Me? Wear A Chapel Veil?

A little over a year ago, I purchased my first mantilla, or chapel veil. No one would have guessed that I would do such a thing, including me. Before I reverted to the Catholic Church in 1997, I was what I call a rugged feminist, along the lines of "No one, especially a man, was going to tell me what to do, women should be allowed to be priests, and the likes." I would have never guessed that I would return to the Catholic Church, never mind start wearing a chapel veil later on.

Of course, there were several years between the two, but it was all good and all in God's timing. Today, I love my mantilla. Years ago when I first came back to the Catholic Church, I could never have imagined wearing one. Chapel veils were for those really "far out Traditionalists," of which I was not one.

Years later, I found myself attracted to mantillas worn by other girls and women attending the Latin Novus Ordo Mass and Divine Office I frequented. I paid attention to the yearning because it happened several times. Eventually, I took it as a calling from God and I decided I was going to purchase one. I foresaw it as an expression of humility before Jesus in the Tabernacle. I saw it as an expression of my femininity, something I rejected while I strayed from the Church. It was a deepening of my love for Christ and I was so ready for these things.

But what color? What shape? What vendor? Some women/girls wore black, some dark purple, a few white, some green. I asked around. What was the meaning of the different colors? The most concrete answer I got was that they used to mean something way back when, but now, they don't really have a meaning.

I wanted to get a white one. Despite the general consensus that colors have no meaning, I imagined that white would have one.  Purity, virginity. Since I had made an attempt at marriage earlier in my life (I have a Decree of Nullity), I wondered if white was appropriate for me, but I eventually found my way to the concept similar to that expressed here, "Renewed Purity for the Non-Virgin."

I decided it fit and I bought a white lace mantilla like the one in this picture.

  

Here are others.  It is a beautiful thing to develop femininity in young girls. I am not talking about being doormats. I am talking about developing true personal and Christian power from within. It is endearing and empowering at the same time.  

This is tan and black.                                               And white.....

    This is lilac.                                                 And blue....

  

Some women try to match the color of their chapel veils with the color associated with the current liturgical season.

A Biblical reference for the veil in general, is 1 Corinthians 11:1-16. I like to include all of it.  The excerpt from the NABRE is below... More about this in a future blog entry.

1Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

2I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you.

3But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and a husband the head of his wife, and God the head of Christ. 4Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered brings shame upon his head. 5But 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. 6For if a woman does not have her head veiled, she may as well have her hair cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should wear a veil.

7A man, on the other hand, should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9nor was man created for woman, but woman for man; 10for this reason a woman should have a sign of authority on her head because of the angels. 11Woman is not independent of man or man of woman in the Lord. 12For just as woman came from man, so man is born of woman; but all things are from God.

13Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head unveiled? 14Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears his hair long it is a disgrace to him, 15whereas if a woman has long hair it is her glory, because long hair has been give [her] for a covering? 16But if anyone is inclined to be argumentative, we do not have such a custom, nor do the churches of God.

images - https://img1.etsystatic.com/051/1/6823702/il_fullxfull.665161485_ou3g.jpg
https://img0.etsystatic.com/026/1/6823702/il_fullxfull.651937682_alrt.jpg
http://catholicknight.blogspot.com/2007/12/chapel-veil-veiling-or-head-covering.html
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Eucharistic Adoration For An End To All Abortion

Eucharistic Adoration For An End To All Abortion

* First Thursday of Every Month *

 

St. Benedict Abbey, Still River, MA

Thursday, March 7, 2013

6:30pm to 9:30pm

St. Benedict Abbey

252 Still River Road

Still River, MA 01467

  

* Feel free to arrive early for Vespers at 6pm. *

 

image - http://mariastopsabortion.blogspot.com/2010/08/adoration-and-pro-life-work.html

Eucharistic Adoration for an End to All Abortion at St. Benedict Abbey, Still River, MA

Eucharistic Adoration For An End To All Abortion

* First Thursday of Every Month *

 

St. Benedict Abbey, Still River, MA

Thursday, December 6, 2012

6:30pm to 9:30pm

St. Benedict Abbey 

252 Still River Road

Still River, MA 01467

 

* Feel free to arrive early for Vespers at 6pm. *

 

image - http://mariastopsabortion.blogspot.com/2010/08/adoration-and-pro-life-work.html

Eucharistic Adoration For An End To All Abortion

Eucharistic Adoration For An End To All Abortion

St. Benedict Abbey, Still River, MA

First Thursday of Every Month

6:30pm to 9:30pm

Tonight, September 6, 2012

St. Benedict Abbey

252 Still River Road

Still River, MA 01467

* Feel free to arrive early for Vespers at 6pm. *

 

I apologize for the late posting.

image - http://mariastopsabortion.blogspot.com/2010/08/adoration-and-pro-life-work.html

    

Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, MA

The monks at St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, MA, have a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe.  One of them, Brother Joseph Maria, built a chapel named after her.  It is about 0.6 mile from the main house, down a hill and up on a knoll in the woods.  He built it during midday breaks when the other brothers were taking naps.  I believe one of the stones used to form one of the walls, is from the Tepeyac desert, which is outside Mexico City and is where Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego back in 1531.

The chapel on the knoll in Still River, MA is a beautiful site to behold.  Every year on the vigil of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, i.e., December 11, the brothers and members of their extended community make a pilgrimage there.  Everyone assembles in front of the main house after dinner, and they either walk down the hill, or they take a hay ride to get there.  Those who walk go past candles placed along the path to lighten it up.  They also trudge through mud if it is or has been raining.  Either way, boots are recommended.

Either way, everyone gets a taste of an earthy pilgrimage like those made to Lourdes, Fatima, or Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.  The walk back up the hill adds a challenging dimension to the trek.  It can be deeply spiritual.

In line with Benedictine hopsitality, the brothers serve home made brownies and hot chocolate.

The pilgrimage will be held again this year, on Sunday evening, December 11, 2011, 7:30pm. 
Please come.  If you want more information, feel free to contact me.

“Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ,
for He is going to say,
'I came as a guest, and you received Me' (Matt. 25:35).
And to all let due honor be shown,
especially to the domestics of the faith and to pilgrims." (Rule of Saint Benedict 53:1)


image - http://www.marypages.com/GuadalupeEng1.htm

Benedictine Hospitality - St. Benedict Abbey, Still River, MA

On Columbus Day this year, October 10, 2011, the monks of St. Benedict Abbey of Still River, MA, hosted a  picnic for their extended family and friends.  I was blessed to attend. It was a reunion of sorts, with many of us reconnecting for the first time in awhile.

The pictures say more than I ever could, so enjoy.  I took them all!

Friends of the Abbey enjoying the view

Fr. Anthony barbecues with two friends of the Abbey

Welcome sign

Marek with two of his sons

Virginia & Friends

One of the many families who came

                               

Hayride

Hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans and more

Abbot  Xavier with a friend of the Abbey







Susan with her children

The infamous tractor

More action at the food buffet

Football & pumpkin rolling

                   

Fr. Marc brings over the ice cream

Friends enjoying the outdoors

   

Hayride

      
         

Brother Andre Marie from
St. Benedict Center
in Richmond, NH

                                                                                          Fr. James takes a break

Stations of the Cross

St. Anthony

Jesus

   

The Breezeway

Friend, Brother Ambrose, Brother Matthew, Brother Joseph Marie

                                                                                   
                                                                                                    Our Lady                                                    

 
images - personal files

My Conversion Story

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Thank God I Made It Home

By Kathleen Laplante

I remember it clearly. My husband and I decided to leave the Church, and we invited his Catholic parents over to justify ourselves. It was 1990 and we recently had our first son. With him on my hip, I stood in front of my mother-in-law and addressed the topic of abortion. Acerbic and ignorant, I asked, "Who does the Catholic Church think they are, telling me I can't have an abortion if I want one?" "Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on me."

My in-laws were terror-stricken. They tried to explain the Faith and thought we should talk to a priest, but our minds were made up. The Devil had won. How else could I have held the life from my own womb, and argue that I should be able to abort "it" if I wanted to? And why else would I have been glad that my son would not have to bear the burdens of being female? (I did not know the dignity and joy of being a woman.)

The dichotomy of that scene alarms me now, but from our misinformed view of the world, our thinking could not have been different. We were enslaved by the insidious messages of the secular world. We hit all the hot-button topics of our generation, fulminating that "Women should be allowed to be priests. Gay couples should be able to live together and raise children. Confession is unnecessary. The idea that the Pope ‘is king,' is archaic and ridiculous, and by the way, "Who is he to say we can't have premarital sex or use birth control?" "Oh, God, forgive us our trespasses."

My in-laws were disheartened to see us leave the Catholic Church for a Protestant one, but we were in "heaven." This Protestant congregation allowed women to preach, gay couples to live together, and anyone to receive "communion" any time, i.e. there was no confession. They did not (overtly) oppose abortion, and they were more hospitable. Our vagrant souls could not have wanted anything more – until that routine became too inconvenient and we stopped going to church again.

After my second son, I had an unexpected revolt against contraception. I knew something was wrong. Perhaps my pregnancies and births awakened the womanhood within me. My husband wanted a vasectomy, but I would not agree. Nor would I agree to go back on the pill. The strain in our relationship loomed with oppression. Simultaneously, my struggle with postpartum depression lingered on into major depression.

With serious illness at our relatively young age, disagreement about our sex life, and no conjugal faith to draw upon, our nine-year marriage ended in divorce. I was resentful about being a mother who lacked emotional stamina and know-how for fulfilling that role. I was also limited in my caretaking abilities due to my depression. So we agreed our sons should live with their father.

I was deeply torn about being the non-custodial parent. How could I, the mother, "give my children away?" Logically, I could, because they were going to their father, who loved them deeply and could take care of them better than I could. Emotionally however, I could not come to terms with it. Like my own father, I eventually felt that life was not worth living.

I ruminated about suicide many times. I made different plans. I even acted on one of them. Contrary to my father though, I overcame that ultimate act of escapism. I finally took God's hand, and when I did, He poured graces upon me. Along with leading me to outstanding medical help, he led me back to the Catholic Church. My life has never been the same. "Come Holy Spirit; renew the face of the earth."

Ironically, my Unitarian friend was God's first catalyst in my return. Seeing how distraught I was after my divorce, she suggested I regroup at the Guest House of a local Abbey. I had no idea what an Abbey was, but I did know this one had affordable rates in a serene location.

While I was there, the few-but-oh-so-precious seeds, planted during my barren Catholic upbringing, came out of dormancy. They began to grow when I realized I was on Catholic ground. I had a sudden panic to get information on annulments. For the first time, I realized my part in my marriage was not right in the eyes of God. Somehow I knew the annulment process was the key to my healing.

I asked one of the priests about it. That led to in-depth catechesis where we unraveled the ignorance, sinfulness, and confusion I had about contraception, freedom to marry, abortion, the value and dignity of life, motherhood, the dignity of being a woman, and more. I experienced a tremendous release of guilt, shame and confusion - I was coming home.

On October 7, 1997, the Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, I was formally received back into the Catholic Church. It was the foundation of my conversion, but not the end of it. The seeds of faith from my childhood continued to grow as I was catechized, spiritually directed, and guided in the practice of the Faith.I no longer support the use of contraception – and now I know why. I no longer approve of abortion, and my sons clearly know my views on premarital sex and practicing purity in preparation for marriage. I defend the Church's teaching about the priesthood being reserved for men only. (My Unitarian friend even came to see the light on that topic.) The act of gay couples living together and raising families is no longer acceptable in my eyes.

I have been blessed to have my irreverent attitudes removed. I no longer say "I can connect with God any time, so I don't have to go to Mass." Instead, I draw upon the advice of my spiritual director -- "Don't say 'I have to go to Mass;' say 'I get to go to Mass." And that I do. I now go to Sunday and daily Mass.

I am the founder and coordinator of an annual walkathon for expectant mothers in need of support for giving birth to their children. This year, we reached the grand total mark of $13,000. My relationships with my family, friends, and God, are strong. The rosary is one of the most important tools I have, and I pray it almost every day. I am a Benedictine Oblate at the Abbey where it all began. I no longer work in the corporate world, where I found it difficult to act morally. I work at the Abbey as a baker and I do some publicity work for them.

I no longer see depression as a sign of failure. Instead, I view it as a manageable medical condition that has redemptive value when I unite it to Christ on the Cross. Suicide is never on my mind, and the Memorial Bible my family received when my Dad died on my birthday, has become another important tool. The process to obtain a Decree of Nullity brought the healing and growth I anticipated. The Magisterium's wisdom shined through in that area. My sons and I are emotionally close, and I love being their mother.

I am a Roman Catholic woman with no desire to be anything else. Christ replaced my hopelessness and disconnects with His joy and spiritual integration. The life I literally thought was hell, has become a foretaste of heaven. "Thanks be to God. He brought me home."

Kathleen Laplante may be reached by email at klaplante2@yahoo.com

Copyright 2007 All Rights Reserved
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image - http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/liberalism-and-the-fear-of-death/question-1518195/?link=ibaf&imgurl=http://thereisnoafterlife.info/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/heaven-jesus.jpg&q=heaven
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Fun Happenings At St. Benedict Abbey In Still River, MA

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The monastic community at St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, MA is known for its hospitality.  It is not uncommon for them to host a birthday party for someone in their extended lay community.  The most recent one was for Ralph, an avid New England Patriots Football fan who turned 40. 

I took the opportunity to make him a special birthday cake.

The cake ended up being a team effort, with two of the Brother monks and two other guests providing suggestions along the way.

Go team!!  St. Benedict Abbey team, that is.

Go Pats!! They have a game tomorrow. :-)

 

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images - mine

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Abbatial Blessing At St. Benedict Abbey

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On Thursday, July 1, 2010, Abbot Xavier Connelly, OSB received his Abbatial Blessing in their chapel.  Now that he is formally installed as the new Abbot of St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, MA, may he go forth in the peace of Christ.

Please pray for the community and for new vocations.

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image - http://abbey.org/index.html

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New Abbot Elected At St. Benedict Abbey In Still River, MA

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Fr. Xavier Connelly, OSB
was chosen today as the new abbot of St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, MA.  He served as Prior for many years and as Administrator for several months since Abbot Gabriel Gibbs was ill and then passed away in April of this year.

May God, the Father guide him and protect him, 

May Jesus and Mary be at his side, and 

May the Holy Spirit light him on fire!   ;-)

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images - http://www.catholicchurchsupply.com/items/resized/large9121lg.jpg
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http://www.mckaychurchgoods.com/N42-5494G.jpg 

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Novena for New Abbot at St. Benedict Abbey - Day 8 of 9

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Sometime this month of June 2010, the brothers of St. Benedict Abbey will be electing a new abbot. This novena is being prayed to that effect. It started June 6, 2010 and goes for a total of nine days. It was composed by John Tuturice.

Please join in when you can. God Bless.


NOVENA FOR NEW ABBOT AT ST. BENEDICT ABBEY
Still River, MA

Pray 3x

St. Benedict, patron of religious, I ask for your intercession on behalf of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for the voters of the new abbot at St. Benedict Abbey to be enlightened by the power of the Holy Spirit in order that they may choose an abbot not based on worldly influences, but rather according to the goodness of God. And, I ask that the new abbot be granted the grace of holy wisdom and of a just and rightly ordered rule, so that St. Benedict Abbey may flourish in producing many holy souls of religious and lay alike. Amen.

Pray 1x each

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

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image - http://thetwohearts.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/SHIH3.242195251_std.jpg

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Novena for New Abbot at St. Benedict Abbey - Day 5

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Sometime this month of June 2010, the brothers of St. Benedict Abbey will be electing a new abbot. This novena is being prayed to that effect. It started June 6, 2010 and goes for a total of nine days. It was composed by John Tuturice.

Please join in when you can. God Bless.


NOVENA FOR NEW ABBOT AT ST. BENEDICT ABBEY
Still River, MA

Pray 3x
St. Benedict, patron of religious, I ask for your intercession on behalf of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for the voters of the new abbot at St. Benedict Abbey to be enlightened by the power of the Holy Spirit in order that they may choose an abbot not based on worldly influences, but rather according to the goodness of God. And, I ask that the new abbot be granted the grace of holy wisdom and of a just and rightly ordered rule, so that St. Benedict Abbey may flourish in producing many holy souls of religious and lay alike. Amen.

Pray 1x each
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
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.image - http://saintpeterchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Sacred_and_Immaculate_heart.jpg

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Novena for New Abbot at St. Benedict Abbey

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Sometime this month of June 2010, the brothers of St. Benedict Abbey will be electing a new abbot.  This novena is being prayed to that effect.  It starts tonight, June 6, 2010 (or whenever you get this) and goes for a total of nine days.  It was composed by John Tuturice.

Please join in when you can. God Bless.


NOVENA FOR NEW ABBOT AT ST. BENEDICT ABBEY
Still River, MA

Pray 3x

St. Benedict, patron of religious, I ask for your intercession on behalf of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for the voters of the new abbot at St. Benedict Abbey to be enlightened by the power of the Holy Spirit in order that they may choose an abbot not based on worldly influences, but rather according to the goodness of God. And, I ask that the new abbot be granted the grace of holy wisdom and of a just and rightly ordered rule, so that St. Benedict Abbey may flourish in producing many holy souls of religious and lay alike. Amen.

Pray 1x each

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

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image - http://www.sambayanan.org/images/2heartspics.JPG

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Build Your Catholic Community

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I am blessed with Catholic community.  By that, I mean much of my life is spent around other Catholics.  I am an Oblate at St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, MA, so I am often surrounded by the priests and brothers there.  I am also surrounded by other Oblates and laypeople who regularly visit  the Abbey.  I belong to a Bible Discussion group and a group that is studying John Paul II's encyclical Fides et Ratio.  We do things together socially as well.  My local Roman Catholic Church and Melkite Catholic Church put me in touch with a whole different group of Catholics.

Why am I bringing this up?  To encourage you to foster such a community in your life, because I have found that it is so much easier to practice virtues, go to confession, go to Mass or Vespers or Divine Liturgy, and to read spiritual material when I live surrounded by people with the same spiritual mindset.  It becomes osmosis, because someone inevitably brings up some topic related to the Faith, and I benefit from it.

For example, tonight someone mentioned Theology on Tap coming up.  There are two sessions being held the same night in two different towns.  One is on marriage and dating and the other is on Iconography.  So we talk a about both topics and we go off on a tangent about practicing virtues.  Oh yea, practicing virtues.  That is something I keep wanting to do more of.  Maybe if I hear it enough times, I will actually start.  In between, we find out about the triple loss tonight - the Bruins, the Red Sox, and the Celts.

Many times, when we carpool, we pray the Rosary together.  Our carpools are to Shrines, the March for Life, or barbecues and parties.  Sometimes we meet for tennis.  We have a good time and being Catholic is less of an effort because it just flows among us all.  I guess that is why monks say there is strength in numbers, because there is.

I highly recommend expanding your network of Catholic influences.  You will draw closer to God.

Peace in Christ,
Kathleen

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image - http://thesituationist.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/istock-social-network.jpg
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