Real femininity, decency and modesty: An interview with Sonja, a veiling girl

Sonja is candid and rare example of true femininity, in a world where woman genre has collapsed and the sense of femininity has been destroyed. Nowdays, girls deserve true role model of behavior, aesthetics and moral value. Nowdays, girls deserve to know who they really are and not what the media teach them to be. The true essence of femininity is possible, in the lieu of the Gospels, with the support of the Holy Spirit: it is possible, for this essence, to be discovered, found, known, once again, in a society where the concept of girls and femininity have been ruined has never before.

Sonja is a girl, a christian catholic girl and wife. He has a not-so-common particularity: she wears veil and she lives decency and modesty according to God. Not to media: to God, the True Lord. I have found this precious daughter of God on Instagram.

Here is our beautiful conversation: my interview with a true example of femininity.

Interview with @Catholic_wife, 
a catholic girl and wife
“When modesty and decency meet a girl.. in 2021” 

By © Fabio Arancio 
Only for theorangeblogger.com®

Thank you for having accepted my opportunity. Let’s talk about you!

1. Ad Jesum per Mariam! Hi and thank you for your time. I shall presume this is your first time presenting yourself to the world. Let’s start! Who are you? Tell us about your values and your belief.

Hello, My name is Sonja, I’m from Twin Lakes, Wisconsin and I am a recent Convert to the Catholic Church. I was born in Wisconsin and have lived my whole life in the countryside. 

2. Do you take daily Mass? Could you call yourself a rosary girl? 

One of the best ways to grow closer to Our Lord, is through regular confessions and receiving the Eucharist as often as one may, and I try to observe these two things daily. I am very fond of the Rosary, and I say it daily after morning mass. The morning is the best time for prayer and the earlier the better. It is always best to start one’s day with Jesus and his blessed mother.

3. I noticed you on Instagram. When I saw your photo with the veil, I felt enchanted. What does the veil mean to you? How does it feel to wear it in 2021, in such a secularized society?

Veiling, wearing a head covering or headscarf is a privilege that is extended to women. In 1 Corinthians 11, St. Paul outlines that women should pray with their heads covered. Paul talks about here, that women should cover their heads, but ultimately we must judge for ourselves whether it is right to uphold the custom. Just as God gave us free will, so that our love for Him would be freely given, so too abiding this rule is a conscious decision to surrender one’s self to God. Head-covering is a special devotion that is extended to us ladies, so that we may grow closer to our Lord and imitate more closely His Immaculate Mother.

Wearing a head covering in these days is difficult. When I first started, I sometimes felt very conspicuous when in public and it felt very uncomfortable. In my days before finding God I would often take pleasure in people noticing me, but now I find it repellant and I look away and ask God to hide me away in His Wounds. During such times it is best to remind one’s self that only God’s opinion matters and not that of any fellow person. But now wearing the head covering for so long, I find that I don’t really feel as I used to and the feeling I get is akin to a sense of surrender to God’s Will. The headscarf almost becomes a part of me, like a shield against the sins of the world. Sadly the traditions we hold as Catholics are now looked upon with much confusion and hesitation, even though the Bible and many Saints give us a precedent to follow, and this makes me desire to follow God’s commandments more closely than ever before.   

4. As much as I’m aware of, you are into traditionalism, modesty and decency. You seem to be one of those faithful girls who truly follow the Word of God as in modesty and decency. When did you embrace the so called biblical modesty and how do you live it as girl?

God gave me a revelation one day in October 2020 and I felt the distinct urge to cover my head with something. I discovered that the use of head coverings was widely used until the late 60’s when the feminist revolt caused our society to abandon this practice. I have always loved tradition, I was raised in a Czech Family and the traditions of our Culture have been passed down for many centuries. My mother and I would sing songs from our homeland while washing the dishes, and we would decorate willow branches with intricately dyed eggs for Easter. Even at Christmas Eve, we’d observe eating fish, and fasting until dinner. So when I discovered the wealth of Catholic Tradition that is missing from our world today, I immediately began to incorporate it into my life and there is still so much I have yet to learn.

I discovered Pope Pious VI’s Marian Modesty Edict from 1930, I was absolutely delighted. There was a concrete guide to Modesty in dress. In my life before, I would often wear revealing clothing and I realized that I never felt right, when I wore it. It just felt wrong, I had little self respect, and my self esteem was very low. I was a slave to modern fashions and often hated my body for not being like the women one sees in glossy magazines. But once adopting Marian Modesty, I began to be treated differently and I felt cleaner in mind and spirit. It was as though a soothing balm had be applied to my weary soul and I discovered that my worth was not found in material things and the clothing I wore, nor how beautiful I made myself seem in makeup. No, it was only through Jesus, that I found my self worth, my self esteem, and self respect. I stopped wearing makeup, perfume, nail polish, I stopped styling my hair. For the first time ever, I felt truly and utterly free from needing to please anyone but God Himself. In the The Prophecies and Revelations of Saint Bridget of Sweden, Jesus says, “The first of the two sins is that the faces of rational human creatures are being painted with the various colors with which insensible images and statues of idols are colored so that to others, these faces may seem more beautiful than I made them. The second sin is that the bodies of men and women are being deformed from their natural state by the unseemly forms of clothing that the people are using. And the people are doing this because of pride and so that in their bodies they may seem more beautiful and more lascivious than I, God, created them.” When we do things to make ourselves more beautiful than how God made us, we scorn the gift that God gave us when he so lovingly created us. 

In order to live modestly, I have given away most of my unnecessary possessions and have thrown away or donated the clothing which is immodest. I have learned to sew my own clothing and have made a new set of modest dresses that I wear constantly. I pray for the grace to embrace poverty of spirit and purity of mind, body, and soul. I gave up most of my hobbies because I have realized that my time here on this earth is so very short, and if I were to die tomorrow, I’d want to love God as fully as I can today. When we contemplate our own death, we see that the only thing worth perusing is God. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

5. Let me ask: How is it like, in 2021, to cover your own body, to respect the dignity of God’s daughter, and to follow biblical modesty, to prevent temptation and to glorify God?

It is the most wonderful thing. Imagine going to a play. There are many seats in the middle of the theatre. These represent society. Now imagine having the privilege of being in the balcony seat. You are hidden away from the rest of the audience, but your view of the play is incredible. There aren’t any distraction of people stepping on you or blocking your view and at the same time, the audience takes no notice of you in the balcony. This is what it feels like to be completely covered. People might occasionally stare at you from their (worldly) seats down below, but you are secure in the knowledge that in the preferential balcony seat, effectively you are free from distractions and can watch the play (aka God) with rapt attention. 

Modesty makes life easier. I am not longer a slave to beauty culture, I don’t have bad hair days, and I am honoring God by covering myself.  

6. Does it happen to you to explain your values to a non-believer?

Surprisingly,  most often I can see in their eyes the desire for such morality. There is always that one person who scoffs at morality, but for me it is an exercise in mercy and charity. Our Catholic morality does ring true, and people can recognize the truth, even if they will not accept it. It is hard to argue against something that is inherently good. But there are the times when people shun me, for what I value and what I believe. I have lost many friends, who after my conversion, no longer talk to me. But I am comforted to know that God will help me to meet many more people who are of like mind. I know that everyone will eventually come to God one day, the only thing I can do is pray for them to be open to God’s Love. That is the greatest act of Charity one could do for those who refuse Salvation.

7. I logically presume that your are devoted to Our Blessed Mother. She is the biggest gift God has given to us, right after His only begotten Son. The Immaculate Heart of Mary is the most perfect and extraordinary example of feminine modesty and femininity. What it is like to have Her as a way of life to imitate?

Having Mary, the most Immaculate of all people, as a mother is the greatest gift God could give us. I know that even when I cannot be with my own mother, since I am already grown, I can in every circumstance run to my blessed mother in heaven. I can’t hide behind my mothers skirts when I am frightened, nor can I sit on my mother’s lap anymore. But whenever I am in need of comfort, Mary is always there for me. We are really all just children in adult bodies, we never lose our need for parents. In having Mary as a mother, I know I will always have someone who will take care of me and who will love me unconditionally. She is a most wonderful role model to emulate.   

8. How do you see yourself, as a traditional catholic girl, in the Church of today?

I find that a lot of people these days let the modern world infiltrate their Faith. People come to Mass in very revealing cloths, women wear pants, men wear sweatpants, and yet they judge and stare at me for being completely covered and actually following God’s Commandments. It is not enough to be simply lukewarm in the Faith. In Mathew 5:13 Jesus likens the people weak in faith, to salt that has lost its salinity. It is good for naught. Or in Luke 6:46 when Jesus asks why people call him Lord, yet do not do what he tells them. The Lord has chosen me to be a Catholic, He has laid down His life for me, nothing I could ever do would be enough to compensate such a sacrifice. But the little I can give, is to be a bright, burning pillar of Faith in the darkness of the world. To rekindle the fires in the hearths of others is my privilege.  

9. How does it feel to be a catholic girl in a pagan-oriented world? Do you ever feel “out of place”?

It saddens me a great deal, I find that there are still so many who are lost, who think that their lifestyle is fine. Our modern culture tends to sensationalize trends and right now paganism is a growing trend. But I wish people would realize what jeopardy their souls are in. I used to be part of the pagan crowd before my conversion and I find that most people are just looking for God in the wrong places, or for acceptance and individuality. But if only they would look towards Christ, they would find all their needs met and more.  

10. What are the most difficult things in being a catholic, according to you?

Following God’s commandments. It’s is very difficult to do so, but all of us are called to holiness. Living my life according to how God wants me to live it is the most difficult thing to do. To stay in a state of Grace, to attend Mass regularly, is in no small words, a discipline. The devil is constantly throwing temptations at all of us and we can only overcome them through Christ who strengthens us. 

11. You are a young wife of 25 years old. Today, the concept of relation, marriage and wife has been mostly destroyed – ruined – by secularism. Family is seen as an obstacle for personal freedom and career. What does being a faithful catholic wife mean to you? 

It means sacrificing and rejecting what the world feeds us on a daily basis. It usually takes people a lifetime to learn that the only thing that matters in life, the only thing that one truly has, is family. To put it simply, if I were to ask you to think of your favorite relative, the one you would do anything for. The one you would die for even. Now picture this. For what would you trade that relative’s life? A car, a house, a million dollars? Just the thought of selling out a family member for money should be a great shock. But ultimately that is what young people are doing every day. They sell out their chance at a happy family, for a job or a career, which is basically just trading precious time for money. Instead of staying at home with their children, women go to work, because of money. We don’t need half of the things that we think we need in order to get by. But many of us have grown up thinking that if we buy that next handbag or smart phone, that it will fulfill us somehow. If we miss that family get-together, to grind a few extra hours at work, we think we will somehow be more fulfilled. But it doesn’t work that way. Only family fulfills us. That is the way God made it.  

12. What was the most difficult challenge in making your own family?

Patience. That is the most difficult thing I have had to learn. Patience with my husband, patience with finances, patience trying to conceive. I have to constantly remind myself that nothing will happen on my time, only on God’s Time. Being okay with surrendering everything to God, and allowing Him to do His work in my life is hard. Letting go of the need to control ever aspect of my life has been the most taxing, yet beneficial self-discovery for me. It is the most difficult lesson that I could learn and I am still learning it everyday.  

13. Efesini 5, 22,33. ²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. – A wonderful truth, mostly forgotten or refused by the world. How do you see this verse?

I see this verse as a great blessing. Many will shake their heads, but I see this as a great gift. The responsibility to be independent, strong, and a breadwinner is a very difficult one. The husband should be the leader of the family because a man is naturally created by God to be a leader and protector. Women are the nurturers, the ones who support their husbands so that the husbands can grow to be the men they ought to be. We should embrace the fact that men are the strong ones, let them be the breadwinners, the protectors, let them do what they were created to do. If you let your husband be the leader of your family, allowing him to exercise his confidence and make wise decisions, you will see him flourish and be secure in his masculinity. There will be a great balance restored in the relationship as God intended it to be. Plus ladies, if we allow the men to be men, we can embrace our beautiful God-given femininity. Being cared for by a husband, whose purpose in life is the be the head and provider of the family, is a unique and brilliant blessing. 

14. Three inevitable questions. Say: your favorite saint, your favorite pope and your favorite Scripture verse (if it is even possible to have ONE favorite verse out of thousands of existing verse).

My favorite Saint is Mother Teresa and my favorite Pope is John Paul II. I love Mother Teresa and I look up to her. John Paul II is a big role model for me as well. My favorite bible verse is Psalm 51:7 DRB (Douay-Rheims Bible) “Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.” Which also happens to be part of one of my favorite chants “Asperges Me”. I feel a great affinity to this verse as it reminds me of my baptism when I was washed clean of all my past sins. 

15. What would you tell to a boy or a girl who is away from Christ?

Nothing can make you whole in this world. Yes, the Church has had its fair share of scandals, but the Word of God is perfect in every way. People make mistakes, we are fallible, weak, sinful. But the worst mistake we can make is letting something or someone earthly come between us and our relationship with God. Why would you let anyone deny you your salvation that has already been bought and paid for by the blood of Our Lord Jesus? You can only be truly happy in God and nothing in this world matters more than Him.   

16. Do you have any dream you wish to share? 

My dream is to convert souls for christ by one day meet all the wonderful ladies that veil for Christ on Instagram and who have supported me through my veiling journey. 

I wish to grow the veiling community and to be an inspiration to those who as of yet do not veil nor embrace their faith with zeal. 

Thank you!

May Jesus and Mary be with you all the time.
Best wishes for you, your future and your family. 

You can fin her on IG as @Catholic_wife