My brother John's fiancee Emily (I feel rather silly being so descriptive, considering my oh-so-large reader base, but whatevs), unlike the rest of my family, has not grown up going to the Latin Mass (totes shocking, I know)
I think she got her first real exposure to it once she started dating John, and she's (understandably) had a lot of questions about it.
One of these questions was about veiling, which she noticed all of us girls do whenever she attended Mass with us.
Now, this can apparently be a hot topic in Catholic female circles, but I'll frankly admit that despite wearing a veil since before I can remember, I don't have a full, robust defense or "apology" for it. Even before Emily asked me for some more info on veiling and links to good articles on it, I had still asked myself, "why exactly do I veil in the presence of the Blessed Eucharist?"
This post isn't something I spent a huge amount of time on, composed after hours and days of intense research. Instead, it's pretty much an slightly extended version of what I told Emily and what I tell friends who ask me about veiling.
It's casual.
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| img source this image comes from an article from an opposite viewpoint, and while I don't agree with it, it could be helpful to read both the article and comments for a more "robust" discussion on veiling. |
Why I Veil
In brief, if I'm honest, the primary reasons I wear it are tradition, focus and respect.
Veiling is not a bad tradition, and as one of the articles below mentions, St. Paul encourages us to keep good traditions. The Church is based on Scripture and Tradition, and while there is a big difference between Tradition and tradition (the caps makes all the difference), a lot of "little" traditions, if you will, are good things to uphold.
So, while I don't think it's mandatory to wear a veil at Mass (though in attending the Latin Mass, it is expected), it's a good tradition to keep up and as long as it's not hindering any spiritual growth on mine or any other persons part, I guess I'd say "why not veil?" is a better question.
The other thing is focus - I am so easily distracted during Mass, and the veil acts as my blinders, like a horse. If a woman is not used to veiling, it could actually be distracting for for her to wear the veil and thus ultimately not be a good thing, if it hinders her from offering (to the best of her ability) glory to God during Mass. However, I do think that it's more a matter of being accustomed to it, and would recommend giving the veil a fair trial run of five or more Masses to become accustomed.
Even when I'm not in Mass, it helps me in the chapel and keeps me from looking at every new person who walks in the chapel.
Finally, respect.
I don't have all the info on this, but women who see the Pope are supposed to wear veils as a sign of respect (and probably for other reasons, of which I am ignorant).
If women do that for the Pope, Christ's representative on earth, why shouldn't we do it for Christ Himself?
As a side note, I think it's helpful and encouraging for most guys to see women wearing veils, though that's not a reason I veil.
Also, I'm around a lot of traditionally minded men, so that's probably why I think that it's helpful for the men. ha.
Other Opinions and Questions
Now, if you look for it, you'll see a lot of articles on veiling (including in some of the ones I'm including below) that say that women wear veils to be humble, because they are special like the Tabernacle, etc. Those could be legit arguments, but they're not the reasons I veil, because honestly, sometimes it boosts my vanity to veil, because then no one can see my greasy hair. ;)
So, you may read this and say, "well, this is all well and good, Clare - being able to focus better in Mass is a good thing, and I suppose upholding good traditions can be good too when it's all said and done, I suppose. But why don't men veil, if veiling helps focus?"
My best answer goes back to the tradition thing: it's not traditional for men to wear veils, so I think that's the primary reason why it's not expected for them to veil today. You know, it'd be incredibly weird if men came to Mass wearing skirts and all the women in suits.
At least, I think so.
Why/how that tradition started? I'm not a historian and I'm too lazy to look this up, but I'll hazard a guess and say it goes all the way back to Jesus' time and before, when women were veiled and men weren't (not most of the time, anyways). How that got started, I have no clue, but those ancients probably had some decent reasons for it, which I have no knowledge of whatsoever.
In any case, men are supposed to remove their hats in church, and as hats used to be a symbol of stature, it's not just women humbling themselves by wearing a veil when they enter the church. The men do too, but in a different way. Should YOU veil?
First off, if you're a man, don't veil. That'd be silly. Why? See the few previous paragraphs.
Now, finally, to get right down to the question most Catholics ask when they first learn about the veil - should all Catholic women wear it?
And to get right down to my oh-so-humble opinion, my answer is: depends.
There are some legitimate reasons not to veil, such as if you give it a fair trial run and find it extremely distracting, then off with the veil! I can't think of any other legitimate reasons for not veiling right now, aside from finding it too distracting, but I'm sure someone could find some random but legitimate reason.
That all said and done, I don't think it'd be a bad thing for our Church if all the women starting wearing veils again. Quite the opposite, actually.
Either way, I do not judge or think less of women who don't wear veils, and I don't necessarily think more of women who do, as I know there are women who wear veils who are not exactly what I'd call role models, myself included.
But of course, there are good role models of women wearing veils, such as the Blessed Mother and nuns. Just sayin'. ;)
Helpful (maybe?) Articles
So, a little disclaimer on these articles - these are the fruit of a rather lackadaisical Google search. It's probably because I'm so prideful, but I don't like most articles on veiling because they seem to talk a lot about being submissive, and the tone just makes me want to slam a veil on men and make them submissive too! ha!
Anyways, I don't find all the arguments of some of these articles really compelling, but some of them have a good point or two, and might be some good food for thought. I've also heard many of the arguments before, not many of which I think would've convinced me to start veiling if I wasn't used to it, but that's probably another reason why I haven't found a particularly impressive article on veiling.
Ugh, my comment I started last night disappeared. :-(
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that I don't think I've ever found an article that I 100% agree with on why veil, although I do enjoy reading other women's' stories of how they came to begin veiling. I wonder if this is *because* it is a personal discernment and not for everyone (I liked what you said under "Should YOU veil?")
As for the respect... I think at least to some degree it has to do with the angels covering themselves in the presence of God (See Isaiah 6:2). So if they cover themselves in His presence shouldn't we do so too? So as women, according to St. Paul our hair is "our glory" so that is what we cover (which is a little hard to grasp, I think, although I find it easier than other women I know since I've always gotten lots of compliments on my hair...) That's how I like to think of it, anyway, like the angels :-)
I had more to say probably but Maria is demanding my attention now so I'd better go!