Altar Girls in Cassock/Surplice

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I’ve read enough of your posts to know that you intended nothing like that
Are you suggesting that ByzCath doesn’t like traditional Catholicism yet repeatedly posts in the traditional Catholic subforum? :eek:

😉
  • PAX
ETA: It occurs to me that the silliness behind my post might be taken seriously. No offense intended, just making a joke off off Brendan’s joke. Epic fail, I suppose.
 
I’ve read enough of your posts to know that you intended nothing like that :), it was strictly for clarification purposes :cool:
Speaking as someone that has apparently found the alternate meaning in a few things now…
Thanks for the clarification.
 
Are you suggesting that ByzCath doesn’t like traditional Catholicism yet repeatedly posts in the traditional Catholic subforum? :eek:

😉
  • PAX
Yes, but I try to occasionally cut him some slack. after all, it’s hard to get a good lead banjo player for the Apolitikion in Tone 4:p 😉
 
Are you suggesting that ByzCath doesn’t like traditional Catholicism yet repeatedly posts in the traditional Catholic subforum? :eek:

😉
  • PAX
ETA: It occurs to me that the silliness behind my post might be taken seriously. No offense intended, just making a joke off off Brendan’s joke. Epic fail, I suppose.
Not so, I did see the humor in it. If we can not laugh at ourselves sometimes then there is something wrong.
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Brendan:
Yes, but I try to occasionally cut him some slack. after all, it’s hard to get a good lead banjo player for the Apolitikion in Tone 4:p 😉
:blackeye:

Nice!
 
Here is a great explanation from the previous Holy Father of what the role of altar servers is, their dress, and even their true vocations.
Here is a great explanation from the previous Holy Father of what the role of altar servers is, their dress, and even their true vocations.
How beautiful is this!!!
I so loved our Holy Father - John Paul the Great.
 
hmmm…reminds me of the SSPX and others over the past number of decades…
Oh wow! A jab at the SSPX in the midst of an argument about “altar girls.” I predict a new record for the number of posts to a single thread.

Adding the question of altar girls wearing cassock and surplice having their feet washed on Holy Thursday could really send it over the top.

.
 
First, this is not “universally respected”
by “universally” I meant only in the Byzantine-Ruthenian Church, now noting another post regarding practice in the Chaldean Church (on which I cannot comment)

as for the propriety of the reported presence of women serving at the altar in the Byzantine-Ruthenian Church, the Norms of Particular Law are pretty explicit (see §8 below):
Canon 707 §l
§1. Bread for the Eucharist is to be made of wheaten flour, water and yeast only. According to liturgical prescription the prosphora bears the seal (IC XC NI KA).
§2. The Eucharistic fast shall be from solids one hour before the reception of the Divine Eucharist. Medications and water may be taken anytime.
§3. The vestments for the Eucharist are according to the Ruthenian recension and are to be put on in the order of the vesting prayers. The sticharion can be of any liturgical color.
§4. The Divine Liturgy may be celebrated at any suitable time, although the morning hours are preferred. Rather than the Divine Liturgy, the Office of the Presanctified Gifts, preferably celebrated in the evening, is prescribed for the ordinary weekdays of the Great Fast.
§5. The Divine Liturgy should normally be celebrated in a properly constructed church. The altar where the Liturgy is to be celebrated should have its own iconostas. In a case of true necessity, the Divine Liturgy can be celebrated outside a church building.
§6. The metropolitan Liturgical Commission is to prepare a standard text of usage for the Divine Liturgy. This is to be adapted to modern times, legitimate organic development of the Liturgy.
§7. Only a bishop, presbyter or deacon may preach the homily.
§8. Women are prohibited from serving at the altar.
 
by “universally” I meant only in the Byzantine-Ruthenian Church, now noting another post regarding practice in the Chaldean Church (on which I cannot comment)

as for the propriety of the reported presence of women serving at the altar in the Byzantine-Ruthenian Church, the Norms of Particular Law are pretty explicit (see §8 below):
Again, I know what the particular law says but I saw this in a Byzantine Ruthenian parish.

Also when were were told that “we do not do this” he then added that “we” do not have female altar servers serving from within the Sanctuary but that he had no problem with female servers serving from outside of the Sanctuary.
 
Why would anyone following this thread want to join the Catholic Church?
I am nauseated.
 
I recently saw at an OF mass an altar girl wearing a cassock and surplice. While I am pleased that this priest has decided to have his servers wear the traditional vestments (there was a boy wearing them, too), there was something even more disturbing about altar girls when they are wearing clerical vestments.

Has anyone else seen this? Is this a step forward or back? I feel like it is a step in the wrong direction as it further blurs the gender distinction in the liturgy, it seems to legitimate altar girls even more, and finally it meshes traditional and modern practices in a way that seems denigrating to the traditional.

What do you think?
  • PAX
At our Parish, boys and girls both wear an identical white robe. Not sure what the liturgical term for the robe is, but they have been in use for decades. After appropriate formation, girls and boys both serve through their senior years of high school, starting at age 10 I think. Boys don’t think twice about serving with girls or vice versa, doesn’t deter vocations or faith formation. We’ve had two priests come out of the parish in the last 6 years or so, as well as 2 students to Franciscan of Steubenvillde. Not too bad for a small town rural parish. The parish is exceptionally vibrant in both adult and youth ministry. 2 women in particular have done exceptional work in bringing people into the Catholic Church, in their ministry as pastoral associates (they don’t wear any particular garb).

If you had this clothing and gender concern at our parish you would be invited to join the liturgy committee and help. You would likely also be invited to buy all the vestments you wish, after running it by the director of liturgy, who’s a deacon with almost 30 years of experience, to determine appropriateness. He would be obedient to his pastor and bishop right down the line.

Honestly this concern might be a ways down the list. The Pastor and associated liturgical ministry are busy bringing the 12 new RCIA candidates into the Church at Easter, and how to plan the baptisms, confirmations and first communions associated, school masses, bilingual masses with Hispanics, bereavement masses, healiing masses, training choirs and lectors, helping train clergy and laity in the new missal, etc etc etc…As long as the servers are not wearing light-up tennis shoes under the robes, everyone’s pretty much happy. And we have noo problem getting young people involved with liturgy, whether it be servers, choir members, lectors. Gilrs and boys both. Women should be allowed participation in the liturgy to the full extent allowed by the Church. To do anything less is disobedience. That, is not Catholic, traditional or otherwise. ( I always thought Catholic Church was Catholic Church, I’m getting a real education here).
 
Altar girls are allowed via indult; a special permission. A bishop may allow them in his diocese. Even, then, the pastor may choose not to. Citing obedience is moot. A pastor is not obliged to have them and we laity are not obliged to like them.

You must OBEY (…our peculiar interpretation of Vatican 2. Or what is fashionable in our diocese.)
 
Why would anyone following this thread want to join the Catholic Church?
I am nauseated.
It also seems to affirming negative perceptions to be focused on boys in light of the scandals in the USA and IRE.
 
Altar girls are allowed via indult; a special permission. A bishop may allow them in his diocese. Even, then, the pastor may choose not to. Citing obedience is moot. A pastor is not obliged to have them and we laity are not obliged to like them.
It’s not an indult. It is an option. I know it seems like a distinction without a difference 🙂 but it IS different. When you talk about an indult, there is a universal norm that must be followed absent permission to do otherwise (indult). With an option, the proper authority is allowed to choose from a number of options.

Communion in the hand is an example of an indult. Without permission, a diocese licitly distributes Communion only on the tongue.

Female altar servers is an option. Any bishop can exercise the option without special permission. Once the bishop exercises the option, any priest who is in the bishop’s jurisdiction can exercise the option without special permission.
 
Women should be allowed participation in the liturgy to the full extent allowed by the Church. To do anything less is disobedience.
Bishops and pastors are the part of the Church which can deny female servers. Some priests even manage without any servers. And I don’t recall in my days of serving that I participated in the Mass any more when I did serve. I was always worried that I’d say or do something wrong; that’s no way to worship God IMO.
 
The little boy Samuel was dedicated to God and served at the temple.

And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. (1 Samuel 2:19)

I think of this whenever I put on a cassock and serve the priest at the altar. It’s like the uniform of those who serve. Like little Samuel, I am dedicated to the service of the Lord whenever I put on the “Little robe”. Except the robe I put on is size 17x. 😊

I have never been to SSPX Mass and try to wash my feet at least once daily. 😃

-Tim-
 
I’m resurrecting this topic because I was looking for advice on what we should have our altargirls wear and found this.

I initially favored the cassock and surplice because it resembles a nun’s habit but it’s more of an approximation than an imitation. Reading other responses talking about the cassock as clerical and the alb as liturgical has me changing my mind. I wish altargirls had their own vestments in imitation of nuns.

But whatever they wear, I’m thinking they should be veiled. It’s traditional for lay women and it imitates nuns. What do you think?
 
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