I feel like I am living a double life. Haha. No, seriously. I have read many historical and scripture referenced accounts on the use and discontinuation of the chapel veil. I understand the purpose, the meaning and the reason for all women to wear them in church, always(yes, I know it's a choice). Being in such a liberal diocese, the only women that use them are homeschoolers, traditionals and some of the older ladies(very few of them). I'm interested to see how other ladies deal with this issue. I always wear to any Tridentine Mass/devotion/etc., but the same Jesus that is there is in the NO and when there is no Latin(such as daily), I am not willing to just stop for the sake of the NO. For those unfamiliar with this practice/tradition, here are some great links:
The Veil Wear Your Mantilla with PrideMantilla Sell Out or Sacramental?Why the Veil?I know this is a non-issue in cities where there is an indult parish(sigh....someday) but my daughter and I try to wear them whenever we can. I just don't think this "double life" thing is going to last. I am not ashamed of who I am or what I have come to. There is a humility issue that comes into play with all of this, too. I feel like someone in blogdom should institute an international "Show Us Your Veil" week. Then all of us will come out of the closet the same week. See what happens when I blog on less than a half a cup o' joe? Regardless, St. Paul deserves so much credit for "getting it right" and being fearless. I guess that is where I should take my cue.
Jimmy Akin has comments on the discussion at the tailend of his entry here:
Mantillas & Chapel VeilsI am to the point where I want to always because I now feel uncomfortable NOT wearing because of my belief. It is one of those things that was in Canon Law and now is not and these things puzzle me. Because they wanted Canon Law to be more concise? Like Cliff Notes? Eh, okay. Odd, but okay. This person's comments on another Jimmy Akin entry is what I have been battling:
One irony of the sitution is that many women feel disinclined to wear a veil on personal initiative precisely because of the (possibly deliberate) confusion about its necessity and even its praiseworthiness. Holy women don't want people to look at them and think: is she trying to make a scene? does she think she's better than me? and so on.
Culturally, we've dropped the ball on this just as with weekly Friday abstinence. While neither practice is canonically mandated, both are praiseworthy. Unfortunately, the faithful have scarcely been exhorted to regular abstinence and even less so to veiling.
I feel we don't have that many traditions left as Catholics. I think this "thing" I am battling falls in the greater context of "Catholic identity crisis". How many more sacred traditions will we lose? Art, music, architecture, prayers, devotionals....makes the head spin. I've apparently gone further into this issue than I originally intended but it does get the mind churning.
EDIT: Another perk to the veil is hiding my face slightly if I get "weepy"(yes, women do that in church sometimes). It's a weird thing. Like that comment suggested, I want to wear because of my knowledge/belief, not because of pride. I most of the times feel incredibly unworthy in church and feel more meek or respectful veiled.
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