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Views from the Choir Loft

What Happened To Chapel Veils At Mass?

Jeff Ostrowski · June 19, 2013

ATT FRADD has posted an interesting article called “What Happened to Headcoverings at Mass?” He speaks about Canon Law as it relates to women and girls covering their heads during Mass. In general, I have no issue with Chapel veils. As a matter of fact, I really like them, but I think it’s better when the entire congregation wears them, rather than only some. Women at the FSSP parishes usually wear veils, but only in America. This is not done in Europe, according to what I’ve been told and witnessed.

Years ago, at a “traditional” parish that shall remain nameless, I saw a parishioner rudely confronting a women not wearing a Chapel veil. Being rather young and brash, I inserted myself into the conversation. The man was showing this poor woman a document from the early 1900s insisting women cover their heads. I asked the gentleman, “What does it say right above?” Then he read the preceding sentence, which mandated that women and men sit on opposite (separated) sides of the church building. As you can see, I had done my homework in advance. “Do we do that here?” I asked. The conversation ended.

The reality is, the same document he quoted said in no uncertain terms that men and women must sit on opposite halves of the church. If you’re having difficulty picturing all the boys from a family sitting in a different pew from all the girls, you’re not alone. This practice was hardly ever done in America, from what I’m told.

Are you old enough to remember the old Latin Mass? Did they make girls sit on one side and boys sit on the other? We did this for school Masses, but adults were still free to sit on either side.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Chapel Veil Mantilla Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

When the matter is thus regarded, an assertion which is being made today, not only by laymen but also at times by certain theologians and priests and spread about by them, ought to be rejected as an erroneous opinion: namely, that the offering of one Mass, at which a hundred priests assist with religious devotion, is the same as a hundred Masses celebrated by a hundred priests. That is not true.

— Pope Pius XII (2 November 1954)

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