"Altar server" alternatives for girls: what alternate activities foster female vocations?

[Lepanto]

It is well known that many priests got their first inklings of their vocations from when they served as altar boys.

Since women can’t be priests, I would like to know of activities/organizations either inside or outside the parish which can draw girls closer to God and the Church? In particular, I especially would like to know which activities/organizations may inspire girls to eventually discern religious life? (Please do not include altar servers.)

We are starting up a vocations program (for both boys and girls) at my parish and your suggestions will come in handy!

Please let’s not get into the debate of whether or not girls should be altar servers. That would be OFF TOPIC.

Thank you!

 

[Kielbasi]

Singing in the choir is an alternative.

It can get the young ladies involved in the mass, and hopefully when they are adults they will show interest in the extraordinary eucharistic ministry , usher , reader or other liturgical function.

 

[mystified]

As a part of youth ministry, some parishes sponsor Venturing with a Religious Life specialty. This program, for girls and boys in the ages of 14-20, provides opportunities for leadership, growth in social, religious and ethical facets of life.

 

[marymol]

Visiting homes for the elderly , for the purpose of prayer and fellowship …seems some of the programs run by churches focus on entertainment type activities alone …

Some parishes have the whole parish divided into geographical
family units , and each unit then take initiative , for such …Sometimes , the unit leader making the call , inviting the ’ neighbor ’ , makes all the diffrence …

Such programs can be arranged to include parents as well, thus creating more bonding .

 

[puzzleannie]

It is well known that many priests got their first inklings of their vocations from when they served as altar boys.

Since women can’t be priests, I would like to know of activities/organizations either inside or outside the parish which can draw girls closer to God and the Church? In particular, I especially would like to know which activities/organizations may inspire girls to eventually discern religious life? (Please do not include altar servers.)
!

Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas
and junior or auxiliaries of other women’s organizations
childrens or your choir
assisting with religious education programs, probably the best way to foster teaching vocation
Legion of Mary, in many parishes has a youth program
Sodalities, go under various names, are women’s organizations, almost all have youth wings
Youth Ministry, particularly youth group leadership and peer ministry programs
Respeto is a peer youth ministry program for Hispanic youth

many or most religious orders offer retreat experiences for young women interested in learning more about the order and their way of life

 

[chicago]

Ideally, these girls would have the opportunity to hang out and interact in activities associated with women religious. So, for instance, if there are still sisters at the parish school, perhaps they can help out with some stuff after school that the sisters are involved with in their apostolate. Or, if there aren’t any sisters at the parish, find some in the local community and have the girls assist in whatever type of ministry the sisters are active in.

Also, prayer activities might appeal to some girls. So a rosary group or whatever. Kind of along the more ocntemplative lines rather than active, here.

Perhaps the girls can help out with sacristan type things. Altar and roasry society, or whatever.

 

[RitaM]

When I was in a traditional Episcopal parish, boys and men would be altar servers, and young ladies and women would be in the altar guild. At my catholic parish now, the sacristan does all of the work that the altar guild would have done, so that’s not an option. Every parish I’ve known has a more or less formal prayer group that leads the rosary before daily Mass and organizes or leads first Saturday devotions, Corpus Christi processions, May crownings, etc. These groups would be awesome for young ladies. Although they aren’t exclusively for women, they often are de facto.

 

[Pious_Mat]

It ought to be said that one does not necessarily have to serve mass to foster a vocation. I am in the process of discernment, and have never served mass in my life. Also, I’ve noticed that most of the altar boys in Diocese lead rather dissolute lives outside of church, meaning that in my diocese, this position is not fostering many vocations.

I have always thought that vocations weren’t fostered by belonging to a million and one parish committees, but rather through prayer, fasting, attending mass, and spending time before the blessed sacrament.

 

[THutch04]

What did girls have before they were allowed to participate in the Mass? Like, traditionally females didn’t sing in the choir, or do the readings, or clean the altar linens, these were all done by men. Maybe just being exposed to religious life more would help. So that girls can see from an earlier age what religious life entails and what they can do.

 

[Lepanto]

I have always thought that vocations weren’t fostered by belonging to a million and one parish committees, but rather through prayer, fasting, attending mass, and spending time before the blessed sacrament.

All very true, but what you mentioned is assumed.

 

[jc-servant]

Our teens are exposed to adoration as a group on our high school retreats even if their families never took them to participate. We have religious priests, brothers and sisters come on every retreat and visit at other times during the year from orders that the kids might not otherwise encounter. I was an adult convert, so a teen retreat (where I was a volunteer) was my first time to have a lengthy conversation with a nun also. It provides an insight into religious life that you cannot get even merely observing a nun in your parish working at a job.

Last year contemplative nuns from Mexico came to thank our parish for the work our teens have done in building them a new convent in the countryside. It was their only time to travel since taking vows. They kept setting their handbags down and leaving them because they had never carried one before. It was sweet to see the kids watching out for them. The teens had a unique opportunity to spend time with contemplative nuns while working on their convent. We now have one young lady who has taken her first vows for a contemplative order who went through Lifeteen with all of the adoration and other learning opportunities it provided.

We had a priest who worked with Lifeteen in our parish who started a vocations group for the young men. They met and talked about life as a priest/brother. He led an annual trip to visit the monastery where he lived before he became a priest. The young ladies can attend similar vocations discernment at a convent through our diocese.