Altar Girls - Official or Not?

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Quaere_Verum

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My daughter wanted me to ask if it is “official or not offical” to have girls as altar servers? She’ll be coming on to read your responses. Please be nice!
 
in this country it is up to the bishop of each diocese. even if he gives his permission, not individual pastor can be forced to invite girls (or school age boys for that matter) to be altar servers. many parishes here use adult males only
 
Thank you for your answer. What does your diocese say?

Thanks,
QV’s Daughter
 
Quaere_Verum said:
Thank you for your answer. What does your diocese say?

Thanks,
QV’s Daughter
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There is currently only 1 diocese in the U.S. (Lincoln, Nebraska) that does not allow altar girls. The other one that did not permit them (Arlington, VA) decided to allow them a year or 2 ago.

James
 
In our Diocese, (Diocese of Calgary) Altar Servers are between the ages of 7 and 16, and have received their First Holy Communion. They can be boys or girls; it doesn’t matter. Many girls have also received awards for excellence from the Diocese for their service on the altar, right alongside the boys. 🙂
 
In the Diocese of Rockford, girls may serve on the altar, but boys and girls may not serve together at the same Mass or liturgical event. Excepting in the EF parishes, servers have completed the fourth grade and have made their first reconciliation and first communion.

In the EF parishes, it’s boys only, as soon as they’ve made their first communion.
 
Lansing, Mi diocese “permits” the use of girls altar servers. The understanding has always been IMHO, that this permission is given where and when the norm of altar boys is not a reality.

Further, many priests I know, who have inherited both, try to have only boys or only girls in the sanctuary at one Mass… not always possible.

A local parish which used to have 75 servers (400 families) all boys, is down to 30 boys. And the girls are being encouraged by their moms to try out. Of course the change in pastor (to a good man who wants to appease everyone) might be the reason.

Like many changes in the last 40 years since VatII, this “practice” started out without permission and without legitimate reason (again IMHO). Over time the abuse was entrenched and the weaker clergy (IMHO) went with the flow. And another “norm” was born.

However, I have yet to see a Mass celebrated by JPII or by B16 employ girls in the sanctuary for any reason. (World Youth Day hardly counts as an example of a regular Mass).

.
 
James0235 said:
There is currently only 1 diocese in the U.S. (Lincoln, Nebraska) that does not allow altar girls. The other one that did not permit them (Arlington, VA) decided to allow them a year or 2 ago.

James
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and where are the most priestly vocations occuring??:rolleyes:
 
More altar boys never sought to be a priest than did.

It looks good to say this seminarian or that was an altar boy but to say this ever generated vocations does not bear up.

Probably more come from 3rd world countries (as Ireland once was) where those who were not in a trade and could not inherit the land would consider the religious life. Also those considered ‘only good for the books’ entered seminary as well.
 
In accord with the above cited instructions of the Holy See such an authorization may not, in any way, exclude men or, in particular, boys from service at the altar, nor require that priests of the diocese would make use of female altar servers, since “it will always be very appropriate to follow the noble tradition of having boys serve at the altar” (Circular Letter to the Presidents of Episcopal Conference, March 15, 1994, no. 2). Indeed, the obligation to support groups of altar boys will always remain, not least of all due to the well known assistance that such programs have provided since time immemorial in encouraging future priestly vocations (cf. ibid*.*)
adoremus.org/CDW-AltarServers.html
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James0235 said:
There is currently only 1 diocese in the U.S. (Lincoln, Nebraska) that does not allow altar girls. The other one that did not permit them (Arlington, VA) decided to allow them a year or 2 ago.

James
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Here in the Arlington diocese it is allowed by the bishop if the pastor so chooses. We do not have altar girls at our parish.

(Off topic a bit, but kudos to our boys and young men who do an excellent job! The parish has just started a TLM twice a month and the altar boys who want to serve during these masses are working really hard in order to participate.)
 
IrishAm said:
Here in the Arlington diocese it is allowed by the bishop if the pastor so chooses. We do not have altar girls at our parish.

(Off topic a bit, but kudos to our boys and young men who do an excellent job! The parish has just started a TLM twice a month and the altar boys who want to serve during these masses are working really hard in order to participate.)
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:clapping: :extrahappy: :gopray2:

I am REALLY hoping and praying that as the traditional mass is promulgated more that it encourages more vocations to the priesthood and religious. Hooray!
 
Irish Am over in St Leo’s in Fairfax City we don’t have girl servers either.
 
We are phasing girls out at my parish…so it will be official in the next year here.
 
Keep in mind that the permission to allow women to serve at the altar was initially granted for the specific circumstances found in women prisons. While a priest may visit, he would not be able to bring male altar servers with him and so special permission was granted to use females under those extraordinary circumstances. However, as with anything extraordinary it seems many bishops took is as blanket permission to make it ordinary.
 
gelsbern said:
Keep in mind that the permission to allow women to serve at the altar was initially granted for the specific circumstances found in women prisons. While a priest may visit, he would not be able to bring male altar servers with him and so special permission was granted to use females under those extraordinary circumstances. However, as with anything extraordinary it seems many bishops took is as blanket permission to make it ordinary.
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Permission has, in fact, been granted by the Vatican for girls to serve at the altar, with their priest’s permission. Nobody is “abusing” anything.
 
jmcrae said:
Permission has, in fact, been granted by the Vatican for girls to serve at the altar, with their priest’s permission. Nobody is “abusing” anything.
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Perhaps that is vague:

From Redemptionis Sacramentum

47.] It is altogether laudable to maintain the noble custom by which boys or youths, customarily termed servers, provide service of the altar after the manner of acolytes, and receive catechesis regarding their function in accordance with their power of comprehension.[119] Nor should it be forgotten that a great number of sacred ministers over the course of the centuries have come from among boys such as these.[120] Associations for them, including also the participation and assistance of their parents, should be established or promoted, and in such a way greater pastoral care will be provided for the ministers. Whenever such associations are international in nature, it pertains to the competence of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments to establish them or to approve and revise their statutes.[121] Girls or women may also be admitted to this service of the altar, at the discretion of the diocesan Bishop and in observance of the established norms.[ 38 (2002) 46-54.122[/COLOR]*Notitiae *Notitiae
 
jmcrae said:
Permission has, in fact, been granted by the Vatican for girls to serve at the altar, with their priest’s permission. Nobody is “abusing” anything.
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Permission was granted after the fact. The original permission for using females to serve at the altar was originally granted back in the late 70’s I believe. I will provide the documentation as soon as I can find it again.
 
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