Why do Catholic women cover their heads when entering a Catholic church?

Answer 1

its in the Bible about women covering their heads for modesty, just most people for whatever reason choose to ignore it. they decide to believe some parts and not believe others. Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already...MATT 005:028

Answer 2

Pastor Billy says: some Catholics who are answering this question don't have the full picture. Perhaps they've grown up in the Church during a generation when teaching was slack and lacking, perhaps they are members of parish communities which have received poor catechesis. Regardless what the reason, the protocol of women covering their heads has never ceased church-wide it just happens that local priests are not reinforcing obedience to the practise especially in the Latin rite of the Church.


I grew up seeing women wearing either a mantilla or formal type headwear something elegant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantilla

A mantilla is "a lightweight lace or silk scarf worn over the head and shoulders, often over a high comb, by women in Spain and Latin America

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Headcovering

The Christian headcovering is a veiling worn by various Christian women from a variety of traditions. Some cover only in church or while praying; others cover their heads all the time. They refer to 1 Corinthians 11 (or custom) as the basis for their practice. Many contemporary Christians, however, see no need for this practice.

Answer 3

As has been mentioned this practice particularly in the United States, Holland, Belgium the head covering, or called chapel veil or in some instanced 'mantilla', stopped 40 years ago all because the media journalists in their want to report something 'new' regarding the Vatican Council that was soon coming to a close misquoted Bellini, archbishop in regards to the question about head coverings. And around the world that went and very quickly the head coverings came off.

Then the 'women's movement' came and thus solidified the casting away of the chapel veil for many 'modern' women.

However, there are many woman, myself included who will never enter into a Church without a chapel veil, and I live in the US, so it isn't culture, it is obedience to the Bible, and Christ.

Answer 4

Men and women always have been equal in the sight of God. Covering women gradually came about by the priests in order to subordinate women and dominate over half of the population. In Islam also the same happened: The world of humanity consists of two parts: male and female. Each is the complement of the other. Therefore, if one is defective, the other will necessarily be incomplete, and perfection cannot be attained. There is a right hand and a left hand in the human body, functionally equal in service and administration. If either proves defective, the defect will naturally extend to the other by involving the completeness of the whole; for accomplishment is not normal unless both are perfect. If we say one hand is deficient, we prove the inability and incapacity of the other; for single-handed there is no full accomplishment. Just as physical accomplishment is complete with two hands, so man and woman, the two parts of the social body, must be perfect. It is not natural that either should remain undeveloped; and until both are perfected, the happiness of the human world will not be realized.

Answer 5

I was raised catholic and we went to church in jeans most of the time and never covered our heads. I have since renounced the catholic religion and am now a born again Christian, and I do wear a covering when praying in public or witnessing.

Answer 6

Most Catholic women stopped doing that about forty years ago. I do it because of 1 Corinthians 11:10 ("That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head, because of the angels.").

Answer 7

I was going to answer your question, but purpledeucegirl06 answered it. I too am an atheist, but remember 40 years ago females had to cover their heads to go to catholic church. Strange, the things you remember. *smiles*

Answer 8

I grew up catholic and went to church every week, I never once saw any women covering their heads?? I think your confusing your religions

Answer 9

Paul's first letter to the church of Corinth in chapter 11 states:

But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled brings shame upon her head, for it is one and the same thing as if she had had her head shaved.

This section of Paul's letter is devoted to regulation of conduct at the liturgy and, in particular, with the dress of women in the church assembly.

Women have been participating in worship at Corinth without the head-covering normal for honorable women in Greek society of the period.

Paul's stated goal is to bring them back into conformity with contemporary practice and propriety.

This does not mean that women have to wear head coverings today but that they should conform with contemporary practice and propriety of honorable women of their culture.

With love in Christ.

Answer 10

It was a rule about 40 years ago but they lifted it. Some still do cover their heads though. Wow, I remember that and I'm an atheist.