@Anon who asked about women veiling at mass
I hope someone passionate about the practice of veiling will answer the question itself, since mostly what I have to offer are a lot of highly subjective feelings on the subject, but this thought is of a higher caliber and should be thrown out there:
The best defense of veiling I ever heard (and I’ve heard some pretty bad ones) made it clear that this is not a sign of respect to men, but to God. Unlike the rather unpleasant Jewish practice where it originated, despite revisionist history to the contrary, veiling is not about sex or lust or what men think of women at all, but about honoring the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
It made a more sense when men wore hats all the time: men took off their hats in respect, and women veiled. Now men don’t usually wear hats, though I’d be glad to see the fashion come back, and women are under the mistaken impression that veiling is not “required” because it was removed from Canon Law. On the contrary: veiling is only required in the sense that it is appropriate, but it is a voluntary humility, and so it was removed from Canon Law.
(Parenthetical thoughts: I have, at the moment, no commentary on the theology behind why it’s appropriate, since I have not yet read a full and authoritative treatment of the subject, nor on the Pauline passages usually cited in favor of veiling—except to say that it is quite likely that if those passages are interpreted as shallowly as Ephesians 5 usually is, someone has done a very poor and inadequate job of exegesis.
And: Individual churches are, of course, as free to make their own policies on the matter as they are to enforce certain aspects of appropriate dress, so there are places, particularly ancient churches or parishes where the Tridentine Mass is celebrated especially reverently, where all people are asked to cover to their knees and shoulders, and women are offered veils for the duration of their visit in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Some conversations about modesty, victim blaming, etc, are here, if you’re interested.)
Just some thoughts!
