Everyday headcovering?

[Sarah]

What is your opinion on women wearing a headcovering all the time? In scripture it says both that women praying or prophesying must cover her head, and that we should pray endlessly. But most women, even traditional Catholics that I know, only veil for Mass and in Church. Is there an official Church teaching on this? I also don't want to wear a covering that would make me look Muslim or Orthodox Jewish or Mennonite. What do you guys think?

[Michael Wilson]

It all depends on the custom of the times one lives in; as recently as the 1950's in the U.S. Men and women all wore hats as part of their general dress; this is no longer the case. One may lament this fact or approve it, but there is no doctrinal question involved.

[queen.saints]

What is your opinion on women wearing a headcovering all the time? In scripture it says both that women praying or prophesying must cover her head, and that we should pray endlessly. But most women, even traditional Catholics that I know, only veil for Mass and in Church. Is there an official Church teaching on this? I also don't want to wear a covering that would make me look Muslim or Orthodox Jewish or Mennonite. What do you guys think?

For the past few years I've tried to avoid going out in public without a hat. Berets, sun hats, etc. don't look Muslim, Jewish, or Mennonite.

[drummerboy]

What is your opinion on women wearing a headcovering all the time? In scripture it says both that women praying or prophesying must cover her head, and that we should pray endlessly. But most women, even traditional Catholics that I know, only veil for Mass and in Church. Is there an official Church teaching on this? I also don't want to wear a covering that would make me look Muslim or Orthodox Jewish or Mennonite. What do you guys think?

For the past few years I've tried to avoid going out in public without a hat. Berets, sun hats, etc. don't look Muslim, Jewish, or Mennonite.

I used to be mistaken for Amish or Mennonite all the time because I wore the Dickies pants the men wear along with button up shirts, (and I also don't swear alot).  I would just chuckle it off, and then inform them I'm Catholic, so it actually turns into an opportunity to evangelize.

[Maximilian]

What do you guys think?

You're off to a flying start with your first post.

I think this is an issue that needs to be considered.

[Maximilian]

It all depends on the custom of the times one lives in; as recently as the 1950's in the U.S. Men and women all wore hats as part of their general dress;

You make it seem like this was some anomaly of a particular decade. The reality is that women wore head coverings at least from the time of Christ, and most likely long before that.

Like so many other Christian traditions that dated back many centuries, it came to a crashing halt during the Woodstock era. Sex and drugs and the rise of a Dionysian culture (as E. Michael Jones has documented) caused their demise.

So it simply isn't true that this is a "take it or leave it" equal-either-way issue. Women covering their heads is something that has been believed and practiced by "all Christians at all times in all places," as St. Vincent would say.

One may lament this fact or approve it, but there is no doctrinal question involved.

Michael "doctrinal question" Wilson. Anyone who gets their religion out of a textbook does not have a living Faith. "The letter kills but the spirit gives life."

The reality, however, is that St. Paul taught that this IS a "doctrinal question." It is a teaching inculcated by Scripture and Tradition, at least.

[Gardener]

We are friends with a family where the wife/mom does head coverings at all times as a "penance" (voluntary) for two of her adult children who are not living the Faith currently. Her husband said she gets much more respect in public and from strangers. My wife has mentioned it as a possibility, and I would support it if she pursued it. Her hang up seems to revolve around giving the impression we are muslim or jewish or something. I guess I could just carry a bag of pork rinds around when we are out together.

[Traditionallyruralmom]

We are friends with a family where the wife/mom does head coverings at all times as a "penance" (voluntary) for two of her adult children who are not living the Faith currently.

I did this exact thing for years for the conversion of my husband.  He was finally baptized in the TLM in 2009 

I have a friend who does this all the time as well.  I may go back to it, been thinking about it for a while.  It IS a penance...socially.   I wore more of a wrap style, nothing fancy. Did not look amish (I live around them, so no mistaking it for a bonnet) or mohammaden or much of anything but peasantish.  You can look quite modern and fancy in these, no need to look, as another poster on another thread commented "prairie farm girl" Just search wrap style head covering....

[Tales]

Years ago I did some cursory research into women's attire through the centuries in a variety of cultures.  As Max correctly stated, the train absolutely fell off the tracks in the 60s.  Before then it was invariably dresses and often (but not always) a head covering.  Then bam, pants and shirts.  And yes, these women wore dresses while in the fields and do housework like laundry (by hand).

Anyways, I think daily head covering is an excellent idea, I will see if I can get my wife into it.

Just google images for Traditional Womens European Attire and you'll get many ideas on how to wear a head covering that is Christian.  Lots of colorful floral patterns in Eastern Europe.

[Maximilian]

I did this exact thing for years for the conversion of my husband.  He was finally baptized in the TLM in 2009 

Wow, amazing, good for you.

[Traditionallyruralmom]

I did this exact thing for years for the conversion of my husband.  He was finally baptized in the TLM in 2009 

Wow, amazing, good for you.

good for him too   

[Traditionallyruralmom]

Just google images for Traditional Womens European Attire and you'll get many ideas on how to wear a head covering that is Christian.  Lots of colorful floral patterns in Eastern Europe.

This is a neat link....lots of photos of ladies in scarves.  The old lady on the cover is who I want to be when I grow up.....
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1949423456/transylvania-photo-book-of-europes-last-peasants

and search the paintings of Jules Breton...by far some my favorite paintings ever on this theme.

[aquinas138]

I think it is an interesting question from an iconographic perspective; since iconography is a many-centuries-long tradition of depicting spiritual realities, it is interesting, then, to notice that virtually all women depicted in icons are veiled, even very young girls (which is not the case in all communities in which women veil) and women who lived much later. The only exceptions I can think of are some royal saints and St. Mary of Egypt (there may be more). In the former case, there is some variation; an empress such as Helen or Irene may have a kind of veil under her crown, or her hair may be visible. In any event, empresses/queens/princesses are wearing crowns, so there's no bare head. St. Mary of Egypt is somewhat unique in iconography anyway; she's one of the very few saints in which the bodily ravages of her earthly trials are depicted in her icons. She is generally shown extremely emaciated with unkempt hair; I think this may be in partial imitation of St. John the Baptist, who is also depicted with unkempt hair.

[diaduit]

This type of head covering would just make me look like a looney here in Ireland but there is an appeal....going grey naturally would be so easy.

[Maximilian]

This type of head covering would just make me look like a looney here in Ireland but there is an appeal....going grey naturally would be so easy.

In Ireland the traditional head covering is the shawl.



These women from the Arran Islands are wearing BOTH the shawl and a head covering.



In "The Quiet Man," Maureen O'Hara just pulls her shawl over her head when she wants to go into the church.