Should I wear a veil to Mass...and during prayer?

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megangamble

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Hi!!! I’m a 20 y/o college student. I go to a private Catholic University and it’s brought me MUCH closer to Christ. I was wandering around some forums and I’m just kind of curious what people think about women wearing veils to Mass. NO ONE at my church wears veils…especially not the young women my age. I also read that I should wear one every time I pray?! I think it’s very respectful if I did wear one to Mass…and I’m trying to decide if I am going to, I’m going to feel a little strange at first, but I think it’s kind of…beautiful? That probably sounds weird but I think there is something to say for a young woman who has that deep respect for her Creator. Anyways, just kinda curious as to who thinks I should and who thinks I shouldn’t and also if I should wear one EVERY time I pray?
Thanks a bunch!👍
 
megangamble said:
Hi!!! I’m a 20 y/o college student. I go to a private Catholic University and it’s brought me MUCH closer to Christ. I was wandering around some forums and I’m just kind of curious what people think about women wearing veils to Mass. NO ONE at my church wears veils…especially not the young women my age. I also read that I should wear one every time I pray?! I think it’s very respectful if I did wear one to Mass…and I’m trying to decide if I am going to, I’m going to feel a little strange at first, but I think it’s kind of…beautiful? That probably sounds weird but I think there is something to say for a young woman who has that deep respect for her Creator. Anyways, just kinda curious as to who thinks I should and who thinks I shouldn’t and also if I should wear one EVERY time I pray?
Thanks a bunch!👍
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As a guy, I can tell you that I’ve always felt humbled by the sight of a woman who wears a veil. As to whether you should or not, the Church does not require it, but you are free to do so.
 
I wear the veil. I started wearing it about five or six weeks ago. No one at my parish wears the veil. No one, except an elderly woman, covers their head at the parish I am at for the summer.

I wear it mostly because I felt called to by God in prayer and even when I wasn’t actually praying. It was something that kept on coming to my mind no matter how much I pushed it away. Jesus just kind of bugged me about it for a couple years. Finally I gave in this summer. It is humbling, especially when no one else is wearing it. It keeps me focused at Mass. It reminds me of who and what I am and who I am before: God.

Scripture calls for it. Many saints have spoken on it. Many Doctors of the Church have even mandated it. Many popes have encouraged it. Mary wore a headcovering. All my favorite female saints wore headcoverings. All Catholic women in the history of the church were called to cover their heads up until sixty or so years ago. If you feel called to cover your head then I say do it.

I wear the veil while in church and/or when Jesus is present. Many women I know who do wear the headcovering wear it only if in church and/or when Jesus is present.

I know a couple women (not many) who wear some sort of headcovering constantly. To wear a headcovering everytime one prays would mean that you would probably have to wear a headcovering all the time while awake. If your feeling called to do it… go for it. There is nothing saying you can’t.

God bless!

In Jesus and Mary,
Marie
 
I think covering up the knees and shoulders of a woman in church is more important.

Suit yourself on the wearing of a veil. No-one in the church I attend wears a veil, it is a token of past excesses, and in my view stupid. Do you think God listens to you more because you wear a veil?
 
megangamble said:
Hi!!! I’m a 20 y/o college student. I go to a private Catholic University and it’s brought me MUCH closer to Christ. I was wandering around some forums and I’m just kind of curious what people think about women wearing veils to Mass. NO ONE at my church wears veils…especially not the young women my age. I also read that I should wear one every time I pray?! I think it’s very respectful if I did wear one to Mass…and I’m trying to decide if I am going to, I’m going to feel a little strange at first, but I think it’s kind of…beautiful? That probably sounds weird but I think there is something to say for a young woman who has that deep respect for her Creator. Anyways, just kinda curious as to who thinks I should and who thinks I shouldn’t and also if I should wear one EVERY time I pray?
Thanks a bunch!👍
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If you personally feel led by the Spirit to do so then yes you should. No human can or should tell you to do so.

I do as does my daughter (funny she did first). I don;t feel as at peace as when I am covered. Now, there are times I can’t cover and that is when I ask Mother Mary to cover me in Her Veil.😃 It just brings me great personal peace.
 
Pondero said:
I think covering up the knees and shoulders of a woman in church is more important.

Suit yourself on the wearing of a veil. No-one in the church I attend wears a veil, it is a token of past excesses, and in my view stupid. Do you think God listens to you more because you wear a veil?
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Do you think God listens to you more because you don’t wear a veil or because your shoulders and knees are covered?? Goodness, where on earth did you come up with such a negative thought.
KathleenElsie said:
If you personally feel led by the Spirit to do so then yes you should. No human can or should tell you to do so.

I do as does my daughter (funny she did first). I don;t feel as at peace as when I am covered. Now, there are times I can’t cover and that is when I ask Mother Mary to cover me in Her Veil.😃 It just brings me great personal peace.
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Now this is a good reason for wearing a veil. If one is called to do so as it is now considered a personal devotion and as such you choose if you are called to it. Let no one coerce you into not wearing one if you are called to it (and it sounds like you are!)

I choose not to wear one but more because it is a distraction to me, I have the kind of hair that no veil will stay put in no matter how many bobby pins I put in it and unless the hat is very loose it will give me a headache. My wedding veil I kept on only until the Wedding ceremony was over, as soon as we got in the receiving line I removed it (it was starting to slip as by now I had been moving around too much).

Try it out. See how it works for you. At your Private Catholic College you won’t get many remarks but you might at home, just tell people you felt called to do so and ignore their comments about how “it is a toke of past excesses” or other uncharitable comments.

Brenda V.
 
Brenda_V said:
I choose not to wear one but more because it is a distraction to me, I have the kind of hair that no veil will stay put in no matter how many bobby pins I put in it and unless the hat is very loose it will give me a headache.
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It shouldn’t be a choice. If you get a job as a lawyer or an accountant you wouldn’t normally expect to choose what sort of clothes to wear to work. You might choose the colour of your tie, but that’s it.
Similarly veils carry a lot of cultural connotations, and shouldn’t be a matter for the woman’s personal choice. The system yes for a TLM and no for NO seems reasonable to me.
 
I don’t know if many of you are aware of this, but there are certain Protestant denominations where the women wear head-coverings in church. For a while, we attended a “Brethren” church (not United Brethren in Christ, but related). The women all wore veils or head-coverings.

A Christian and Missionary Alliance Church missionary to Ivory Coast, one of our friends, became convicted by the Holy Spirit to wear a veil in church. In her (Protestant) church in Ivory Coast, the women all wore veils because the Bible said so.

So she began wearing the veil, too, and continued to wear it whenever she came back to the states.

I think it’s important to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit through Scripture, as long as it doesn’t contradict what our Church is telling us. At this point, the Catholic Church has allowed each woman to make the choice about head-coverings in church.
 
Hi,

I am new to the forum, but not new to the Church. I used to wear a covering myself, but, where I am from it isn’t the “norm”.

In my parish, I feel it is more important to kneel for the consecration and restoring THAT realization to the minds of the people. We have no kneelers and we all stand during the consecration. Kneeling is the norm all over!

By all means, if you feel called to wear a veil… go for it! That’s why I kneel…small practices…big impacts…
 
Pondero said:
No-one in the church I attend wears a veil, it is a token of past excesses, and in my view stupid. Do you think God listens to you more because you wear a veil?
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1 Corinthians 11:3-10,16

Go read it (I am intentionally not posting it here).

Can I suggest that you not recklessly use the word stupid? My mother has worn a veil every time she has attended Mass.

Oh yeah, and catholicplanet.com/veil/index.htm

Man, you really have me grinding my teeth.:mad:
 
I thank all of you for your opinions. I think that the Holy Spirit led me to that forum last night and is prompting me to consider wearing the veil. I am going to confession on Wednesday and I think I will take that time to mention something to my parish priest and if after confession I feel compelled to cover my head during Mass, I think I will do so…even if it is not the norm and I might get comments. I am kind of excited, I only hope that I am not doing this in order to stand out? I just want to honor God in the best ways I can. 🙂
 
I’m a 20 something convert to the Catholic Church. I wear the veil. I wear it because I feel compelled by God to cover my head in humility in His presence. But I’m the only Catholic I know who wears it. I don’t think other women are necessarilly obliged to wear it. but I think it’s a wonderful practice for myself. If you feel compelled to wear it, wear it. God will bless you in the practice.
 
This may be a strange question but where can I purchase a veil for Mass? I think I am going to try our parish gift shop first and if they can’t help me…I don’t know where else to try?
I appreciate all the encouraging words! Thank you all!
 
jabelltulsa said:
1 Corinthians 11:3-10,16

Go read it (I am intentionally not posting it here).

Can I suggest that you not recklessly use the word stupid? My mother has worn a veil every time she has attended Mass.

Oh yeah, and catholicplanet.com/veil/index.htm

Man, you really have me grinding my teeth.:mad:
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I have already apologized for using the word “stupid.” but that is all I am apologizing for. Yes. I read the words of St. Paul to the Corinthians and no doubt they were appropriate as the custom of the time. But, not today. As I pointed out women in our church do not wear veils to cover their heads, and last time I checked it wasn’t a mortal sin to be without a veil.
 
Pondero said:
I have already apologized for using the word “stupid.”
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First, you apologized **after **my response to this, so no, you hadn’t already apologized at the time. You apologize, now, which is fine.
Pondero said:
But, not today. As I pointed out women in our church do not wear veils to cover their heads, and last time I checked it wasn’t a mortal sin to be without a veil.
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If you are responding to me, I am not accusing those who do not wear a veil to be in mortal sin. Where did you get that in my response to you?

I just take it a bit personally; in my 36 years, I have attended Mass nearly every Sunday; and each time, every woman wore a veil. It is the practice of humilty, and should never be called stupid, but, as you said, you apologized for that.
 
I wear a Jewish skullcap - found at headcoveringsbydevorah. I have received a lot compliments on it. It is small and not distracting and I still feel covered. I selected that because my husband does not like hats and really did not like the mantilla I had before Katrina. In the winter I had a hat/scarf that my priest said reminded him a babushka and I’d keep that on during Mass. Tthe mantilla and “babushka” are two of the things I am sorry I lost in the flood - I have not been able to replace either at this point but I’m still looking. I thought about it and I figured if God did not want us to cover our heads then Mary would appear to a visionary without her head covered but I’ve never seen anyone come up with an imagine of the Blessed Mother without her head covered.
 
jabelltulsa said:
First, you apologized **after **my response to this, so no, you hadn’t already apologized at the time. You apologize, now, which is fine.

If you are responding to me, I am not accusing those who do not wear a veil to be in mortal sin. Where did you get that in my response to you?

I just take it a bit personally; in my 36 years, I have attended Mass nearly every Sunday; and each time, every woman wore a veil. It is the practice of humilty, and should never be called stupid, but, as you said, you apologized for that.
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Well, if it is not a mortal sin ( offence against God) then what is this custom all about? It is obviously a custom which some approve of and some don’t. It is then a man-made rule based on Corinthians 11: which some people take as absolute truth, and should be obeyed because it is in Scripture.

I don’t see it that way at all: there are some things in Scripture that relate to the custom and habits of the time, and to the personal views of the one writing the Scripture. That is how I see the words of St.Paul. It is his own personal opinion on the matter.
It has not been made a law of the church (Man) as say celibacy of the priesthood is a law of the church (Man) and can be changed.

There is a very simple way of looking at things relating to God and His Church. There is the law of God and the law of Man. The creeds and the dogmas, the fundamental beliefs of the Catholic Church are law of God, whereas the use of altar girls, the position of the altar, the placing of the Blessed Sacrament inside the Church, and church vestments are laws of Man.
The wearing of the veil is neither.

(Jabelltulsa: I used to visit Tulsa every few years to audit an airline which keeps its records there. I liked the shopping plazas where you could get something good to eat, I usually stayed there a week at a time.)
 
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