If One Covers One's Head, How Much Of One's Head Should They Cover?

[klm120861]

First, to all the ladies who so graciously responded to my question on veiling, I wanted to thank you. Your replies were very helpful. I called it “veiling” because that described what I had seen and wondered about. I am going to be entering the noviate for the Secular Discalced Carmelites, and had seen some of the ladies wearing veils and wondered about it. The more I researched, the more intrigued I got. Your (name removed by moderator)ut was so helpful.

As the title asks, I am now wondering if I choose to cover my head at Mass, how much of my head should I cover and what kinds of coverings can I use? For example, I have seen extra-wide headbands that would cover most of the top of my head. I often go straight from Mass to work, so something that works anywhere I go would be great. Also is it the top of the head that traditionally is covered, or the hair?

In the dim recesses of my mind I remember being a little girl and getting the new Easter hat, gloves and purse just like Mommy, but since we were Prot. that quickly went by the wayside with the changing of the fashions. I was never part of a church where women routinely covered their heads. Of course Jesus wasn’t present in the Tabernacle either!

Once again, any (name removed by moderator)ut is greatly appreciated, and just in case this thread gets closed before I get back to it, thank you all so much!
Kris

 

[CB_Catholic]

First, to all the ladies who so graciously responded to my question on veiling, I wanted to thank you. Your replies were very helpful. I called it “veiling” because that described what I had seen and wondered about. I am going to be entering the noviate for the Secular Discalced Carmelites, and had seen some of the ladies wearing veils and wondered about it. The more I researched, the more intrigued I got. Your (name removed by moderator)ut was so helpful.

As the title asks, I am now wondering if I choose to cover my head at Mass, how much of my head should I cover and what kinds of coverings can I use? For example, I have seen extra-wide headbands that would cover most of the top of my head. I often go straight from Mass to work, so something that works anywhere I go would be great. Also is it the top of the head that traditionally is covered, or the hair?

In the dim recesses of my mind I remember being a little girl and getting the new Easter hat, gloves and purse just like Mommy, but since we were Prot. that quickly went by the wayside with the changing of the fashions. I was never part of a church where women routinely covered their heads. Of course Jesus wasn’t present in the Tabernacle either!

Once again, any (name removed by moderator)ut is greatly appreciated, and just in case this thread gets closed before I get back to it, thank you all so much!
Kris

You can use any type of covering you want. There never was a rule about how much head should be covered. People sometimes wore hankies and kleenexes to Mass (if they forgot their hat). The only thing I would suggest is that if you choose a hat, make sure it is not so big that it obstructs the view of the person in front of you. That used to be a major problem. Or if you wear a veil, be sure it does not obstruct your peripheral vision–I have seen that also.

 

[klm120861]

Thanks so much! I love the idea of something subtle - like the extra-wide headband. I have always been drawn to hats and have worn scarves and headbands and the like just because I enjoyed them, so wearing them for… religious reasons (not the right phrase but the best I could think of right now) really appeals. I just don’t want to show up a Mass one day and feel like there’s some announcer doing a voice-over, “And now, Kris shows up to Mass with a head covering.” Though today I did wear my hair up with a bun-shaped claw clip. I don’t know if that “counts” as covering my head since it only covered the hair at the back of my head, but I didn’t do it for deep theological reasons anyway. I did it because I didn’t have time to blow-dry!
As my son would say, I am such a noob at all of this, so everyone’s (name removed by moderator)ut is really appreciated.
Kris