Why I Wear a Veil

A lovely friend of mine recently wrote to ask why I veil for Mass and Adoration.  This is what I told her.  I hope it might help you, too, if you are discerning adding a veil to your devotional practices.

My family thinks I'm "a little out there," a la "The Church Lady."  No one else in my extended family veils and at the time that I first started wearing one, I didn't know ANYone else who did, either.  But, I had seen other women in church veiling and wondered about it....

Then, the Church revised the wording of the Mass with Advent 2011.  I prayed a *LOT* about whether or not to veil, then felt a pull toward, "new Church year; new devotion to help me focus."  At the time, my youngest was only seven months old and the rest of our family's pew was filled with all six impatient, squirming children, with me at one end and my husband far away at the other.  It was nigh on *impossible* for me to focus on Mass.  At.  All.  Much less for an entire hour.

As a result, I was increasingly impatient, annoyed, self-pitying, and resentful that I couldn't manage one measly hour a week before the Lord!  Ugh!  Then, I saw veils.  And I noticed that, in a gentle sort of way, they were like blinkers or blinders on a horse.

I grew up around horses.  Horses' eyes are set far on opposite sides of their heads as one of their methods of self defense -- they have almost a 360 degree view of everything around them.  Consequently, they see (and react!) to EVERYTHING.

Along came blinders.  You've seen them -- the Budweiser Clydesdales and Amish buggy horses wear square ones on their bridles and Thoroughbred race horses wear spherical ones on a hood on their face.  The blinders narrow the horse's frame of vision so he focuses ONLY on what's ahead of him.

Ahhhhhhhh.  As in every moment of my life as a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, I was surrounded on all sides by a miniature Barbarian Hoard.  Almost.  All sides but one.  What was in front of me in church?  The tabernacle -- literally, because we sit up front for the benefit of our eldest son (which really winds up benefiting us all!).

Wearing a veil became my literal and figurative blinders.  In many instances, it literally obscures my peripheral vision.  In all instances, it is a lightweight, tangible reminder of where I am, Who is present, and what I am there to do.

Worship.  Him.

It's that simple.

Worship.  Him.

My veil becomes my blinders.  My prayer tent.  My spiritual security blanket.  My smack on the head to pay attention.  My reminder that I am on holy ground, in the presence of Almighty God, a humble creature before her Creator.

It does not make me MORE humble or more reverent or more special than anyone else there.  If anything, while a veil *IS* special (because it's only for a woman in the Real Presence), it reminds me that I'm NOT the most special.  I am the least before Him.  It is such a wonderful, freeing, comforting train of thought, almost like being a child again and obliviously having my late father lovingly take care of.... everything.

The same kids were still squirming.  The same distractions were all still there, whether in my head or all around me.  And the same God was still present in the same way in the same tabernacle where He always was.  But, now I had a tangible touchstone to remind me.

It was like the time I confessed to a priest about being distracted too often during the rosary.

"Do you come back to it?" he asked.

I frowned.  "Of course."

He smiled.  "Then, that is an even greater grace.  To be pulled away, whether by the devil or by honest distractions, and to CHOOSE to return to it can be an even greater grace."

My veil reminds me to keep coming back, despite the distractions.

Today, I feel naked and amiss if I enter a Catholic church without my veil.  So, I keep it in my purse (with an extra for anyone else!  I've given away three since I started veiling!).  It's kind of like "appropriate dress and comportment" for me.  I wouldn't wear stilettos to the barn, nor pajamas to my boss's dinner party.  I wouldn't chew gum in a job interview, but I would make sure I brushed my teeth.  My veil just feels... right, in every way, in the Real Presence of Our Lord.

And that, in the immortal words of Paul Harvey, is the rest of the story!

:-D

That also, my dear friend, is probably waaaaay more than you really wanted to know!  I scrolled back through this and was going to delete it, but decided to be honest and send it "as is."

Wearing a veil is simple and complex, all at the same time.  I hope this is helpful to you in discerning your own devotions!  The video entitled "The Chapel Veil" by "True Faith TV" on YouTube also is well-done.

Thank you!  Please be assured of my prayers! ❤️

On Veiling

Here is another blogger's post on the changing custom of veiling for Mass:

http://veilsbykaren.com/p/why-wear-a-veil

I do veil and would encourage anyone to pray about and consider doing so for Mass and in the presence of the Most Blessed Sacrament!  You can read my other blog posts about veiling at these links:

http://avemomma.blogspot.com/2012/03/to-veil-or-not-to-veil.html
http://avemomma.blogspot.com/2012/08/more-on-veils.html
http://avemomma.blogspot.com/2014/02/morning-glory-veils.html

Thank you!

Morning Glory Veils

In these and other previous posts, I discussed some women's reasons for veiling during Mass or in the presence of the Holy Eucharist:

http://avemomma.blogspot.com/2012/03/to-veil-or-not-to-veil.html

http://avemomma.blogspot.com/2012/08/more-on-veils.html

Now, I'm delighted to share with you the talents of an entrepreneurial, homeschooled, young woman who has launched her business, "Morning Glory Veils."  You can visit her shop at this location on Etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MorningGloryVeils?ref=l2-shopheader-name

From "Paisley Chic" to "European Peasant" to "Steeple Chapel Veil," there's something for everyone to choose from for a woman's personal reverence in the presence of the Most Blessed Sacrament.  Please prayerfully consider veiling and, when you do, know that this is an honest, reputable source from which to obtain your own personal beautiful veil!

Thank you for supporting homeschoolers, our faith, and our country's proud tradition of the entrepreneurial spirit of "Made in the U.S.A."!

More On Veils

I've received several inquiries lately about my relatively recent habit of wearing a veil during Mass and in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.  I highly recommend wearing a veil, which I believe should be done voluntarily out of love, humility, and reverence for the Eucharistic presence of Jesus (and no, that doesn't mean I think that if you don't veil that you don't love and reverence Our Lord in the Eucharist).

For thought, I offer the words of Dr. Alice Von Hildrebrand:

“… feminists after Vatican II suddenly ‘discovered’ that when women go to Church veiled, it is a sign of their inferiority…My goodness, how they have lost the sense of the supernatural.  Veiling indicates sacredness and it is a special privilege of the woman that she enters church veiled.”

So, in addition to my previous blog posts (cited below), here are a few other links to a few more well-said thoughts on women wearing veils.  If you have any other edifying and spiritually nourishing links you wish to share, please let me know in the comments and I'll be glad to post those, too.

Enjoy!

Blog: "Ave Momma" (Where To Buy A Veil)

http://avemomma.blogspot.com/2012/07/where-to-buy-veil.html


Blog: "Ave Momma" (To Veil Or Not To Veil)

http://avemomma.blogspot.com/2012/03/to-veil-or-not-to-veil.html

Blog:  "A Woman's Place Depends On Her Vocation" (many articles)
http://awomansplaceis.blogspot.com/search?q=veil

Blog: "Catholic Sistas" (A Call To Veil - The Mysterious Unfolds)
http://www.catholicsistas.com/2011/12/15/a-call-to-veil-the-mysterious-unfolds/

Blog: "Catholic Sistas" (Lifting The Veil)
http://www.catholicsistas.com/2012/06/12/lifting-the-veil/

Blog:  "Kankakee TLM"  (Beautiful Women Wear Veils)
http://kankakeelatinmass.altaredesign.com/2011/10/05/beautiful-women-wear-veils/

Where to Buy a Veil

Some of you have asked about wearing a veil for Mass and in the Eucharistic presence of Jesus.  A wonderful lady at my parish made mine, but you can find one equally lovely at the following website:

http://www.veilsbylily.com/

And although mine is black (so it blends against my dark hair), the aforementioned website DOES have veils in other colors, like ivory, gold, or champagne (or, as my one friend asked for it, "Dirty Blonde"!).  :-)

Happy shopping, for the love of the Eucharistic presence of Jesus!

To Veil or Not To Veil?

Ever since the corrected wording of the Mass was restored at Advent last year, the thought of wearing a veil has been in my heart.  But I agree w/ so many -- when you're unaccustomed to seeing it, the wearer can seem ostentatious.  Then I saw a woman (admittedly, older) one day wearing a black veil that was just a whisper, just barely there.  It was a traditional mantilla, shoulder-length, but the black lace was so sheer (almost like organza), with only some dainty lace edging, that my heart leapt and I thought, "Ah-ha!  There is the veil for me!"

I happened upon her in the church parking lot during the week, and explained my admiration.  "Please tell me," I smiled, "where did you get it?"  She smiled back gently.  "I made it."

My heart sank.  Selfishly, my smile faded a bit.  "Oh," I replied weakly, hoping to sound as if I thought that was lovely, but knowing instead that I sounded disappointed.

"I'd be glad to make you one!" she rushed to assure me with a delighted grin.  My hopes rose anew.

"Really!?" I asked.  Then inspiration struck.  "Ooo!  I make rosary bracelets!  I'll make you one!"

So now, we have exchanged sacramentals and I wear the veil at every Mass.

A dear friend, who recently decided to veil, noted that at her son's First Communion, the presiding priest complimented the children on how dressed up they were, and invited them to dress and comport themselves as well every time they received Jesus in the Eucharist, because it was just that special.  My veil helps me remember that importance, and now wearing it seems as natural as genuflecting.  Just as I would not wear my pajamas to Mass, my veil is a visible reminder to me that I am on holy ground, and so should garb myself appropriately.

The Bible calls a woman's hair her glory, and my veil reminds me that I should humble myself in every aspect before the Lord.  Since wearing it, I must also report that at least half a dozen women have approached me cordially to inquire about it and consider it themselves.

I'm not posting this to be a veil-pusher, but just to encourage anyone else who might be considering wearing a veil for Mass and in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.  Remember, you're not wearing it in submission to any man around you.  You're wearing it in submission to The Son of Man, The Creator Of The Universe.  How humbled we are in the presence of the Lord!

....plus, it's not a burka, for Pete's sake!  ;-D