Thinking About Veiling at Mass?
You’re Not Alone!
Two thousand years in reverence to the Blessed Sacrament
Have you noticed women are wearing veils at Mass and Adoration again? Ever wonder why they stopped in the first place? Why is the practice making a comeback? Are you thinking about wearing a veil too?
This pamphlet will answer these and many other questions about veiling.
Is Rome again requiring that women veil?
Not at all. While at one time there was a requirement for women to cover their heads, that is no longer the case.
Isn't the veil a form of oppression?
Absolutely not! Head covering was the norm for Catholic women until the changes that occurred in the 1960’s and 70’s. Christian women cover their heads as a sign of reverence to God.
So why are women wearing veils today?
Women are rediscovering this beautiful, reverent practice. Each woman has her reason(s) for veiling; read on to learn about them.
Reverence to the Blessed Sacrament
Christ is present in every Catholic church, in the form of the Eucharist. We show reverence by genuflecting toward the Eucharist, and women are privileged to be able to show reverence to Christ by covering their heads. It’s a sign of humility and submission to God.
We need to think of the Angels and their incomparable purity when we approach the Blessed Sacrament, called “the Bread of Angels” because the angels cherish the Blessed Sacrament with an ardent love and profound adoration.
When one visits the Vatican, women are required to veil in the presence of the Holy Father. Why wouldn't a woman veil, then, in the presence of Christ?
Veiling the Sacred
Look around any Catholic church. Anything containing or made to contain the Blessed Sacrament is veiled: the tabernacle, the chalice, the ciborium, the monstrance. All of these vessels contain the Eucharist—the source of life.
Women, too, are vessels of life. The veil brings into focus this sacred dignity of women, a dignity that, in our era, hasn't been protected and defended as it was in the past, when women wore veils regularly. Society has lost respect for and no longer values the gift of a woman’s fertility; we need to return to honoring the unique privilege of being a woman.
Imitation of The Virgin Mary
The Virgin Mary is Christ’s perfect disciple. On the Cross, Jesus gave us Mary to be our spiritual mother, and she is one of the most powerful allies we have in this spiritual war. We need to stay close to her. But, how do we stay close to Mary? We strive to be like her, because she is the perfect disciple. We need to be humble, and we need to pray the rosary every day. And Mary, the sacred vessel that contained our Lord, wore a veil. Have you ever seen a picture of Mary not wearing a veil?
Scripture: 1 Cor 11:3-15
3 But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and a husband the head of his wife, and God the head of Christ.
4 Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered brings shame upon his head.
5 But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled brings shame upon her head, for it is one and the same thing as if she had had her head shaved.
6 For if a woman does not have her head veiled, she may as well have her hair cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should wear a veil.
7 A man, on the other hand, should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man.
8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;
9 nor was man created for woman, but woman for man;
10 for this reason a woman should have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11 Woman is not independent of man or man of woman in the Lord.
12 For just as woman came from man, so man is born of woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head unveiled?
14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears his hair long it is a disgrace to him,
15 whereas if a woman has long hair it is her glory, because long hair has been given [her] for a covering?
The Angels
The Angels are present at every Mass, including St. Michael the Archangel, the incense-bearer, who presides over the worship of adoration at Mass and offers to God the prayers of the faithful that rise with the incense. Our Guardian Angels are with us always, which means at Mass and Adoration, too!
Lack of reverence offends the Angels, as does lack of respect for authority. According to 1 Cor 11:7-10 (above), the veil is a sign that a woman respects authority, and God’s order: GOD—MAN—WOMAN.
What if I’m the only one wearing a veil at Mass?
Many of the women who have started wearing a veil are at first the “lone veiler” at Mass. However, more women are discovering and embracing this devotion, serving as an example for others to follow. You will soon be one of many!
What color veil is appropriate?
While in the past single women wore white or ivory, and married women, black, those rules no longer apply. Most women start with a neutral color like black or ivory, but once they’re comfortable veiling they match their veil to the calendar, liturgical season, or their outfit. Read more here: Colors, Colors Everywhere!
What if someone asks me why I’m wearing a veil? Give them a copy of this brochure!
Are you on Facebook? Consider joining the group “Catholic Women's Veiling Devotion”. You’ll find answers to your questions and support from like-minded women at various stages in this journey—from those discerning to those who have worn veils for several years!
If you would like a nice veil at a reasonable price, please contact Mrs. Karen Zenti, Owner and Founder of Silver Hill Treasures. Her veils are imported from Spain and France, as well as hand crafted in the USA. They are light and airy, comfortable and affordable.
For pricing, styles, colors and sizes, please visit our website at:
You can also email us at
or call us at 515-975-6286
Would you like to order FREE printed copies of this article to share with family, friends and at your parish? Click here to order.
More important is your heart. God didn't care if your head was covered or not, he forgave you your sins anyway. He just said go and sin no more. Some of the rules in the bible was written at a time when it was relevant and by men who made the rules there because women did not have a say in politics. I think there are more important things to deal with than if your head is covered or not.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Angie. I understand where you're coming from, since when I first felt the call to veil it didn't make sense to me. We Catholics believe that the Bible is inspired by God, and that makes St. Paul's writings always relevant. Politics has nothing to do with the Bible.
DeleteGranted, covering your head is not required. However, for some, loving God isn't enough - there is a need to show that love. And veiling is one of the ways we do that.
I do not veil because of any man nor any politics Angie , I veil as an act and an outward sign of reverence to the true presence of Our Lord. I did wear one many , many years ago our of obedience to the Catholic Church but now I wear it because I want to. I want to humble myself to God in His house. It could also be considered a devotion such a the Rosary is. As far as the Bible, God's Written Word is relevant until the end of time when He will give it to us himself . God took great pains to convert St Paul so I believe that what is written was whispered by the mouth of God. Some are called to it others are not. It does not make it right or wrong.
DeleteMy mind originally said NO! Our Blessed mother put it on my heart and I obeyed her. It's that simple. 1) God's time is constant and HIS rules do not change. Yes, we do not currently HAVE to veil, but we want to because we understand the beautiful reasons we veil. 2) Religion is not governed by Politics. The Catholic Church has remained constant and consistent in their teachings. Changing core beliefs is not going to happen. We are called to support one-another in our walks. If we want to wear a veil/headcovering, why should anyone else be bothered?
DeleteMy mind originally said NO! Our Blessed mother put it on my heart and I obeyed her. It's that simple. 1) God's time is constant and HIS rules do not change. Yes, we do not currently HAVE to veil, but we want to because we understand the beautiful reasons we veil. 2) Religion is not governed by Politics. The Catholic Church has remained constant and consistent in their teachings. Changing core beliefs is not going to happen. We are called to support one-another in our walks. If we want to wear a veil/headcovering, why should anyone else be bothered?
DeleteAngie,
ReplyDeleteNo one is saying it is required to cover your head. There is just a lot of tradition and scriptural foundation for veiling to be a personal devotion. People choose many different devotionals, some have a devotion to the rosary, or Divine Mercy, or Opus Dei etc. In these times, some women are called and choose to cover their heads when in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. I think there is a negative feel for veiling for some women, who feel that it is "oppressing" but you will not find 1 single woman who veils tell you that she feels forced or oppressed by wearing the veil. For me, it is an outward sign of my inward desire to humble myself before God. Some people for whatever reason just plain don't understand, and for some, they are being called and are resistant to the call.
I hope this helps you understand a little more about this devotion.
Martha
I believe there are much more important things to deal with other than our heads being covered. Our hearts are important as well as our souls. Our devotion to covering in the presence of Jesus is an outward sign of our inward reverence to Him. We veil because He forgave our sins and because He said, "Go and sin no more." We veil because that same Jesus is with us today. For us, it's not one or the other; it's both. It's not a law; it's an honor. If tomorrow many people stopped kneeling before Him, still I would kneel. Quite the same as in the last few decades of the church many women stopped covering, yet still I cover. My heart is thankful for that honor.
ReplyDeleteYou are right! More important is your heart!! If you are veiling yet you come to church in sleeveless or short dresses your heart isn't right with God. If you are veiling yet the moment you are out of the church you are cursing and not even striving to live your faith then your heart isn't right with God. BUT if you dress modestly where ever you are, church, mall, home, parties and you are striving to live your faith daily, going to Mass, praying, living the commandments, and you are going to confession and receiving our Lord and Holy Communion and your heart is right with God. Then the truth of our faith and a contrite heart will lead you to veil.
ReplyDeleteI veil and have done so for the past two years. I do not feel that I am better than any women that chooses not to nor do I feel inferior to any man because I choose to veil. There is a freedom and JOY in veiling that I cannot express.
The way I see it, if we as women were not meant to veil then our Blessed Mother would start appearing without her veil. If that part of the bible that speaks of head covering is no longer relevant than our Mother would show us the way.
God in His greatness is the same today as He was back then. He has not changed. Our Mother Mary is constantly in His presence and she remains covered. So I will remain covered when in His presence. And actually I am discerning to wear a daily head covering as we are called to be in constant prayer therefore He is always with me; not just in Mass or in Adoration.
I am working on my heart, and my soul and living my life for God with the best of my ability. And I am honored to follow in my Mother's footsteps and cover my head. The closer we get to our Lord and to our Blessed Mother, they will call you to veil.
It is true that if one is going to veil, the heart should be veiled first. No question. And a person may very well have more important things to deal with--sins of rebellion, disobedience to God's laws, all stemming from the original Satanic "Non serviam." Nonetheless, we cannot buy into the ancient Gnostic heresy that what we do with our bodies doesn't matter. Our Catholic faith has traditional gestures--the sign of the cross, bowing, kneeling, genuflecting, prostrating one's self--precisely because we cannot separate our bodies and our souls. The stubborn body does not want to bow precisely because the soul and inner self has not bowed before God (I know this from experience, during my conversion to the Catholic faith). Likewise, if we go against God's commandments in what we do with our sexuality, the sins are grave. Bottom line: soul and body cannot be separated. By covering her head, a woman is showing that she understands her role in the world--her sacredness as the bearer of life. She is doing it to honor Jesus Christ, the Lover of her soul and Head of the Church, and her husband, who is her lover and head here on earth. Many women have testified that veiling has helped them to be more conscious of dressing better to attend Mass and thus honor Jesus and that it has helped them to a greater consciousness of modest dress. The principles of a woman's nature do not change--they have not changed in the 2000 years since St. Paul wrote that a woman should have her head covered. The nature of woman is written on her heart by God Himself, and I believe He is calling more women into that beautiful and intimate relationship with Him that He intended for them, and they are beginning to understand both God and themselves better thereby.
ReplyDeleteSaying that women had to veil because they didn't have a say in politics makes it sound as if political realities are the most important and powerful in the world. In the first place, St. Paul didn't hesitate to depart from his culture if the radical message of Christianity called for it (for example, he forbade fornication and adultery to both sexes equally), so I don't think he was just parroting the cultural concerns of his time. In the second place, there are more important things in the world than politics, realms in which women have always had great power...matters of the heart and of love and nurturing other human beings. Leaving aside the fact that there have demonstrably been many powerful women in politics, even in the ancient and early medieval world, from Deborah to Cleopatra to the many empresses named Theodora, the most important woman in the history of the world is the Mother of God and our Mother Mary. Through her obedience to the will of God and her humility in accepting her role as the Mother of God's Son and its accompanying sorrows, she defeated Satan and all his minions and brought Salvation into the world. Many of us women also veil to participate in her spirit, so that we may identify ourselves with her, the "leader of victorious hosts," as Mary is called by the Byzantine Catholic liturgy. She did this, not through political power but by love.
In short, no one is saying women have to veil. But who wouldn't want to identify with Mary, the most powerful woman in history?