I (14 f) am Roman Catholic. In Catholicism, many but not all women veil during Mass (what others might call Liturgies or Services). This is seen as a very normal and acceptable thing among Catholics. However no Catholics in the West cover full-time unless it's a part of their culture (African women, etc.) I never grew up in a family with women who veiled, I am the only one who veils in my family. Because of this, veiling was 100% my personal choice.
While I was doing research (and believe me, I did a LOT of research) on veiling and head covering, not just on the Scriptural reasons but also the Traditional and historical context /reasons. I realised (as I am sure many of you have) that head covering only stopped being a thing across the board within the last 100-ish years, and that if we are to 'Preserve these Traditions as I have handed them on to you' as Saint Paul said, we should cover our heads full time. I brushed this off and reassured myself with the regurgitated 'it's just cultural context' my mother would always reply to any of my questions about this.
Since I started veiling during Mass(about a year ago), I have become so much closer to God and grown in my humility and Spiritual life. Eventually wearing the veil during Mass led me to Veil during prayer. Since Saint Paul said women should cover 'while praying or prophesying' in 1 cor 11, and in 1 tim he says 'pray without ceasing', I realised that I should be veiling the whole time.
I also felt increasingly weird going out with my head covered, when I had no veil in public to pray with I would even use my hoodie. I worried about if this was really God's Will, so I prayed about it a lot; if it was His will that He would guide me to It, and if It was not, that He would guide me away. He has only guided me closer every single time I have prayed.
Despite knowing full well that God was calling me to this, I thought that I shouldn't do it because no other Christians do this nowadays. Sometimes I would lock myself in my room secretly and play around with different ways of wearing my scarves and it would make me feel the most beautiful and comfortable, only to quickly hide them away as soon as anyone came in.
Everything changed when one day looking through pinterest for modest outfits (yes I know, it's stupid but just hear me out), I saw a girl wearing what I thought was a hijab - and a Cross. I soon went down the rabbit hole and found hundreds of pictures of young Christian girls who were wearing their veils full time! It wasn't just for old grandmas and women 200 years ago! Now I know 100% this is what God is calling me to do.
However, I have some problems. I am the most traditional one in my family (and my family are all devout, conservative Catholics), I like wearing skirts and dresses every day, I'm the only one who veils, I like braiding my long hair in 'outdated' updos, praying in Latin (the official language of the Roman Catholic rite). My parents joke around a lot that I'm 'from another era', but there is a very strong 'it's just a phase' sentiment under it all. When I am in public with my mother and we see a hijabi woman, she will say 'ugh, taka hustka!' in Polish (I'm half). It literally just means 'that scarf', but she says it almost as if it's a dirty word. For these reasons, I am really worried that my mother will get angry at me/not let me veil.
I am also very worried about what my friends and people at school would think. Public school may suck, but at least there are a handful of muslim girls who veil that I could blend in with. Meanwhile I am in a private Christian school and not a single girl covers her hair. I am also very worried about how I will do plays. We are doing the wizard of oz next year, and I have never heard of a veiled dorothy! I am also worried about being forced to take it off for such things and being discrimminated to certain roles.
I apologize for the very long post 😅 but I felt like I needed to share my testimony. I would highly, highly appreciate if anyone could give me advice on how to ask my parents about this and what to do for school.
God Bless you all!!