Wearing a Veil?

[DebChris]

Kind of related to the theme of this thread, and something that puzzles me are the girl’s uniforms at two local Catholic schools–the one associated with my church and one near where I work (I see the students walking to and from school). The girl’s skirts are so short! I mean, really short (mid-thigh). I just find it odd that not only are these allowed at a Catholic school, but it’s technically the uniform. Part of me suspects some girls might be rolling the skirts up outside school to make the shorter though. But in any case, I just don’t get how this is the school uniform. I would think they should at least be below the knee.

The length of Catholic school skirts has become an often repeated joke. It goes back to the 1960s. Catholic schools were behind the times. School uniforms were below the knee at the same time that the skirts everybody else was wearing were becoming shorter. By the late 60s and early 70s, skirt length averaged 4 inches above the knee (mid-thigh). Catholic schools finally accepted the shorter length skirts as the norm just as the hemlines everybody else wore became longer. Knee length, whether just above or just below, is a good length regardless of the ups and downs of fashion.

 

[karow]

Kind of related to the theme of this thread, and something that puzzles me are the girl’s uniforms at two local Catholic schools–the one associated with my church and one near where I work (I see the students walking to and from school). The girl’s skirts are so short! I mean, really short (mid-thigh). I just find it odd that not only are these allowed at a Catholic school, but it’s technically the uniform. Part of me suspects some girls might be rolling the skirts up outside school to make the shorter though. But in any case, I just don’t get how this is the school uniform. I would think they should at least be below the knee.

Your comment reminds me of my first impression of the uniforms of our parish K-8 school. At the time my husband’s adolescent nephew was staying with us to practice his English. The country he’s from requires very modest school uniforms, pre-school to college level: skirts at least mid-calf length, long-sleeved shirts, hair kept short (young girls) or pinned back in a bun/braid (older girls/young women). This applied to both public as well as private school students. Anyway, I remember walking across campus, being taken aback at the 13- and 14-year-old girls wearing skirts/jumpers that hit mid-thigh and thinking there was no way the nephew was going to be able to concentrate on anything academic with all of that female flesh on display!

 

[spunjalebi]

I was happy when the veil requirement went away. It got to be ridiculous to see women wearing a piece of kleenex on their head fastened with a bobby pin because they forgot a chapel veil and were supposed to wear something on their heads. Even the hats of the day were sometimes minimal - sometimes no hat at all but just a piece of mesh with maybe a bow on it. Even today, I have seen someone wear a mantilla but at the same time wear a very see-through blouse or wearing bluejean shorts - what kind of message does that send?

That is not a good excuse to dismiss thousands of years of custom within the Christian church, or even the Catholic Church.

What you are speaking of here is an example of legalism, not honest and spiritual custom. The fact that many churches “required” women to cover shows that it was not done out of the spirit of personal devotion and honest faith reflection. That to me, is a worse reflection of the faith than not wearing one because a woman may be uncomfortable.

Yes, we all know that modesty is a HUGE issue within the Church, across the board. It says a lot when people argue for head covering but do not want to address the modesty and appropriate dress issue. Just because both are pertinent issues does not mean we have to place one in front of the other in priority; both issues are a priority and should be handled appropriately.

I know many women here would like to see everyone dress nicely and modestly for church, and encourage other women to understand the meaning behind the personal devotion. It is still Church custom, but needs to be done voluntary. A woman who covers but has misgivings or resentment is better off not covering at all. Sometimes it is a matter of the heart.

 

[anilorak13ska]

Regarding the uniforms… I saw some of the kids out for recess at our local parish school in the dead of winter… and I remember thinking that if I were required to make my daughter freeze her little bum bc she had to wear so little over her legs, I wouldn’t send her to such a school! Even thick tights can only do so much with windy winters. And boys can wear long jons in addition to the protection offered by their pants. So if pants are a no-no for girls, which I can understand as part of the uniform requirement, then at least offer a longer-length skirt option, even if it’s just a winter uniform vs a summer uniform with the shorter skirt (which I agree is too short).

 

[Catholic41506]

My wife is only 25 and she veils at Mass. She also wears a snood (spelling) outside of Church. I think its weird seeing a womans head uncovered now.

 

[Prayerfully]

My wife is only 25 and she veils at Mass. She also wears a snood (spelling) outside of Church. I think its weird seeing a womans head uncovered now.

Well, I’m glad most people don’t think of women with their heads not covered as being “weird”.

 

[Catholic41506]

Joking.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

My wife is only 25 and she veils at Mass. She also wears a snood (spelling) outside of Church. I think its weird seeing a womans head uncovered now.

Good for your wife!
Where does she get her snoods?

 

[Joseph_L_Varga]

Your comment reminds me of my first impression of the uniforms of our parish K-8 school. At the time my husband’s adolescent nephew was staying with us to practice his English. The country he’s from requires very modest school uniforms, pre-school to college level: skirts at least mid-calf length, long-sleeved shirts, hair kept short (young girls) or pinned back in a bun/braid (older girls/young women). This applied to both public as well as private school students. Anyway, I remember walking across campus, being taken aback at the 13- and 14-year-old girls wearing skirts/jumpers that hit mid-thigh and thinking there was no way the nephew was going to be able to concentrate on anything academic with all of that female flesh on display!

May I enroll for school where your DH’s nephew attends?

I would love to go back to school!

Now, seriously, that place would seem to me like paradise , after what I see daily in South FL! May I ask, is it in Europe, or some other continent?

 

[Joseph_L_Varga]

Your comment reminds me of my first impression of the uniforms of our parish K-8 school. At the time my husband’s adolescent nephew was staying with us to practice his English. The country he’s from requires very modest school uniforms, pre-school to college level: skirts at least mid-calf length, long-sleeved shirts, hair kept short (young girls) or pinned back in a bun/braid (older girls/young women). This applied to both public as well as private school students. Anyway, I remember walking across campus, being taken aback at the 13- and 14-year-old girls wearing skirts/jumpers that hit mid-thigh and thinking there was no way the nephew was going to be able to concentrate on anything academic with all of that female flesh on display!

Oops, I just forgot to clarify - the place that seems like paradise to me is the one where the girls wear those lovely modest school uniforms - I had no idea such places still exist.

The rest was of course just kidding - I’m way too old to really go back to school. In fact I did my fair share of teaching college kids in my life.

 

[karow]

Oops, I just forgot to clarify - the place that seems like paradise to me is the one where the girls wear those lovely modest school uniforms - I had no idea such places still exist.

The rest was of course just kidding - I’m way too old to really go back to school. In fact I did my fair share of teaching college kids in my life.

I read your fist reply and thought, “Well, there’s at least one perv on CAF.”

My husband’s from Malaysia. But in truth, most SE Asian school uniforms are more modest than not.

 

[Maria1212]

I went to an all girls`s Catholic highschool. The rule was that when we knelt, the skirt had to touch the floor. If it did not, we received an “infraction” and had to come back the next day to make sure the skirt was the appropriate length. However, after the school day ended, many girls rolled up their skirts to make them appear shorter to lure the boys!

I think if women feel called to wear a veil, then they should, and others can keep their opinion to themselves. I have seen head coverings that are dyed to match a womans hair color and they dont stick out or serve as a distraction to those around them.

Sincerely,

Maria1212

Sincerely,

Maria1212

 

[Joseph_L_Varga]

I read your fist reply and thought, “Well, there’s at least one perv on CAF.”

My husband’s from Malaysia. But in truth, most SE Asian school uniforms are more modest than not.

LOL, karow, I can’t blame you at all! When I read my own post I almost fell out of my chair by how it sounded and it was too late to edit it!

But I feel for your nephew, coming from a more modest culture (I guess the Muslim population in Malaysia, Indonesia, they also have an effect and they tend to dress modestly). As far as I remember, girls wore something similar when I attended highschool in the 1980s (Romania, Europe), except that they wore headbands instead of pinned back/braided hair. As a matter of fact, I never once remember being distracted by girls’ bodies during school hours, except of course for physical education where I have to admit we boys were all pretty distracted at the sight of our girl schoolmates turning into women almost overnight! Boys’ uniforms also consisted of slacks with long-sleeved shirts and jackets. In retrospect it was a pretty good rule because it let us concentrate on our academic curriculum, instead of concentrating on something else!

 

[Prayerfully]

I went to an all girls`s Catholic highschool. The rule was that when we knelt, the skirt had to touch the floor. If it did not, we received an “infraction” and had to come back the next day to make sure the skirt was the appropriate length. However, after the school day ended, many girls rolled up their skirts to make them appear shorter to lure the boys!

I think if women feel called to wear a veil, then they should, and others can keep their opinion to themselves. I have seen head coverings that are dyed to match a womans hair color and they dont stick out or serve as a distraction to those around them.

Sincerely,

Maria1212

Sincerely,

Maria1212

I think that if a woman chooses not to veil or cover her head, others should also keep their opinions to themselves. But if that were to occur, what would possibly have to talk about here on CAF?

 

[Maria1212]

I think that if a woman chooses not to veil or cover her head, others should also keep their opinions to themselves. But if that were to occur, what would possibly have to talk about here on CAF?

I agree. If people don`t like it they can shut their eyes or decide to stop judging others!

 

[spunjalebi]

I agree. If people don`t like it they can shut their eyes or decide to stop judging others!

Seriously, who was talking about judging others?

This thread is for the people who DO veil, and other related topics to veiling. No one is saying that if you don’t veil, you are a bad person. If anything, issues related to veiling have been mentioned. Have there been issues with veiling? Yes. Are those issues good reasons to NOT veil? No. Does that mean we should all sit around and judge others who don’t veil? NO!

Believe it or not, people are more threatened by others veiling, versus others not veiling.

 

[Faira21]

There are a few older women at our church who wear veils. One homily our favorite pastor talked about how the Church never really said that it was OK to stop wearing head coverings. I guess it was a miscommunication, people started spreading this misconception that you didnt have to wear coverings anymore after vatican 2 and the Church never really spoke out to correct people. Anyway, he said that really woman still should. That got me thinking and reading about it. I think i would like to wear a veil? I might be self conscience at first but i think its really important too.

Anyway before i could come to a conclusion on what i was going to do my 6 yr old daughter pointed out one of the woman at our Church who wears one and said…I WANT ONE TOO! she walks around the house wearing one and being like Mary she says. One Sunday morning she was wearing her makeshift veil and wanted to wear it to Church and my husband wouldnt let her. So i researched veils and childrens veils. I sat down with her and explained that you can only wear a veil if you wear a veil over your heart and understand the role of a woman in the Church and in her family. She really seems to grasp it, she wants to practice being humble like our Heavenly Mother and i want to encourage it.

What do you all think about wearing a veil, either for yourselves or your children?? Do any of you wear one in a church where most of the woman don’t? Is that odd? I will be ordering veils for all our girls and myself this weekend and would love to hear your thoughts as well as what type and colors are most appropriate.

THANKS!
~Angela

Oh my gosh that is so beautiful!!!

Your daughter is ADORABLE! I had this mental picture of her wandering around with the veil on her head while I was reading that.

I think it is great if she wears it to church! I have seen young girls wearing them in different parishes.

I do not think it is odd to wear a veil. Maybe takes a little courage when you are the only one.

I used to only wear mine if I was at a Latin Mass, because I felt silly being the only one. But then I decided that I really wanted to wear it as a visible witness to my faith

When I wear the veil, I feel as though I am silently witnessing to others that there are still people out there who believe in the old ways. I silently witness to the validity of tradition and my belief in it.

Also, I think it can help others too. Maybe another woman in the parish may want to wear a veil but may be shy because no one else is. Maybe she will not start wearing one right away, but one never knows how the sight can impact her and help.

Also, it shows a certain modesty as well. When I wear a veil, I am saying “I am a woman and I am God’s most beautiful, sacred creation. You are not to look at me without the utmost respect.”

There are many layers that I could go into, but my point is, I do not think it would be odd. Even my mother called me on wearing a veil when I started, and she said “no one else is doing it.”

But then, when she saw a few other ladies doing it, she started to want one. She almost did it but I think she chickened out. My mom is more the “follow the crowd type.” If everyone did it she probebly would too.

Maybe one day everyone will start doing it again if a few people have the courage to start doing it now

 

[Prayerfully]

Seriously, who was talking about judging others?

This thread is for the people who DO veil, and other related topics to veiling. No one is saying that if you don’t veil, you are a bad person. If anything, issues related to veiling have been mentioned. Have there been issues with veiling? Yes. Are those issues good reasons to NOT veil? No. Does that mean we should all sit around and judge others who don’t veil? NO!

Believe it or not, people are more threatened by others veiling, versus others not veiling.

Usually it’s not the women who do veil that are judgemental (actually they tend to be far from it)- it’s the men who think women should veil that get downright nasty about those who don’t.

 

[spunjalebi]

Usually it’s not the women who do veil that are judgemental (actually they tend to be far from it)- it’s the men who think women should veil that get downright nasty about those who don’t.

Oh yes, it’s the typical shaming. What would CAF be without it…(rolls eyes)

 

[Prayerfully]

Oh yes, it’s the typical shaming. What would CAF be without it…(rolls eyes)

I’m not sure what you mean about that with the comment and the

You’ve surely seen enough comments on this thread and especially the “modesty” thread to know that it is rarely the modestly-dressed women making a commotion about how others are dressed. It’s usually some guy who thinks that pants were invented by Europeans and are just for men and we women are going to hell in a handbasket if we are so rebellious as to wear something other than a full-length skirt, even if we are snow-skiing or swimming.