What's the nun stance on veiling and mantillas at Mass?

Sister Maxine  
This Random Nun Clip is brought to you by A Nun's Life Ministry. Our guest today is Sister Julianna Vagnozzi, who's a Felician sister from New Mexico.

Sister Julie  
Are you ready for this, sisters? Okay, this one comes in from our friend Nerdy from Alaska: what is the nun stance on veiling and mantillas at Mass? Too old school? Reverend sacramental? Individual choice? Enforcing gender stereotypes? Discuss.

Sister Julianna  
Oh, my. Thank you, St. Paul.

Sister Julie  
Yes, we do have St. Paul to thank for that.

Sister Julianna  
When I was in grade school, if you didn't have a mantilla and you didn't have the chapel veil, a paper towel with a bobby pin worked just as well.

Sister Maxine  
I always think it's interesting when we start talking about head coverings. Historically -- certainly you see this even in Scripture -- where women's hair is considered alluring, the crown of a woman's glory, so to say.

Sister Julie  
I think my hair is alluring.

Sister Maxine  
Sister Julie's fluffing her hair up right now. [laughter] So it was really for modesty and a symbol of submissiveness, and in some dimension, for protection against stirring the passions of men, if the hair is exposed.

Sister Julie  
Yeah, I am uncomfortable with that. I mean, I was raised by good Catholic parents, and being submissive as a woman was never really part of it. I mean, if anything, my little brother Paul probably needed to put a little head covering on. He had a lot of glory in that hair.

Sister Maxine  
So that would put the "man" in "mantilla?"

Sister Julie  
Sister, oh! [laughter] To hear full episodes of A Nun's Life podcasts, visit the podcast page at anunslife.org/podcasts.

Sister Maxine  
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Sister Julie  
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Sister Maxine  
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This transcript has been lightly edited for readability.