Canon law and chapel veils
Chapel veils were the subject of frequent discussion this summer. Is their use still mandated by canon law and/or by tradition? If so, what is the symbolism of a woman wearing a chapel veil? Personally, I don't wear a chapel veil, but my mother does. She argues that something with so much tradition behind it should not be lightly discarded. I agree with her, but I don't want to keep a practice just because it's always been done that way, without understanding the reasoning behind it.
Canon lawyer Ed Peters investigates the issue of chapel veils and concludes that the requirement for women to wear chapel veils went out of force in 1983. (By the way, according to Peters, the canonical requirement did not appear until the 1917 Code). So, women are not required by canon law to wear chapel veils. I know that some people will argue that it's still a good thing for a woman to wear a veil, and I'd like to hear them - if they're more than, "a woman looks nice and more demure with a veil".
posted by Wimsey @ 8:04 PM
1 lightning strikes
1 Comments:
Your mother is right: the simple fact that something has traditionally been done is a good reason to continue, if there are not good reasons to stop. This tradition dates back to Apostolic times. There has been too much contempt for the "pre-conciliar" Church these last few decades. It is encouraging to see women who do not sneer at the Church that produced Sts. Thérèse and Teresa and Clare, and the other great saints. The Church of Christ our Lord is one Church through all the ages, and this little sign of unity is a bond of charity with the Christians that came before us.
Post a Comment
<< Home