Meeting the Holy Father.

Wearing a mantilla to meet the Holy Father or a Cardinal...or a Saint...

Meeting Cardinal Burke certainly deserves a white, lace mantilla.

Jacqueline Kennedy meeting Pope Paul VI, July 2nd 1963.

In June 1987 when Nancy Reagan met Pope John Paul II she donned a black lace mantilla.

The ever elegant Princess Grace Kelly about to meet Pope John XXIII in June 1959.

Ladies adorned in white lace to meet the future Saint, Padre Pio. Holiness emanated through him to all he met.

What an honour to meet Archbishop Fulton Sheen!

St Therese of the Child Jesus meeting Pope Leo XIII to ask permission to enter Carmel at just 15yrs. 

'He must increase, but I must decrease,'

Gospel of St John, 3:30

Veiling

Wearing a lace mantilla is not the only way to cover one's head and retain modesty in Church.  It really does not matter how a lady or young girl covers their head, it is the act of being willing to veil for God which is important. 

A peasant style cream scarf with a larger brown patterned one, enshrouds this lady and shows true modesty and femininity.

A simple white scarf can work just as well as lace to veil a lady. 

Brightly coloured scarves can often be a popular choice for young ladies.

Purple, rose patterned head scarf covers (most) of the hair and gives a modest air appropriate for Church. From Etsy.

Many European ladies would don silk scarves for Holy Mass instead of the mantilla. This looks very elegant.

Young Russian girls lighting tapers in coloured and patterned scarves wrapped around their heads very modestly.

Praying in Upper Egypt in plain black head scarves. 

'O how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory- for the memory thereof is immortal; because it is known with both God and with men.'

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is one of the greatest Feasts of our Holy Catholic Faith. For hundreds of years magnificent Processions have held place where Priests and lay people reverently and proudly process the streets behind Our Lord. Never has it been more vital than today to bring Jesus through the streets, to publicly show our deep love and gratitude and adoration of Him, and not of the world.

Corpus Christi is the perfect feast day for First Holy Communion where a little child receives Christ's Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity for the first time. 

1950s England - beautifully stylish and classical First Holy Communion girls. Lace caps, flowers and gloves were all very popular.

Corpus Christi in Serbia. Traditional dress looks so beautiful!

German First Holy Communicants in glorious national dress. I love their intricate hair styles and jewelled head dresses.

Our annual Corpus Christi Procession in Oxford. The First Holy Communicants wear their dresses and veils and scatter rose petals in front of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Grace Therese with her rose petals before the Procession on the Feast of Corpus Christi. 

'O Sacrament most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving

be every moment Thine'

Holy Trinity Sunday

On Holy Trinity Sunday we went to the First Holy Communions of three dear children- Columba, Elizabeth and Frances.

There was a beautiful Missa Cantata and they received Our Blessed Lord's Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, with a pure white Holy Communion veil (otherwise known as a houseling, a domenical or a manutergium) which was spread across the Altar rails in case any Pieces of the Host are accidentally dropped. 

Afterwards there was a joyful celebration in the Church grounds with champagne and a magnificent Holy Communion cake.

Elizabeth and Frances on their First Holy Communion Day. Elizabeth wears her Grandmother's dress with a beautiful veil and flower crown from Etsy. Frances wears a long, antique veil.

Elizabeth's veil was very pretty and detailed with flowers and frills down the back.

The First Holy Communion boy, Columba, looked resplendent in his kilt, sporran and tie.

A fabulous First Holy Communion cake by Lucy Shaw cakes http://lucyshawcakes.blogspot.co.uk/

Modesty is beautiful

Modesty and purity shine through the soul. When  a lady remains pure of heart it is to be honoured. Covering one's head in reverence to Our Lord shows great respect and humility to Him who made us. 

Teaching our little girls, by example, to always veil on entering a Church, and especially when in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament helps with their formation, teaches them modesty, purity and humility. 

Veiling a small baby teaches them modesty from a tender age.

As the young girl reaches her First Holy Communion Day she will be familiar with wearing a mantilla and showing her reverence to God.

As she grows into a young, godly lady she will learn that covering her head before God helps with prayer and teaches true humility.

On her Wedding Day a lady will veil before her bride groom and Our Lord. 

As a young Mother she will pass on the tradition of veiling to her children.

Directing her heart towards God.

Mantillas, or head coverings, can look elegant at any age. This painting is of an older lady humbly attired in a long black mantilla.

'Purity is the fruit of prayer'

Blessed Mother Teresa

Veiled for Christ

Women veil at the most sacred and special times in their lives-  on their First Holy Communion  Day as young girls, Holy Matrimony as young ladies, or when a lady is called by Christ to give her life for Him fully in Holy Orders as a Bride of Christ.  Many of the traditional orders of Nuns no longer wear the full habit which is so very sad as the dress shows how she has departed from this world and sacrificed her life for God.

A beautiful, old picture of a Sister in Benedictine habit in 1906.

A Benedictine novice making her Sacred Vows in full habit.

The Sisters of the Sioux City Carmel have just gone back to wearing full habit, Deo Gratias! Here they are holding their May baskets. 

The Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters wear pretty pink habits with white veils. They are cloistered-contemplative missionary Sisters.

The French, traditional Victim Nuns of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Our dear little Grace Therese at 3 and a half loves dressing as her Patron Saint, the Little Flower.

'A Bride of Christ follows the Lamb wherever He goes...into hearts that do not know Him, into hearts that forget Him and into hearts that reject Him...'

First Holy Communion veils

May the Month of Mary and June the Month of the Most Sacred Heart, these two beautiful months are usually the sacred time for a little child to make their First Holy Communion. Never was there such a momentous Grace! Receiving Our Lord's Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity for the first time is to be properly and aptly celebrated. 

The joy of preparation and prayers are rewarded with this Most Sacred of Sacraments and from then on until the moment of death, the child communicates with God in a truly deep and profound way.

Many First Holy Communion mantillas will feature a special motif like this embroidered Cross. They can be slightly different to the usual mantilla in their size and are sometimes a little more elaborate for this significant day.

Pretty piece of embroidery of Our Lady holding the Baby Jesus with flowers.

One of the most stunning FHC veils I've found, Spanish lace, full and detailed and just beautiful.

Some girls wear flowers, or a flower band in their hair with a veil attached. This one is of white roses on the top with veil flowing down and roses scattered on the veil. Perfect for First Holy Communion, from Etsy.

A classic white lace mantilla but slightly fuller and longer, from Etsy.

What a perfect veil for a little girl's First Holy Communion.

Stella Maris in beautiful lace mantilla and hand made dress for her First Holy Communion by Zelie's Roses. 

'Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart unto Thine.'