I feel called to veil during mass

[JCats1]

Hey all and Happy Easter! So, I used to go to the Latin mass every now and then a couple months ago, but I stopped because I am a lector for the Novus Ordo mass and I am involved in Youth Ministry, so I haven’t really had the chance to go. I would often veil when I went to the Latin mass. However, when I went to mass today, I had this feeling, a calling of some sort to start veiling for mass.
I would love to start doing this, but I am a little nervous about it. I’m afraid of what people would think of me and I don’t know how consistent I will be with veiling. It is a beautiful tradition and I feel like it is a way for me to grow closer to God; I want to be more of a woman of God.
I know of stories where women have been reprimanded by clergy for veiling, as they’ve been told that it is an outdated tradition and that it makes someone have that “holier than thou” attitude. However, I know that my parish is tolerant of women veiling. However, I don’t know how people will react when I move states for college and join the Newman center on campus.
I intend to veil for God, not for anyone else. I feel like it’s a way to show reverence. In fact, St. Paul said in the New Testament that women should veil themselves.
So, should I veil for mass, whether it be Latin mass or Novus Ordo? Can you all pray for me as I discern this?

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

You should certainly veil in the church, regardless of whether it be for the Novus Ordo or the Traditional Latin Mass. You have the proper intentions so you should pay no heed to any admonitions that may come your way when at the Newman center.

 

[JCats1]

You should certainly veil in the church, regardless of whether it be for the Novus Ordo or the Traditional Latin Mass. You have the proper intentions so you should pay no heed to any admonitions that may come your way when at the Newman center.

Thanks for answering. Do you think I should wear it while I am lectoring? Or should I remove it when I go to the ambo? I haven’t talked with my lector coordinator about it, but I think I will soon.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

You say that you want to do something for God and then you say that you are worried what people will think. Which master will you serve?

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Originally Posted by Confiteor Deo View Post
You should certainly veil in the church, regardless of whether it be for the Novus Ordo or the Traditional Latin Mass. You have the proper intentions so you should pay no heed to any admonitions that may come your way when at the Newman center.

Thanks for answering. Do you think I should wear it while I am lectoring? Or should I remove it when I go to the ambo? I haven’t talked with my lector coordinator about it, but I think I will soon.

As a priest, I would say rather than speaking to the lector coordinator, you should speak to the priest who bears responsibility for the chapel, by the assignment of the bishop. He is the best one to guide you in the matter of what you wear in the context of fulfilling a liturgical ministry – and his decision would be somewhat dispositive relative to other priests who might share the duty of saying Mass or the comments of other liturgical ministers.

In some parishes where I have been, liturgical ministers wear the alb and what may be worn then should properly be governed by the norms governing an alb – one doesn’t accentuate liturgical garb with jewelry, for example, or some form of headdress that is not liturgical, i.e. a zucchetto or a biretta.

Conversely, where I have been parish priest and where lectors simply wore their normal attire, we did have some criteria, if minimal, of what they should and should not wear. Presuming your mantilla is not of the amplitude of the one HM Queen Sofia wears when she visits the Vatican, you probably would have no problem. If it is that elaborate, the pastor may recommend you choose something less exotic and less captivating to the attention of those to whom you are reading. I only had this happen with one person. She was from another land, she wore her country’s native dress to Mass, and her headdress distinctly reminded me of that worn by Carmen Miranda. When she was scheduled to lector, after the first instances, she thoughtfully and considerately chose something less dramatic in appearing.

It’s rare where I am for a young woman to wear a head covering at Mass, unless they have become a consecrated virgin or a diocesan hermit. Of those who do, the ones with whom I have spoken, speak of an interest in praying with head covered but without wishing to seem to evoke past customs and so they mostly choose something which I would term as a sort of fashion accessory for their head rather than the lace mantilla…or they choose something that blends in with what they were wearing as opposed to being something striking or distinctive. Is this what is being talked about? I have never heard a Catholic use the verb “to veil” except on this forum…although I encounter it in another cultural circumstance among the immigrant community. I am fascinated by this phenomenon occurring among anglophone Catholics at this particular time.

I, too, would be curious in what ways you define this sense of being called to do this.

 

[anonymous_in_fl]

Typically, a woman covers her head from the moment she enters the church or chapel where the Eucharist is reserved until she leaves again. Removing your head covering to lector makes no sense.

A head covering may be a hat or a veil.

 

[LittleScoty]

This quote gets my vote!
Pray on sis!

Originally Posted by Confiteor Deo View Post
You should certainly veil in the church, regardless of whether it be for the Novus Ordo or the Traditional Latin Mass. You have the proper intentions so you should pay no heed to any admonitions that may come your way when at the Newman center.

As a priest, I would say rather than speaking to the lector coordinator, you should speak to the priest who bears responsibility for the chapel, by the assignment of the bishop. He is the best one to guide you in the matter of what you wear in the context of fulfilling a liturgical ministry – and his decision would be somewhat dispositive relative to other priests who might share the duty of saying Mass or the comments of other liturgical ministers.

In some parishes where I have been, liturgical ministers wear the alb and what may be worn then should properly be governed by the norms governing an alb – one doesn’t accentuate liturgical garb with jewelry, for example, or some form of headdress that is not liturgical, i.e. a zucchetto or a biretta.

Conversely, where I have been parish priest and where lectors simply wore their normal attire, we did have some criteria, if minimal, of what they should and should not wear. Presuming your mantilla is not of the amplitude of the one HM Queen Sofia wears when she visits the Vatican, you probably would have no problem. If it is that elaborate, the pastor may recommend you choose something less exotic and less captivating to the attention of those to whom you are reading. I only had this happen with one person. She was from another land, she wore her country’s native dress to Mass, and her headdress distinctly reminded me of that worn by Carmen Miranda. When she was scheduled to lector, after the first instances, she thoughtfully and considerately chose something less dramatic in appearing.

It’s rare where I am for a young woman to wear a head covering at Mass, unless they have become a consecrated virgin or a diocesan hermit. Of those who do, the ones with whom I have spoken, speak of an interest in praying with head covered but without wishing to seem to evoke past customs and so they mostly choose something which I would term as a sort of fashion accessory for their head rather than the lace mantilla…or they choose something that blends in with what they were wearing as opposed to being something striking or distinctive. Is this what is being talked about? I have never heard a Catholic use the verb “to veil” except on this forum…although I encounter it in another cultural circumstance among the immigrant community. I am fascinated by this phenomenon occurring among anglophone Catholics at this particular time.

I, too, would be curious in what ways you define this sense of being called to do this.

 

[pensmama87]

Typically, a woman covers her head from the moment she enters the church or chapel where the Eucharist is reserved until she leaves again. Removing your head covering to lector makes no sense.

A head covering may be a hat or a veil.

Yes, or even a scarf, or wide headband. I do like veils and wear them sometimes, but most of the time I wear something much simpler.

 

[pianistclare]

Just my 2 cents:
The Lord knows our hearts.
Period.

Peace.
There are literally hundred of posts regarding this on CAF. Use the search function.
But I doubt you’ll find anything with more clarity than Father’s post.

 

[Casilda]

So, should I veil for mass, whether it be Latin mass or Novus Ordo? Can you all pray for me as I discern this?

One is free to wear a veil or hat if one chooses. I will pray for you. I belong to an Eastern Catholic parish and about half of the woman wear veils or head scarves.

 

[Mystical_Seeker]

I’m very curious about your use of the words “calling” and “discern” within a Catholic context.

Are these not words one uses when making life’s very big–often difficult, momentous, life-changing–decisions…like if one has a calling to be a priest…or discerns a vocation or a spouse?

.

Yes, and if one “does the work” (and not all do it effectively as evidenced by outcome) or is otherwise rarely blessed by God with any idea about mental machinations v. contemplation, and getting in touch with its movements and subtleness, I can see that applying. Once upon I time I took a mini-class on discernment and the main thing is it isn’t about whether something is right or wrong, but to choose between to “right” options."

Otherwise, and I would venture to say for the vast majority of Catholics, I get that we use this language to try to come into contact with the Holy Spirit, but the language is seductive in that it can allow us to pretend when we really don’t know. Not that intent is without value, but like Jesus said, many will follow the wide path. A few will be able to discern when they have to go their own way (as opposed to being guided by our sensitivity about our outward appearance) and then succeed in going there and learning how to not look back. The rest may use the language but since they don’t know that to which it points, it can give the illusion of reverence.

But it’s fun. I have spent time around people who used the ‘discern’ language a lot and they were overall pretty nice people I thought.

You say that you want to do something for God and then you say that you are worried what people will think. Which master will you serve?

Yes. That’s why Father’s answer is good. The priest is the ultimate pilot-in-command if you will, when it comes to what goes on during the Mass. If the priest is OK with it, you decide. If the priest is not, accept it.

But if the priest is OK with it, then I suggest make your own decision, and yes if you look like Carmen Miranda then you are calling attention away from the gospel and to your appearances. If it’s just that people haven’t seen it before, they will get used to it. But don’t say “I feel that God is calling me – what do you think?”

If you really want to know what others think personally, drop the God part in conjunction with others’ opinions, because that just throws complexity into it. Once you do that, it becomes about whether they believe you are spiritually mature enough because now it adds the complexity, “I believe God is talking to me – do you agree with what He is saying, or do you think I’m crazy” into the mix, or maybe the temptation for others to hear it as, “I am a really sincere religious person and I take orders directly from God – by the way do you agree with Him that I should veil?” I’m not saying that is how you feel, but that is a likely reaction you may get but only a really good friend or a harsh critic will tell you that honestly.

Because if it really is a discernment that God is telling you this, then except for the priest, even soliciting opinions from others is awkward at best because nobody else should have a vote. So if you decide to go with it, I’d suggest it’s perfectly OK to ask others for help in how to handle others’ reactions, or how to do it and stay humble, etc. but not whether they think you should. It’s pretty uncommon anywhere I’ve even been, so if you’re the only one in the room that will call attention to you – so it could test your humility.