I figured I'd post this here, since not only do topics go away too quickly in Open Mic, but there are probably some females here who could give me an answer. My question is for any of you who do veil at Mass, or Adoration, or... well, whenever else you would. All the time, I guess, for any habited nuns! But besides that. (Actually, I do want to know how a nun's veil stays on too...) I just seem to have problems when I wear my mantilla. I really don't want to be pulling it forward every 5 minutes. Is that always going to happen? Or do some people actually pin in it place..? I tried that, but it's hard to get it to look decent and not have a weird bump of the lace in front above my forehead.
The same thing kind of applies with scarves. I have a lot of pretty scarves, so I don't always wear my mantilla. Whether they're big square ones that fold into a triangle to wear, or the long 4 foot-ish by 1 foot ones, they dont lay flat across the top of my head above my forehead when I wear them. I suppose I really don't know anything about the proper way to wear a scarf, because they're not things I/the rest of my generation usually wear! Some times I can throw one end of the long ones across the opposite shoulder, and that works. But I was just wondering what the rest of you do--I have no one to base my example off of, because no one at my parish veils, and the times I've been to a Latin Mass, it was mostly mantillas.
Also.. do you put your mantilla/scarf on just before you enter the church, or leave your house/walk in and out of the church with it on?

Thank you!

Pax Christi,
Maria Faustina

My old mantilla (I lost it during the Sacrament procession last week) had a ribbon with which you could tie it at the back, which was very comfortable and easy

In any case, there are several ways to wear a mantilla. Some have a small comb sewn in. Others are made of lace that's tough enough to be able to stick bobby pins through it at the sides so you don't see them. You can also use "normal" pins, if you first put a clip in your hair. Clip the hair back about three fingers from your forehead and put the pin just in front of the clip - that way it will stay in, and the fabric won't bulge. If it still slips, you can repeat the process a bit to the side, but the single pin usually does the trick.

I just flip mine on in the front portal of the church. I like it that way because it forces me to take a little moment before entering, instead of letting me just barge in

As for nun veils, there are various different options, most involving either pins (for the more traditional veils) or ties. The SSVM have a small white cap that's tied at the back to cover the hair and ears, and the veil is tied over that and has a band of plastic under the fabric around the front to keep it straight. It usually doesn't slip because of the cap, but if two five-year-olds start hanging from it it might move back an inch or so.

I have a big mantilla that stays on of its own accord. When I wear scarves, I pin them in any one of a number of different ways. Here is a how-to guide. It's written for Muslim women, but I find it very useful.

Mine kept getting away from me and so I started to pin it with bobby pins. That took too much time for me and required for me to pay a lot of attention to what I was doing. I started wearing a brown colored veil and I sewed a brown hair comb into it, and it stays put for good. You can't see the brown comb either because it is the same color as the veil. Worked out pretty nifty. And it is easy to take off and take on. I just slip it on when walking in the Church and then it slips right off when I walk out. The comb option worked best for me.

For a white veil a clear hair comb works well.

For mantillas, I don't mind pulling mine up. Some girls use a bobby pin at the TOP of the head (ends pointing towards your ears) and that seems to work for them. I always put mine on just before entering the church. Long rectangle scarves I throw an end over the shoulder usually as you mentioned, sometimes walk out of the house with it around my neck. Then if you already have it with one end in front of you and one end behind you, loosely, you can just pull the part by the back of your neck up, like a hood. When I'm in "grungy" clothes I tie a bandana around my head

I have a large triangle one that I wear during adoration. http://photo.xanga.com/ADiscerningSoul/f8c...8875/photo.html LOL I use two bobby pins(not in the pic) one on each side of my forehead. I was wearing a headband then tucking the veil under in, but bobby pins work better.

Last year for lent I wore my small veil for Mass http://photo.xanga.com/adiscerningsoul/20c...#filmstriptitle I only need one bobby pin for this one.

If I forget my veils, I wear a bandanna, I have two that are church related, one says I am taken by the Lord and the other says church chick both are pink, LOL I'll have to take pictures there cute, found them at the dollar store.
I do wear my bandanna at the Little Sisters when I help feed because your hair has to be in control.

As far as when to put it on, I put mine on when I am in the pew just before Mass.
For adoration I put it on as soon as I can, the other day I was so excited to visit with our Lord I forgot to veil! I am sure he'll forgive me. LOL

Hope that helps.

I think wearing a veil is a neat symbol of faith.

It helps me to remember it's "God time".

In honor of not only our faith but Mother Mary as well.

When I wore them as a kid, we always used bobby pins. When traveling in Central America, my Godmother sewed a piece of velcro under the front lip of my mantilla. Just the hook side of the velcro, and it just hangs up in your hair.

One of our Older Congregants wears hers under a Hat, But it works to hold it in place!

There is nothing saying it has to be a veil. I think that most people, at least in my grandmother's time, wore hats, not veils. In the 50s, I think, women started wearing mantillas and little chapel veils because they didn't always have hats with them. In my grandmother's time, women wouldn't leave the house without their hat and gloves.
As for sisters' veils, they vary. We have a modified veil that is fairly common. There is a metal band inside the veil which helps and there is also something like a plastic mesh hat frame that forms the crown. I have a combed hair band that I put in my hair, then I put the crown over that and I use a couple bobby pins to pin that to my hair. Then the veil goes on over that. It is fairly secure, but I do have to be careful in strong winds.

I wear a large black lace veil (chapel veil or mantilla) and it stays on well I use a black bobby pin for at the top but it doesn't really need it. I guess mine doesn't move forward or back or side to side because it was an expensive one, beautiful and well made and heavy (for a mantilla) and I suppose the heaviness keeps it in place? I wear it any time I am in a church or chapel (mass, adoration, etc.).

I am about 1 out 3 that wear the veil in my parish. I wore it as a child for a long time (as I'm 48 it was still big when I was growing up!) and I mourned not wearing it (as well as losing the altar rail, etc.). But many years ago I found out that Vatican II NEVER said to stop wearing the veil and in fact we are doing more wrong my NOT wearing the veil - I have info on this and can't find it right now. So I happy ran out and bought one!

I can't explain it but there is a "feeling" or a more closeness when I wear one and the one time I forgot it, I felt "naked" and uncomfortable or something. I suppose if I had a flourish for prose I'd get my point across much better!

Laudem Gloriae said it well for me. I have been to Mass without a head scarf, but I feel sort of naked without it. I wear a bandana or a scarf and sometimes I wear a bobby pin when required, but usually I don't need it just for the length of the Mass. I put it on just before and take it off afterwards.

In Carmel we wore a toque that covered the head and neck, and the two veils were pinned to this. The under veil or working veil, had three pins, one on the crown and one on each side. The over veil had only one pin at the crown. We took this one off when we were working. At night we wore a night toque - no veil or pins.

Someone told me that the Passionists have 17 pins in their habit - we only had five, two on the scapular and the five in the veils!

Hi Nunsense! I was wondering if you meant that mutual acquaintance we have who entered the Tyringham Visitation who visited you in WV? She told me the Visitation nuns in Tyringham have 17 or 18 in their head wear! Maybe the Passionist's do to, I don't know.

if i was a girl, i'd wear it all the time! ok, at least as much as i could. i think it's such a positive statement and makes you look soooo cute. it reminds me of Our Lady and i'd want to meet a strong Catholic who appreciates it.

go ahead and wear it, and if anyone gives you any lip or makes you uncomfortable, send them to me! or Jesus..

Read 1 Corintihians 11; 5 thru 6

You know, even as I wrote it, I was thinking, Passionist doesn't sound right, but what was it? Yes, it was our mutual friend from the Visitation who said that. And I loved her comment about the habit. She told me that only a man could have designed it because it has all those pleats! And of course, a man did design it (St Francis de Sales)

Thank you all for your wonderful responses/pictures/links! I appreciate it, and am glad that I will now probably be able to get things to stay on my head. The only hard part left will be convincing myself that wearing a veil is 'worth it'....I always give in to thinking that it will distract people even more from the Eucharist than reverencing Him by wearing it does.. sigh. (Hopefully that will change next year at Benedictine! Yay!)

Oh, and I actually have one more quick question--is mantilla pronounced the proper Spanish way, or with the English double l's? My friend and I were wondering this, because we never hear anyone else say the word out loud...!

Those spanish one's look so neat like a shaw.

How about all of us who are 'shy' about veiling, veil THIS Sunday to start off with, and offer up any and all uncomfortable feelings we have about it for suffering souls in purgatory?
So we are supporting each other and helping save souls, and honoring our faith and Mother Mary.

Who's in?



I will!

Gah, now that you give me an opportunity to force myself to, I can't nOT do it.... lol. Very good idea. Well, I guess if I went to the most traditional parish around here, it wouldn't be as bad (by bad, I mean people at my parish would probably fall out of their seats if some teenage girl veiled! It's strange enough for me to wear ankle-length skirts!), because of the other 2 women that do too (and I like to go to that church whenever I can, anyway). Okay. Okay. I think I can, for Mary and for souls in Purgatory.. thank you for reminding me of that! Yes.. I definitely think I can 'suffer' through Mass wearing my mantilla for suffering souls..
I'm in!

I was talking to a lady just this past Sunday, I want to wear more traditional modest clothing, the long floor sweeping skirts and long sleeved blouse, I told her I would have one skirt for mucking stalls only- I would still wear jeans under the skirt for that job. LOL

I will share in your suffering, I am sure some people in my parish will wonder why I am veiling, of course I have veiled in my church before. Anyway, do it for the suffering souls, our faith and Mary and I am sure you'll heart will be warmed by the thought, of course that is after you put it on and your heart is thumping from nerves, but I am sure you'll find that by the Gospel you'll be fine and be all settled down.

as far as attention, well if only one person wore it during a Novus Ordo, i might wonder. when people wear it for the TLM, i don't notice much because it's normal..

speaking of which, when is it ok for say a monk to put his hood over his head? only during the silence after Communion?

+

Laudem,

Do you know where I can purchase a serious, quality mantilla like this online (It's okay if It's expensive -I only buy 1 and have it forever).

Thanks!
V

I wear a scarf, and use this website to tie them. I've yet to have a problem with them coming off, even with my son pulling at me.

Maria Faustina, say it like Spanish, or just say "chapel veil"

Thanks for starting this topic!

Here some interesting blog posts about the veil/mantilla:

http://catholicknight.blogspot.com/2006/12...beauty-and.html
http://catholicknight.blogspot.com/2006/09...with-pride.html
http://catholicknight.blogspot.com/2007/07...hapel-veil.html
http://catholicknight.blogspot.com/2007/12...d-covering.html
http://catholicknight.blogspot.com/2008/02...ng-respect.html


And thanks a bunch for the link to the scarf tying. Always wanted to see how they do it. I wear a lace veil and hold it in my hair with bobby pins. Works fine for me. My sisters do the same. My youngest sister sometimes wears a hat or beret to church instead.

Bernadette

I'm really bad at quoting people on here, so bear with me!

Discerning Soul: I always wear skirts below my knees, at least, to Mass. And lol, well, at long as your skirt looks nice both at Mass aNd in the stalls... The long sleeves are more of a problem. I have a lot of nice short-sleeved , which I would then have to wear a sweater over to have long sleeves on, and that's sometimes silly to do in the summer. (Though it is usually kept quite cool in churches.. at least here). I guess a lightweight sweater or shrug would do. I've heard 3/4 sleeves or at least to the elbow is usually acceptable as "long" sleeved.

Johnnydigit: Yes, the Novus Ordo, which is why I always wimp out on veiling.. because it's so uncommon! Does anyone know if it's would possibly be wrong to be the only one/one of few veiling? I know you're supposed to do things as a community, as well as follow basics of the GIRM/canon. I don't know if drawing too much attention to yourself is reason not to. I don't know. And I don't know about monks' hood either... never having discerned being a religious brother. That's a good question though, since men can't cover their heads... hm. Maybe one of the monks on phatmass will stumble on this thread and give us an answer!

Veritas: There are actually a few websites out there that just have mantillas/head coverings. Here's a few, for starters: http://www.modestyveils.com/
http://www.lffa-ollmpc.com/ihm/index.html
http://www.halo-works.com/c=PYsGrjAOBmzJ3v...tyle_mantillas/

The last one was in one of the links LilyofSaintMaria posted, actually. (I had been to that blog before, just a couple days ago, looking up stuff about mantillas! Good link ). But Laudem, if you know a better link, I didn't mean to overstep you!

And thank you, archaeolgy cat, for the link (and the site has pretty skirts and stuff too! How I wish girls still dressed like that.. and Catholic girls, especially!).

And gracias, Thomist, for the pronunciation... lol I would h.ate to mess up such a pretty word by saying it in English!


Edit: I messed up the quote boxes again.. they just didn't show up! Dunno. Okay, writing in names now.

I attend a Novus Ordo Mass (in English at my parish, or in Latin at the Cathedral). I felt a bit self-conscious the first time I decided to wear my scarf to Mass, but no one said anything. It's usually just this elderly lady and me wearing one, though sometimes I've seen others do so. Actually, it was misereremi who inspired me to go ahead and do it, since I'd been thinking about it for a while, when I saw her wearing her mantilla to Mass when my son was being baptized. And it personally serves as a great reminder of in Whose presence I am.

I go to three different churches actually due to the mixed up schedule of a farmer. My family are the only ones who wear veils (that is until this other family moved here a year ago. They wear veils.) Apart from the veils, we wear long skirts and nice blouses/shirts, (short sleeve, long sleeve, 3/4 sleeve.) All the Churches we go to have terrible AC/heating. Anyways, getting to the point of this post. Being the only ones was very awkward at first, now it's just fine for all of us. We do stand out, but in a good way. Once, when we were leaving Saint Bart's this middle aged man came up to Papa as we were slowly piling into the vehicle. He said, "I want to talk to you." Papa got nervous and stood up big and tall, wondering what is this man was going to say. Well, the next second Papa was shrinking from embarrassment. The man said he wanted to congrag. him for his wonderful family, blah, blah. I am sure our veils and skirts was what made this man come out and say that. Other people have also commented on how thankful they are that we dress up for the Holy Mass. So, even though you may stand out, at least at the beginning, you can do so much good for people by your example. Go for it - you have nothing to lose!

Bernadette

I found three long skirts on sale, one is a nice jean one, but not for wearing to the barn.
LOL now I just need some tops.

Today we have adoration at our parish from 3 to 5, I think I'll try one of my news skirts on! and of course I will have my veil on.

Don't forget to support our shy veil'ers this Sunday, by veiling and saying a nice prayer for us shy veil'ers LOL I am one.

I like the liink that you've made between wearing skirts and wearing veils, both being a joyful expression of femininity. I would love to wear a veil, but I admit, I'm sort of a wimp. Besides, I could never figure out what I'm
supposed to wear. A white one? A black one? Or can one wear any color?

I think you can wear any color but I'd stay away from like... fluorescent colors. No electric blue or lime green or highlighter yellow.

I wear a white one.

I wore a skirt and my veil for adoration.

I will be wearing my veil on Sunday too by the way we shy and not so shy are wearing our veils this Sunday to support those of us(me included) who are shy. So Saint Therese wear it or be square! (Just kidding my dear friend )

Ahhh But I like highlighter yellow, so God can find me better!
Just kidding of course LOL

Here's a site with some really lovely headcoverings made by a Jewish woman: http://www.headcoverings-by-devorah.com/home.html
These are high quality veils. I've had mine since early 2006 and I always keep it in my purse in a plastic sandwich bag (so rosary doesn't rip it). I wear it every mass which for awhile was daily, now several times a week. And it's still doing great!

If you ask for one with a cording tie, or have it added, that really helps to weigh down the veil (don't worry it's not heavy) enough so you don't even have to tie it. I have one of her mantillas with a cording tie that I usually wear just down but it's great to have the tie option also.

Don't worry about what others think. The way I see it, all women should wear the veil at mass to honor God, as written in the Bible and Church tradition. So instead of thinking of yourself as the only one, try to think of yourself as veiling in union with all the Christian women throughout history, and of course Mary, who is probably present invisibly at mass anyway. Ask your favorite female saints to come along and support you (they probably veiled at mass too)!

Think of it as you are helping to bring about veiling among more women, and maybe others will get up the courage to do it when they see you wearing one Also it says in 1 Cor. 11 that it is because of the angels that women are supposed to veil, and the angels are there with us at mass. At least for sure all of the guardian angels of the people present. So you're not doing it for any people but for the angels and for God.

Here's some tying instructions: http://www.headcoverings-by-devorah.com/he...nstructions.htm
The corded ones work well for tying when you're wearing a pony tail.

About colors, esp. if you're shy, try to get a color that matches your hair. Light hair, get a white or cream or some other light color. Dark hair, get brown, black, navy blue, etc.

May God bless you all & I will pray for you and veil with you this Sunday!
Irene

I have a gold one that I used to wear while in Mexico, that I wore as a veil with my wedding gown. I also have a black one that belonged to my Godmother, but that one is kind of used by widows in Mexico, and I'm superstitious enough that I'm afraid to wear it in case something might happen to my husband.

http://www.catholicplanet.com/veil/index.htm
http://adorotedevote.blogspot.com/2006/05/...to-veil_24.html
http://web2.airmail.net/carlsch/MaterDei/H...omily040523.htm
http://www.fisheaters.com/theveil.html
** http://catholicknight.blogspot.com/2007/12...l-campaign.html **
http://catholicrestorationists.wordpress.c...he-chapel-veil/
http://teaattrianon.blogspot.com/2007/04/v...-in-church.html
http://www.canonlaw.info/2006/09/vatican-i...apel-veils.html
Funny but look at #1 Yes! http://aestasultima.blogspot.com/2007/06/o...ghter-note.html
http://www.latin-mass-society.org/wearmantilla.htm
http://culbreath.wordpress.com/2007/10/13/latin-mass-faq/
http://www.catholicplanet.com/women/headcovering.htm

OK I am sold, a veil for Mass.
<<they didn't have any veils so hats will have to do. LOL

Are all chapel veils made of lace? And, do you think Pope Benedict will ever make it madatory again to wear veils in a Church?

I think most are.

Okay, now i'm confused. iwas looking on a website and I see "modesty veils", "chapel veils", "mantilla veils".Whats the difference??

Mantillas and chapel veils are the same thing (though I think chapel veil can also mean the small, round lace ones, not just the lace triangles, which mantillas are). Modesty veils I would guess are any pretty thing a woman wears to cover her head.. so it would include mantillas/chapel veils (it seems that people who are not Catholic but are some other traditional Christian, etc. don't use the word mantilla, or chapel veil, because they don't have chapels with the Eucharist like we do, so one name they might use is modesty veils), and also scarves, etc.



I think they are, too. That's just the style for what's called a 'chapel veil', but not the only veil you can wear in the chapel.... this is more confusing of a subject than I thought it would be!
Hm, I don't know if he will make it mandatory. He'd probably like too. There are of course other topics that are much bigger and need immediate attention that he will have to spend time with first. Maybe if he puts it as part of a bigger document or something. Like a 'Call for the Return of Reverence in the Holy Mass' document.


And this time I figured out how to do one quote! but I still don't know how to add more once I'm at the reply page. So--

DiscerningSoul, I'm glad you found skirts! S'Wonderful. (Sorry, yes, I did just finish watching that movie..) And you made me laugh; all the smilies with hats! Haha... though of course I don't think they could actually wear those hats, as it seemed they were all men smilies (but then I guess it's hard to tell an icon's gender.... hm..)

And thank you, Bernadette and SaintIrene, for your encouragement and convincing explanations . I seem sure of myself currently, but I have a terrible habit of wimping out at the complete last second. I've walked in to Adoration/Mass multiple times now recently with a scarf in my purse and let in remain there the whole time...
And yes, most of my favorite saints dID veil.. actually, all of them probably did. Even Mother Teresa, and she's recent! I suppose I should go ask St. Faustina and Therese for some help..

Maria_Faustina, I'm kind of in the same situation with you.--No one at my church veils. One or two older women wear hats, but no veils.

I would suck it up and veil with you this weekend, but the woman that gave me the veil took it back to put a clip in it. She's planning on mailing it when I go to college.... I think it would also be hard to play the flute with a veil on... Talk about doubly conspicuous!

I'll pray for you though, if you decide to do it.

Oh my, I just realized that there are 2 Maria Faustina's in this thread! I was wondering how she kept changing her avatar back and forth!

yup, I'm the newer one. I didn't realize there was someone with that name until after I signed up. my bad. sorry for the confusion.

Lol don't apologize! I'm pretty sure we're both allowed to love St. Faustina and want her name as our username. I don't mind. Actually, when I first saw your name on here, I was like, OH! Maria Faustina, yay! Oh.... she doesn't have an underscore in hers. That's prettier.... I guess I just didn't know you didn't need an underscore to have a space!



Oh. Well fine, dON't do it with us. Just kidding. I'm glad you're planning on using it next year! (At least, I'm assuming, since you're getting it back then). I'm pretty sure there will be other girls wearing it at BC, but I didn't think about veiling and doing something else in the Mass, like flute or lectoring. Yes, that would be quite conspicuous! Then I would distract people even more. It's silly that that should even be an issue. Oh well. And yes, I decided to. I'm sure it will be fine! And/or pretty awesome, too.

I wore mine today, and I wore a skirt also LOL

I am going to veil every Sunday, at every Mass. I just think about how it is a wonderful simple statement of affection to Mary, holy obedience to the bible, and a symbol of our catholic faith, and for our love to Jesus and his Mother.

I LOVE MASS!!!

This thread is an inspiration for me. I have a variety of veils/covers, but don't have much gumption to wear them. However, I will be able to do some Adoration this week () so I plan on wearing a scarf-y type thing that I have. Ease in gently, then bring out the mantilla.

I wore a mantilla for my wedding and loved it. I just wish I wasn't so shy. :/

Go for it jmj! Like I wrote in my post, I am one of about 3 in the mass I attend and there may be a few others at the other masses I'm not sure. But do it for the love of God as a love sacrifice and it will be easier. I too was very unsure and scared at first but then after what I read about the why of the veil and the misunderstanding of people who think it's "old hat" or out of mode or worse "not allowed" or against church policy changed my mind. If I can find that article by Fr. Robert J. Fox who wrote a little booklet on the wearing of the Veil you too would jump right in and not be afraid.

My church is the biggest in my city so it is used a lot for the diocese celebrations and ordinations, etc. so needless to say there are hundreds of people it seems and wearing it doesn't bother me a bit now! I have always been to just blend in, not call attention to myself but in certain things like this and being a witness for God, you have to be out there!

Wearing the veil at mass or adoration doesn't have the connotations that the feminists or modern types want to place on it. Be like Mother Angelica! She used to say she liked to make people uncomfortable or prick their conscience for good things regarding God and things like this! She was delighted that the feminists and modern people were outraged that she had the nerve or audacity to switch back to the "old, archaic, out of mode" full traditional habit.

Just wear you're "pre-bridal veil" (if you are planning to be a Bride of Christ!) for your Beloved, Jesus, and let the others and their ill-informed opinions just hang! Jesus is the only one that matters. You should only worry about what GOD thinks about you, be concerned with HIS opinion only! Not mankind's. Our Blessed Virgin will be happy your are adorning yourself in this beautiful way for Her beloved, adorable Son too!