Tea at Trianon: To Veil or Not to Veil

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Friday, October 2, 2009

To Veil or Not to Veil

Sancta Sanctis has an insightful post. I have worn a hat or mantilla to Mass most of my life and may have occasionally received strange looks from others. I do not really remember because I do not really care. If people have been bothered by my headcoverings then that was their problem, not mine. On the other hand, I have received many compliments over the years, often from women who said that they wished they had the courage to wear a hat or a veil at Mass. Courage? It requires courage to shed one's blood for the faith, not to wear a little old beret or piece of lace on the head. Share

9 comments:

K. Lyn Wurth said...: As a Catholic convert in 2000, I never before today thought of wearing a veil to Mass or in church. I'm not against the idea, but I fear that in our parish, it would be seen as sanctimonious or prideful... an attempt to draw attention to self and contrary to the intent of modesty and humility. How do women handle this? I've been looking at scarves and ways of tying or wrapping them. Thoughts, please?; October 2, 2009 at 4:59:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Thanks for visiting and commenting, KLW. I once asked a priest about whether headcoverings in Church could be a sign of pride or spiritual vanity. He told me that anything can be a source of spiritual vanity, even NOT wearing a mantilla, as much as wearing one; only God can see the heart. It is the intentions of your heart, which are between you and your Savior, which matter most.

As a small girl, I always wore a doily on my head to Mass; all women and girls did, in fulfillment of canon law. I began wearing a veil again in my twenties, when I joined the Secular Order of Carmel. To me it was a sign of consecration to the Mother of God, who in her ancient icons was always shown veiled, as well as a sign of penitence. A hat or mantilla at Mass also was an aid to recollection; I found it made me focus on the altar by limiting my peripheral vision.

My parents taught me not to worry about what people think, as long as I was doing the right thing. So I wore a head-covering to church whether others did so or not, because it was not only devotional, but an ancient practice in accord with Scripture and tradition.

The Catholic Church like a good Mother has always provided her children with outward symbols rich in inner meaning. Over the years, I continued to research the symbolism of the veil. Of course, there is St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 11: 3-10 explaining why women should pray with their heads covered, out of respect for the angels. Pope St Linus, St Irenaeus, Tertullian, St. Clement of Alexandria, St Augustine, and St. John Chrysostom all reinforced in their writings and homilies the mandate of the Apostle. St Thomas Aquinas in his Commentary on the First Corinthians said that "angels" refers to"priests," and that women should have their heads covered in Church out of reverence for the ministers of the altar.

The 1917 Code of Canon Law continued the tradition by stating, "Women shall have a covered head and be modestly dressed, especially when they approach the altar of the Lord." (Canon 1262.2) The 1983 Code did not mention head-coverings at all. Canon 20 states that an old law is not revoked unless the new law "states so expressly;" according to Canon 21, "revocation of a pre-existing law is not presumed." So we are safe in assuming that head-coverings were not abolished by the new Code, and that the veiling of women is regarded by the Church as a tradition which may still be practiced.

In Genesis 24: 68, Rebecca veiled herself at the approach of her bridegroom, as a sign of modesty and reverence. Every Mass is the marriage supper of the Lamb, where Christ is the bridegroom of every soul. In Exodus 40:19, Moses veiled the tabernacle which sheltered the ark of the covenant. "And when he had brought the ark into the tabernacle, he drew the veil before it to fulfill the Lord's command." We think of Our Lady, the new Ark of the Covenant, we think of the holy of holies which is every Catholic sanctuary where Mass is offered. Women are called to imitate Mary, as brides, as mothers, either on the spiritual or physical level, being vessels of grace.

It is a beautiful calling, and head-coverings are intended to reinforce that symbolism, especially at the Eucharistic sacrifice, as signs of women's dignity, not of any kind of oppression. If women feel inconvenienced by hats or veils; if it is not helpful to their devotion, then by all means, go bare-headed. But for those who are drawn to the ancient and beautiful practice, follow your heart; do not be afraid.; October 2, 2009 at 5:35:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: And remember, if a scarf or veil don't work for you, you can always wear a hat.; October 2, 2009 at 5:42:00 PM EDT
K. Lyn Wurth said...: Thank you for your initial post and your kind responses to my comment. I will consider them in prayer.; October 2, 2009 at 5:46:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: My pleasure and may God bless you!; October 2, 2009 at 5:50:00 PM EDT
Sic Transit Gloria Mundi said...: I will never forget the day I went to visit a California mission which was still a working parish, and a woman who introduced herself as a sister and decided it was her duty to reprimand me for not being "with the times" since I entered the church wearing my mantilla. It was 2000 and I was 25. Ever since then I never leave home without a mantilla in my glove compartment.; October 2, 2009 at 9:47:00 PM EDT
Julygirl said...: In this same vein...what do you think of the current style in wedding dresses that are so off shouldered that the dress is barely staying on. I say Leave that for the 'Red Carpet" of Hollywood awards night.; October 2, 2009 at 10:48:00 PM EDT
Pentimento said...: Thank you for your eloquent explanation of the meaning of the mantilla. I wore one for a long time but have stopped doing it for the time being because my three-year-old always fools around with it and it ends up on the floor. Once he put it back on me and said, "Now you can be a priest, Mommy!"; October 5, 2009 at 10:01:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: "Now you can be a priest, Mommy!" That's totally hilarious.; October 5, 2009 at 10:20:00 PM EDT