeing signs or converstations with friends about the veil. i finally got enough courage to ask wear i could get one and a friend handed me one of her extras. i held on to it for a week and kept looking at it. It was like God was saying “no more excuses. You’ve got one so wear it.” I finally got the nerve to wear it daily mass on a tuesday night. that sunday i didn’t wear it mass and felt completely naked. from them on i have been wearing except for my friends wedding. I didn’t want to draw attention away from her on her wedding day since the veil is not normal seen in rural ohio.

I see that you are in Houston. If your interested in a young adult groups or want to try out wearing a veil with support then try Tuesday night at st. vinvent de paul (holcomb and buffalo speedway). we have a young adult daily mass. We on average will have about 5 of us wearing them.

Thanks, beckers! I do think there was some heavenly sniggering at my expense this morning. I was late to the doctor so I hope I got the point!

I’m blessed to be at a parish with a very orthodox pastor and there are more than a few women who wear veils at our NO Masses. I’m sure a mantilla would not draw eyes at my parish but it might when paired with my jeans and knit top. But I will certainly check out the group you mention if I need some extra companionship!

 

[lizaanne]

…but it might when paired with my jeans and knit top.

If I’m more casually dressed, for example I’m out running errands in jeans and just want to stop in and be with Jesus for a bit, I will use an oblong silk scarf (not the slippery kind, more of a crepe) that is solid black with white polka dots about the size of silver dollars. I’m still covering my head, but I think it looks less out of place than my long lace mantilla. I would feel awkward with jeans and the fancy lace, but the scarf with jeans and a hoodie seems to “fit” better - I’m more comfortable with it, and I don’t think it draws as much eyebrow raising attention, which is something I do not want to do at adoration.

~Liza

 

[LilyM]

If I’m more casually dressed, for example I’m out running errands in jeans and just want to stop in and be with Jesus for a bit, I will use an oblong silk scarf (not the slippery kind, more of a crepe) that is solid black with white polka dots about the size of silver dollars. I’m still covering my head, but I think it looks less out of place than my long lace mantilla. I would feel awkward with jeans and the fancy lace, but the scarf with jeans and a hoodie seems to “fit” better - I’m more comfortable with it, and I don’t think it draws as much eyebrow raising attention, which is something I do not want to do at adoration.

~Liza

If you have a hoodie on it’d attract even less attention simply to put the hood over your hair. Assuming that it is a true hoodie.

 

[lizaanne]

If you have a hoodie on it’d attract even less attention simply to put the hood over your hair. Assuming that it is a true hoodie.

I’ve done that before too - but I don’t live in hoodies so it’s easier to just use the scarf than pull my shirt up over my head.

~Liza

 

[TeresaElizabeth]

I had ran across a lot of debate online (much like this) regarding the Canon Law and the wearing of head coverings by women. Being, in a relative way, very new to the Church (I’m in RCIA right now), I didn’t know what to think.

As a result, I decided that I would wear a head covering “just in case.” Whether or not this was grand reasoning…

At mass, I was one of two with a head covering, and I felt very conspicuous. But then I realized that I was just the opposite, really. By covering my head, I felt I was choosing to diminish the visibility of my own presence - even if only to my own self-conscious mind - that the actual Presence of our Blessed Lord’s Body and Blood might be the more worshiped.

Anyway, at Mass and Adoration, I now wear a triangularly-folded neutral scarf on my head, tied behind my neck.

I freely choose to do this to battle my own pride (no worrying about my personal attractiveness), as a sign of the Lord’s authority, and as a sign to God that my hair - my “glory” - is covered because I desire His glory to be the sole focus. If I realize that I have forgotten it as I am driving to Mass, I don’t worry about it. Also, I must not judge others who do not do this!

 

[onef8th]

I too have studied this very teaching of the Church for the last five years. I was not a Catechumen at the time as I am now going through RCIA.

My wife and I have spent a great deal of time not only studying the different churches who’s women wear a covering but also the real teaching that was passed down from generation to generation since day one of the Church.

Not until 1983 was the veil matter a “matter” at all. It was just simply what women and young ladies did because this has been the teaching of the Church from Paul until 1983. Every single early Church writer has been very emphatic as to “why” women and our young ladies, or as they used to call them “virgins” were to wear the veil. It was a commandment of the Lord as stated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:33 I believe. Just read their writings and you will see this.

It is not a “private” interpretation of those who say that the Church teaches this and that the Canon Law was not abrogated. In 1983 the Canon Law concerning this matter was just not included. Now from my understanding (just IMO), the Commandment of the Lord overrides any thing that anyone may want to change or abrogate, or else Jesus words would apply, “you make void the Commandments of God for the traditions of men”. This is just not so and even if the Catholic Church hierarchy says that the law no longer exist, who do we serve, God or man?

I know that this will make some uncomfortable but Sacred Scripture AND Sacred Tradition have always taught that the wearing of the veil IS the commandment of the Lord, that is up until 1983 and those who wish to challenge God’s commandment.

There is something called “The Course of Performance” that is used in Law. What this means in a very simple way is that what we cannot know about say a contract between two people for lack of a written contract, we can know through the “course of performance” or how those two people performed their business by their actions. This is how we get Sacred Tradition through oral teachings and practice.

Now it can be said that because the 1983 updating of Canon Law left out this command of the Lord, but if I understand Canon Law, anything that has been the course of performance for 100 years or more is set in stone. Now I could be wrong, I am NOT a Canon lawyer and I am sure someone will make this perfectly clear, but God did give us all common sense and I am not so stupid that I cannot read and understand legal documents, secular or Ecclesiastical.

I am behind what our Pope states up until he decides to go against what the Church has taught for the last 2000+ years, then I would have to respectfully disagree. I will still honor the office of the Pope but nonetheless, I would have to follow what God commands at that point. Of course this is just the musings of one man.

Just a quick point. Where did all the Nuns habits come from? What about Our Lady, is she not always seen as covered even in here appearances? Something to think about.

Peace.

 

[Aramis]

Habits are rather straightforward. Most correspond nicely to common clothing of the era and place of the establishment of the order. Possibly in distinctive colors, like the dominican black and white.

 

[seremina]

Can we please get the thread back on track? The debate and other related issues to it is not what this thread is for. Please make new threads for those.

Any other ladies here that want to share their first time experience with wearing a veil?

 

[SherryLynn9]

I too have studied this very teaching of the Church for the last five years. I was not a Catechumen at the time as I am now going through RCIA.

My wife and I have spent a great deal of time not only studying the different churches who’s women wear a covering but also the real teaching that was passed down from generation to generation since day one of the Church… snip…

…Just a quick point. Where did all the Nuns habits come from? What about Our Lady, is she not always seen as covered even in here appearances? Something to think about.

Peace.

Just a quick question, why can’t you start your own thread to discuss this? You’re a bit off topic unless you’d like to talk about your wife wearing her head covering, etc… Thanks.

 

[SherryLynn9]

Can we please get the thread back on track? The debate and other related issues to it is not what this thread is for. Please make new threads for those.

Any other ladies here that want to share their first time experience with wearing a veil?

This is not about my first time wearing a head covering, but I seem to struggle with wearing it. I don’t quite understand it, because it is something I want to do.

 

[brigid12]

As I have said before it amazes me how much angry comes forth in a discussion about head coverings. Head coverings are not going to destroy the church or push women’s position backwards in time. It seems to me that maybe the devil truly does have his hands in the church. With all that is going on in the world/church, (churches breaking into new dominations, destruction of the families, sexualization of society, abortion, etc), that people would argue over what people choose to use to bring them closer to God seems ridiculous and petty especially when the practice has been something that has a history within the church. What if we used half this angry towards ending abortation. Wow…what effects we could have on the world

I started wearing it since whenever I pickup my Bible to read I would read St. Paul’s exhortation to women about wearing a headcovering. I thought it was very pointedly being shown to me. I wasn’t sure of the reason, but I knew what one of the reasons (the most obvious one) could be. I’ve never been sorry - although the first time I wore my mantilla it kept sliding off. Since my hair is not long enough to put into a ponytail to stick a haircomb into and it is very slippery, I’ve decided to wear a chapel cap (with a haircomb sewn into it) or a shawl (as a scarf) for now and sew a snap onto my mantilla so that it snaps together at the nape of my neck.

 

[LilyM]

This is not about my first time wearing a head covering, but I seem to struggle with wearing it. I don’t quite understand it, because it is something I want to do.

If you struggle for it and it’s not a requirement to wear it nor a spiritual help to you to do so then why continue?