Veiling

For a few months now, I have been considering the possibility of veiling during mass, adoration, and prayer.  Now, when I say "veiling" what I mean is wearing a mantilla or chapel veil as a sign of respect and humility during my prayers.  Now, I'm sure there will be some confused readers out there.  No, this is not like the Muslim hijab or burka, but rather more revealing.  Think of a scarf draped over the top of the head, or better yet, here's a picture:

Image Credit: ChurchPop

I brought this idea of veiling up to my family, and while they weren't against it, they certainly didn't understand.  And that's okay.  After all, this is an older tradition, and I'd say 90% of women no longer feel the need for the veil.  I had been thinking about it after a Facebook post from a Catholic friend who found himself fascinated by a woman who veiled at the campus masses he attended.  A few months later, I saw a young woman, a few years older than me, veiling when I visited a different parish for weekend mass.  Like my friend, I was absolutely fascinated, and thought it was a beautiful gesture.  Think of it this way: a woman should consider herself a bride of Christ.  When women get married, we veil our heads.  Why would we not veil our heads in the presence of our Lord, then, too?

To take a small aside, my grandmother is dying.  Or, at the very least, she does not have a lot of time left.  For nearly ten years, she's been suffering from Parkinson's, and in the last few months, her health has taken a turn for the worse.  It has been very hard watching my beautiful, strong, and amazing grandmother going down this path.  She no longer uses facial expressions, and rarely talks.  Sometimes, she'll nod.  She's very aware, though.  You can tell.  She's still a highly intelligent woman, and every time I see her, I am blown away by her strength.

So, why am I talking about this?  Well, yesterday, my mom and I were cleaning out her room, since she's being moved from her current assisted living facility to a new one that will provide a higher level of care.  And as we were going through her belongings, packing everything into boxes and bags, my mom said she had something for me, and reaching into one of the drawers, pulled out a beautiful black veil.

I started crying as I held it.  It still smelled like Grandma's perfume.

Despite not understanding my desire to veil, my mom had held onto this simple piece of lace that she had found weeks ago with the intention of giving it to me.  She said it's what my grandma would want.  Now, every time I veil, I will have that little piece of her with me.

If you would like to learn more about the veil, and why Catholic women all over the world are bringing back this beautiful tradition, you can read about it here and here.  And here are a couple of videos you might find helpful as well, courtesy of ChurchPop.

Do you veil?  Or do you know someone who does?  What do you think of this practice? Let's start the conversation in the comments below.  I would love to hear what you have to say.

God bless,

♥ Little Sister