I've spent a little time recently exploring a few blogs that I haven't come across before.They've probably been out there for a long time but I'm beginning to notice how many young Catholics there are 'out there' blogging about their faith - and how well they do it too - it puts me to shame to see how articulate they are when writing about their experiences. I struggle to put my thoughts into words and I'm sure I would certainly have not have been anyway near as 'clued up' as these young people are when I was 'just a girl'.
By a strange coincidence, I've come across two blogs written by young women in America and both have written about their preference for wearing a mantilla. See here and here.
Is this something that is to be found more in the US, I wonder? Is it only in 'traditional' parishes or when attending Mass in the Extraordinary Form? I don't think I've ever come across anyone under the age of about 45-50 in our parish wearing a mantilla. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with this. I think it's great that young people feel so strongly about their faith that they have decided to adopt this outward sign of their humility before God.
I personally don't feel the need to cover my head but I can understand and respect the feelings of those who do. Maybe, it's because, as a convert, I wasn't brought up with the practice. Talking to friends of my age who were at Catholic schools, they seem to look back fondly at wearing a mantilla at Mass when they were schoolgirls.
I just can't see it happening in our parish. These young women must be very strong characters to be prepared to stand out amongst their peers as I can't imagine it is the norm, even in the US.
What do you think?
7 comments:
Dear Miss Ellen, I don't mean to sound cheesey, but I hope we don't really put you to shame. I hope that we inspire you just as much as you inspire me!
As to if the mantillas are common in the US,I'd say they're deffinately having a come-back. It's true you see the majority of women with mantillas at the Norvus Ordo and Triditine Latin masses. However, when I came to my university as a freshman last year, I was the only student wearing a mantilla to regular mass. Now there are at least four of us who wear the mantilla to daily mass.
Also, when I spent two weeks at Thomas Aquinas College in California, quite a number of the students would also wear mantillas. So yeah, it's certainly growing amongst us young folk.
I suppose one would expect it at the Oratory, which has many glamorous young ladies who wear mantillas - but I also see it amongst the largely student population in Oxford, where one might think it rather less likely.
I think, perhaps, that proves that it's on the way back.
Thanks for your comments Katie and Dominic Mary. It looks like there does seem to be some sort of a trend amongst certain groups of young women. I'll be watching with interest to see if it spreads to our little suburb in Surrey!
A friend of mine wears one in or church. She is just under forty, a single mum with tatoos but most importantly she is a convert.
Have you met Mantilla the Hun?
http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2009/09/mantilla-on-beauty-and-truth.html
Hello Miss Ellen E
There is a young mother who occasionally comes to our church for Mass and she always wears a mantilla. For a time her little girl did, too, but now that she is about 13, she doesn't wear it anymore. I grew up in the days when we had to have our heads covered in church, not necessarilly with a mantilla, and it doesn't bother me one way or the other. If people, young or old, wish to wear one then it should be their choice, as long as it is worn out of respect and not just a fashion fad. Thanks for your usual good post. God bless you and all the young folks, mantillas or not!
Dyoung, I just love the mental picture you conjure up of your mantilla-wearing friend with tattoos - no stereo-typing there then! :-)
Yes, MOTL, Mantilla the Hon is one of my favourite alter egos of Fr Dwight Longenecker. Funnily enough I had posted an almost identical comment to yours on Katie's blog the other day - great minds etc.
Thank you Breadgirl for your encouraging comment. I couldn't agree more.It's great to see reverent young people at Mass - with or without headgear!
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