Why doesn’t our Parish cover statues for Lent?

Q: Why doesn’t our Parish cover statues for Lent? A: The Second Vatican Council occurred 61 years ago. Convened by Pope St. John XXIII, its convocation was called an ‘aggiornamento’ or an updating in response to contemporary societal change. These changes were meant to involve the laity more responsively in their Catholic Faith. The custom of ‘veiling’ statues for Lent was one of those customs that the laity saw but could not explain ‘why’ it was done. It was a Lenten thing! In my own experiences as a priest, pastor, seminarian, and parishioner for those last 61 years, the veiling of statues became an option that neither my pastors nor I chose to observe. It was an option that now some parishes and pastors are resurrecting. It is neither right nor wrong if the practice of veiling occurs in your church, but it is necessary to understand why it might be done and done correctly. According to the Roman Missal: “In the Dioceses of the United States, the practice of covering crosses and images throughout the church from the fifth Sunday of Lent may be observed. Crosses remain covered until the end of the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, but images remain covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.” Prior to Vatican II, the veiling occurred from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday. Post Vatican II, it was amended that if veiling was to occur, it was to happen from the Fifth Sunday of Lent to Good Friday. This time is referred to as Passiontide. Passiontide marks a solemn shift in focus—from the broader themes of penance and conversion to the intense contemplation of Christ's Passion and suffering. The significance of veiling is not merely decorative or traditional—it is intentionally disorienting. In a sacred space typically filled with visual reminders of God's presence and the communion of saints, the sudden absence of these familiar images calls us to a deeper spiritual awareness. It is as if the Church is inviting us to feel the weight of loss—to walk with Christ through His betrayal, suffering, and death, with our senses sharpened by absence. The veiling of statues is not something to do because it is Lent! The symbolism is meaningless until we once again grasp the sacredness of the event. Fr. Bill “Hay Fodder”