Is The Chapel Veil Coming Back?

[Marsha_Adams]

Friends and neighbors, the GOOD NEWS is that women are not required to wear anything on their heads. The reason that this is good is because it allows us to do something NOT required to show reverence and humility.

If it was required, we would be doing no more than being obedient. Since it is not required we can offer our covering as a gift.

 

[planter654]

The Church did not.
During V2, reporters asked if women had to veil. The response was “we have not discussed it”. The reporters wrote that women no longer had to. Headcovering has since been removed from canon law.

So what you are saying is that reporters had more power over the church. The priest during mass did not convey that this is not acceptable under canon law and that we are to continue wearing veils. Or what do you mean “reporters” in my ingnorence I think of “news” paper reporters Ha! sorry.

thank you very much for your answer in helping me understand.

God bless

 

[PatienceAndLove]

So what you are saying is that reporters had more power over the church. The priest during mass did not convey that this is not acceptable under canon law and that we are to continue wearing veils. Or what do you mean “reporters” in my ingnorence I think of “news” paper reporters Ha! sorry.

thank you very much for your answer in helping me understand.

God bless

That’s what I meant. Newspaper reporters.
As for them having more power, I have no idea. I was not even an idea at the time of V2, so I only know what I have read.

 

[Just_1_hr_a_wk]

Friends and neighbors, the GOOD NEWS is that women are not required to wear anything on their heads. The reason that this is good is because it allows us to do something NOT required to show reverence and humility.

If it was required, we would be doing no more than being obedient. Since it is not required we can offer our covering as a gift.

Or we can offer some other gift in its place.

 

[Marsha_Adams]

Or we can offer some other gift in its place.

Of course we can, or we can offer no gift at all. That is wonderful about gifts we are under no obligation.

 

[Sarabande]

I accept your apologies. However I have relatives who are nuns and we never and they never said they were “veiled” or “veiling” they said they had “accepted” a veil, which meant in those days the “receiving of the habit” in the order they joined.

I only got what I read from 18th and 19th century books, so who knows…

My concern is that so many falling for the information posted on these aberrant sites are those who are either converts or reverts who do not grasp that it is not the outward appearance that indicated piety but the inward development of the virtues. Better to spend time cultivating humilitiy and modesty rather than worry about following someone else’s agenda as to what makes one a “devoted catholic.”

I wonder how many women would even bother with this topic if they had not been influenced by these sites and groups.

Ask yourself what really led you to all of the sudden decide that you wanted to “veil”.? I think in most cases, you will find you were very subtly influenced in this direction. It certainly wasn’t a “call from God” who would not call you to to something the Church has not required.

Honestly, when I bought my first and only veil a few years back, it had nothing to do with any websites, nor any influence from anyone else. I had just graduated from college, moved to a city by myself with no one around, attended my first Tridentine mass which I found extremely reverent and spiritual and bought a veil to wear when I did attend that mass. I attended regular NO masses as well. My mother, grandmothers, etc. wore veils prior to Vatican II and during the 70s, but not when I was growing up in the 80s and 90s. I really had no influence. I didn’t even know the people at this little city cathedral, never spoke to them except to the young pastor once to thank him for the homily and I never actually saw any of these websites you speak of. I still haven’t actually looked at them and didn’t find these forums until this year, so had no idea how strongly people felt for or against it.

So, I can honestly say, none of that has influenced me. It was something that I found by accident and felt it was a beautiful way of showing my love and humility to God when I can. I know you don’t like the word “devotion”, but I understand it as more of what is defined in the thesauras and dictionary, so to me, it is a sort of devotion or gift. Although, I most definitely do NOT think any less of someone who does not wear a veil. I unfortunately, don’t wear it all the time except for TLM and sometimes when I’m not cantoring an NO - which is very rare. I’m always cantoring for a mass every week.

But, I can definitely see your concern. Almost anything can be wrongly influenced.

God bless.

 

[byers]

Thank you PatienceAndLove for all your trouble to locate that answer for me. That is extremely interesting that the mandated headcovering wasn’t even in canon law until 1917. Thank you once again. I will be sure to bookmark the information for future reference. God bless.

 

[byers]

The other problem with your view is that the Church removing the mandate from the cannons only takes away the temporal penalties that came with it. It does not take away the call to cover the head itself.

Sorry Surgei but I’m not sure I follow your reasoning especially the examples you have given. You are incorrect about the mandate only removing the penalties. Canon law no longer contains any requirement for a headcovering for women and until 1917 it was obviously not even included in canon law. It does indeed take away any call to cover the head. The Church interprets scripture, not the other way around.

Sorry I have no idea what you mean by my “reductionist view”. The examples you give have nothing to do with the question regarding headcoverings. I believe you are misinterpreting the word “traditions”. Headcoverings are a tradition with a small t…it is simply a discipline or custom not a Tradition with a capital T.

 

[byers]

Honestly, when I bought my first and only veil a few years back, it had nothing to do with any websites, nor any influence from anyone else.

Sabarade you are indeed the exception. I might mention that I, too, often wear a veil to the TLM. However unless you saw others doing the same it is unlikely you would have decided out of the blue to wear a veil to Mass.

However, what I have observed is that many Catholics, especially younger Catholics, or converts and reverts are very much, in their much to be admired desire to be good catholics, indeed being influenced by these sites that appear ever so “catholic” but are in fact often flagrantly against the changes in the church and are not in line with the magisterium and some of them are actually in schism.

Those fairly new to the faith may often not recognize this when going to these sites, especially because they have so many of the beautiful old prayers, pictures etc that are so appealing. But they in fact are subtly and insidiously leading people away from the true church. And that is my concern.

Not so much about the headcoverings per se, as by the very attitudes that they engender. To me, in their own way, they are just as rebellious and cause just as much trouble in the Church as the liberal dissidents… and Catholics need to be warned about just what they are doing.
They also engender a certain ‘elitism’ indicating that by doing as they do and thinking as they think…you are therefore a “holier, more pious, more devout” catholic and are leading the way back to a more ‘true’ form of catholicism. This kind of pride is ubiquitous with these groups and leads one subtly away from true catholic charity and humility.

They are fond of sending groups to every catholic forum imaginable and trying to start thread after thread about “veiling” etc because it is an entry point into their way of thinking. It is patently obvious when I see posters quoting verbatim from these sites, like fisheaters. So I know that they are indeed influencing others.

I might add that these sites are where I first encountered the ridiculous term “veiling”. They are also the first places I saw wearing a veil called a “devotion”. It is also where I read or it is implied that the 'church is obviously wrong in removing the discipline of a headcovering…because “it’s in the bible”…and that’s what I mean about their “protestant type thinking.”

It truly doesn’t matter if one wears a hat to Mass or not, but it does indeed matter to your soul if you are doing so because you have been influenced by these groups and how they affect your thinking is something to take very seriously indeed!
.

 

[lizaanne]

Sabarade you are indeed the exception.

Not the only exception!

I’ve never been to those sites you listed, and didn’t go there when I saw the links. I have not been influenced by anything on the internet - only by my own desire to start covering my head after attending a more traditional parish. Prior to changing parishes I did think about covering my head, but would have been one of three women in a parish of over 5,000 families. So I just never did. Then when we changed to our current parish it was almost immediate that I wanted to cover my head - so much so that I started with silk scarves (a pain in the butt on my straight slippery hair) until I got a proper lace chapel veil.

Oh - and as a side note - I was thinking about the whole lace thing this weekend, and why I prefer the lace over any other type of head covering. It is because it stays on my head without pins, it is light weight and breathes in the summer, and I don’t have to worry about it getting all wrinkled or smashed or not matching what I’m wearing. It really is the most practical of choices. Anything else is not as efficient for me. Scarves slide off and get wrinkled and need to match, I HATE using pins because then I have to fuss with them, hats are hot in all weather and can get smashed or might not match, and I don’t even consider hair bands as a head covering. So - it’s lace for me. It’s just practical, and because it’s not something I wear in my regular day’s activities, it sets it apart as special.

~Liza

 

[THurifer2]

Sabarade you are indeed the exception. .

I am not sure I agree with you here. The women in my parish who are considering doing are not getting their ideas from any website. It all started for most people around here was witnessing it on EWTN. It sparked a curiostiy then some investigation of the practice and Whalla…the modernists lose again.

 

[Cathryn]

I am not sure I agree with you here. The women in my parish who are considering doing are not getting their ideas from any website. It all started for most people around here was witnessing it on EWTN. It sparked a curiostiy then some investigation of the practice and Whalla…the modernists lose again.

Cardinal Mahoney commissions the Blessed Virgin Mary statue over his “Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral” in Los Angeles to be without a veil.

At the same time, EWTN’s “Our Lady of the Angels Monestary” in Alabama influences women to start wearing one. Kind of ironic.

 

[Just_1_hr_a_wk]

I am not sure I agree with you here. The women in my parish who are considering doing are not getting their ideas from any website. It all started for most people around here was witnessing it on EWTN. It sparked a curiostiy then some investigation of the practice and Whalla…the modernists lose again.

The only time anyone loses is when such a thing is elevated to a status it does not deserve.

On one of the boards I have seen it referred to as a Tradition rather than a tradition.

 

[DJgang]

The only time anyone loses is when such a thing is elevated to a status it does not deserve.

On one of the boards I have seen it referred to as a Tradition rather than a tradition.

A well educated Catholic would know that headcovering is a little t tradition. However, I do recall someone on these forums thinking someone mentioned it as a big T…and they misunderstood the context of the post (It may be on this very thread)…anyhow…

 

[DJgang]

Cardinal Mahoney commissions the Blessed Virgin Mary statue over his “Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral” in Los Angeles to be without a veil.

At the same time, EWTN’s “Our Lady of the Angels Monestary” in Alabama influences women to start wearing one. Kind of ironic.

Now, THAT Cathryn, is some food for thought.

 

[Cathryn]

I believe it is the come back of the Holy Rosary in our churches before Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Holy Hour devotions, and the prayers to St. Michael the Archangel that is helping the chapel veil to come back. There is a battle under way. As these traditions become more common the veil becomes more popular. I think EWTN has a lot to do with bringing this into our homes. Many people haven’t seen a chapel veil on a woman’s head in 30 years until they see it on EWTN.

 

[beckers]

Sabarade you are indeed the exception. I might mention that I, too, often wear a veil to the TLM. However unless you saw others doing the same it is unlikely you would have decided out of the blue to wear a veil to Mass.

However, what I have observed is that many Catholics, especially younger Catholics, or converts and reverts are very much, in their much to be admired desire to be good catholics, indeed being influenced by these sites that appear ever so “catholic” but are in fact often flagrantly against the changes in the church and are not in line with the magisterium and some of them are actually in schism.

Those fairly new to the faith may often not recognize this when going to these sites, especially because they have so many of the beautiful old prayers, pictures etc that are so appealing. But they in fact are subtly and insidiously leading people away from the true church. And that is my concern.

Not so much about the headcoverings per se, as by the very attitudes that they engender. To me, in their own way, they are just as rebellious and cause just as much trouble in the Church as the liberal dissidents… and Catholics need to be warned about just what they are doing.
They also engender a certain ‘elitism’ indicating that by doing as they do and thinking as they think…you are therefore a “holier, more pious, more devout” catholic and are leading the way back to a more ‘true’ form of catholicism. This kind of pride is ubiquitous with these groups and leads one subtly away from true catholic charity and humility.

They are fond of sending groups to every catholic forum imaginable and trying to start thread after thread about “veiling” etc because it is an entry point into their way of thinking. It is patently obvious when I see posters quoting verbatim from these sites, like fisheaters. So I know that they are indeed influencing others.

I might add that these sites are where I first encountered the ridiculous term “veiling”. They are also the first places I saw wearing a veil called a “devotion”. It is also where I read or it is implied that the 'church is obviously wrong in removing the discipline of a headcovering…because “it’s in the bible”…and that’s what I mean about their “protestant type thinking.”

It truly doesn’t matter if one wears a hat to Mass or not, but it does indeed matter to your soul if you are doing so because you have been influenced by these groups and how they affect your thinking is something to take very seriously indeed!
.

I am slightly offended by your post and others that put such negatvity on coverings. Of all the women i know who wear coverings, I have never meet one who believes it makes her better than anyone else. Anyone women’s who picks up wearing a covering because it is the “cool” or “in” thing to do is doing it for the wrong reasons. In my discussion with the women in my church groups it something that is stressed very highly. When anyone asks us why were wear it we tell our personal reason and stress don’t wear it because you think it’s pretty or because anyone else is wearing it. You need to pray on it and decided if it right for you. You have to learn to listen to the holy spirit.

I don’t believe wearing a covering makes me any more important, a better or holier catholic or even a leader to bring back “true-catholicsm” and have not seen any women on these boards claim that or claim that anyone who doesn’t wear one is going to hell. Wearing a covering is not a political statement to anyone in the church. It is statement between God and Myself that i am trying to submit to his will in all avenues of my life. I am fully aware that it is a litte “t” traditon and that if i forgot it for mass that i could still go in an receive Jesus. I have also never had a priest ask me not to wear it.

I have meet these so called ultra-traditionalist and have heard their view points. I can normal smell them out immediately. I pretty much just dismiss what they say. I am an educated women and can read for myself the writings of the church fathers, the bible, the popes, saints, etc with out their interperation of what catholicism is and should be. I have complete faith and trust in the chuch and her leaders (pope, bishops) and have seen for myself how much the holy spirit has guided and protects the church today. I came to my decision to wear one after a long process without the help of any website. I may have linked some of those sites in other post but now that i have been informed that some of the sites are not within line of the church i will not post them and will inform my friends. I would suggest that people read catholicknights blog as it is excellent.blog.

 

[ancilla_Domini]

I started wearing a chapel veil when I was about 19 or 20 years old; I’m turning 23 soon.

At the encouragement of my seminarian of a cousin, I decided to try it. It was a very small way to imitate the Blessed Mother for me. At first, I was terrified of wearing one because I was afraid of attracting too much attention and such. I really wanted to take the thing off, but I kept the thing on as kind of a mortification. It’s a very strange reason to begin wearing a veil; I know.

After that, the veil just grew on me. On the days I don’t have a head covering with me at Mass, I ask our Blessed Mother to cover me with her mantilla.

Anyway, I didn’t think it was such a big deal to have a veil. But when my friends thought it was a great way to imitate our Blessed Mother. They pointed out that the lace that they see in their peripheral vision during Mass is a constant reminder to be as prayerful as Mary herself. And I think that attitude is a great reason to wear one.

 

[KathleenElsie]

Neither my husband nor my pastor nor my bishop nor Benedict XVI has ever asked me to wear a veil at Mass or at any other time.

You are correct. But then my husband, our priest, Bishop and the Pope have not told me not to wear mine.

 

[KathleenElsie]

I just have one question. I remember reading somewhere that the wearing of a headcovering was not actually incorporated into canon law until 1917. Does anyone know if this is true???. I realize that until this century women would hardly go out without some sort of headcovering as that was the custom in society in general and perhaps there was no need to ever put it in canon law. Just wondering if anyone is familiar with the history in this matter.
Thanks.

The customs in general secular society were changing. So to make clear that covering was to be followed they put it into the requirements. Until something that was just expected starts to change there is no necessity to make it a set rule.

Look at some of the feast days we now have. They had been celebrated for centuries without official acknowledgment. They had no need to be made a set date. But when people started to question things they were put into writing for all to see.