Can women be included in the washing of feet on Holy Thursday?

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Is_it_okay_to

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Refresh my memory. Is it permitted to include women in the washing of feet on Holy Thursday? I think the answer is no, but I need some documentation.
 
Here is what the 1988 Circular Letter on Holy Week, Paschale Solemnitatis, has to say:
  1. The washing of the feet of **chosen men **which, according to tradition, is performed on this day, represents the service and charity of Christ, who came “not to be served, but to serve.” [58] This tradition should be maintained, and its proper significance explained.
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This document, promulgated by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, remains in force today.
 
It is no. Jesus only washed His Apostles’ feet, He didn’t wash all of His disciple’s feet. The washing of feet represents the charity and service of Christ, which a priest must imitate, being another Christ. Since women cannot be ordained, they cannot participate in the washing of feet.
 
I am taking a Collaborative Ministry course as offered by CLI and its being held in my local Church on Saturday mornings. This past Saturday was the first class. In the class the instructor stated that she was involved in a parish where all the parish lay ministers participated in the washing of the feet to show that all ministers were servants of the congregation. I know this is incorrect and I think that only the Ordinary takes this role. However, what I don’t know is where the official Church teaching is on this.

Can you liturgy experts here on CAF help me out? I want to write up a short essay to give to the instructor as well as to the other students on this topic and I will need verifiable sources.

I want to do this because:


  1. *]three of the students in the class are preparing for acceptance into the permanent Deaconate and I want them to know that what she described is a liturgical abuse and when they are in leadership they need to squelch this sort of activity;
    *]I know it’s wrong and the instructor of any Catholic based class should not putting forth information that is contrary to the teachings of the Church.

    Thanking you in advance,
    A.S.
 
Hmm…back in PA, women’s (and kids’) feet were washed on Holy Thursday, as part of the service. :confused:
 
Among_Strangers said:
I am taking a Collaborative Ministry course as offered by CLI and its being held in my local Church on Saturday mornings. This past Saturday was the first class. In the class the instructor stated that she was involved in a parish where all the parish lay ministers participated in the washing of the feet to show that all ministers were servants of the congregation. I know this is incorrect and I think that only the Ordinary takes this role. However, what I don’t know is where the official Church teaching is on this.

Can you liturgy experts here on CAF help me out? I want to write up a short essay to give to the instructor as well as to the other students on this topic and I will need verifiable sources.

I want to do this because:


  1. *]three of the students in the class are preparing for acceptance into the permanent Deaconate and I want them to know that what she described is a liturgical abuse and when they are in leadership they need to squelch this sort of activity;
    *]I know it’s wrong and the instructor of any Catholic based class should not putting forth information that is contrary to the teachings of the Church.

    Thanking you in advance,
    A.S.
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  1. Click on the link in the post above by Lepanto. It’s an image of a letter from the Holy See stating very clearly what the Church’s official position, teaching, and liturgical law have to say about the matter. I suggest printing that image and showing it to those who might have doubts.

    Here’s part of what it says:

    …the washing of the feet is reserved to “chosen men”…
    This Dicasters considers this legislation clear and wishes to add nothing further
 
FrDavid96 said:
Click on the link in the post above by Lepanto. It’s an image of a letter from the Holy See stating very clearly what the Church’s official position, teaching, and liturgical law have to say about the matter. I suggest printing that image and showing it to those who might have doubts.

Here’s part of what it says:

…the washing of the feet is reserved to “chosen men”…
This Dicasters considers this legislation clear and wishes to add nothing further
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Thank you I saw that and plan on using it but the question is about the person washing the feet not the people whose feet are washed.

This instructor told us that it was ALL the ministers in the church washing everyone feet. I have the references on why 12 men and 12 men only - but I need something about the having only the Ordinary doing the foot washing. Thanks.
 
I read the info in that link–thank you. So, the parish we belonged to and loved for years, was in violation of this, I guess. That seems so…odd to me. I’m feeling sad right now over this, because they were very much a ‘by the book’ kind of parish. 😦
 
I’m just ‘thinking out loud,’ but I personally don’t imagine Jesus coming back today, only washing men’s feet, as if women were not to be called as servants also. :(He chose His Apostles who were all men…but I don’t see Jesus only washing the feet of priests, TODAY, if He were to reenact this. This is not to say I am in disagreement with the document here, and this isn’t a feminist point of view. It’s a human being point of view…I don’t imagine that Jesus would exclude people like this, today.I would like to know why the Church teaches this. I need to understand better, perhaps.
 
I guess our parish is too. I know females have participated in this ritual at our parish.
whatevergirl said:
I read the info in that link–thank you. So, the parish we belonged to and loved for years, was in violation of this, I guess. That seems so…odd to me. I’m feeling sad right now over this, because they were very much a ‘by the book’ kind of parish. 😦
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msugeotech said:
I guess our parish is too. I know females have participated in this ritual at our parish.
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Yeah, and why is this a bad thing? I’m really shocked right now. I am very saddened to read this. I guess I didn’t know there was a right/wrong way, except that of course, only PRIESTS and not nuns needed to the actual washing of the feet. Not lay people. From seeing women’s and children’s feet washed, I guess I just didn’t think about it. 😦
 
whatevergirl said:
I’m just ‘thinking out loud,’ but I personally don’t imagine Jesus coming back today, only washing men’s feet, as if women were not to be called as servants also. :(He chose His Apostles who were all men…but I don’t see Jesus only washing the feet of priests, TODAY, if He were to reenact this. This is not to say I am in disagreement with the document here, and this isn’t a feminist point of view. It’s a human being point of view…I don’t imagine that Jesus would exclude people like this, today.I would like to know why the Church teaches this. I need to understand better, perhaps.
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I, for one, don’t even consider this line of discussion. Jesus will not come back to change anything… only to end it.

It is pointless to surmise that He would or would not wash everyone’s feet. That instruction was given once, in His lifetime. We need only to accept it and not surmise how things would change, or He would change, because we have changed the times.

On the other hand, if He came back on Saturday night, knocked on your door, and wanted to go to Church with you the next day… would you take Him to His … or to yours? I would hope they would be the same.👍

.
 
Among_Strangers said:
Thank you I saw that and plan on using it but the question is about the person washing the feet not the people whose feet are washed.

This instructor told us that it was ALL the ministers in the church washing everyone feet. I have the references on why 12 men and 12 men only - but I need something about the having only the Ordinary doing the foot washing. Thanks.
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Well, the word “Ordinary” refers to the bishop of the diocese. Perhaps you mean the celebrant (or presider) in other words, the priest who is the principle celebrant at that Mass? For the question of who does this? one need only read the Sacramentary. The rubrics specifically say “the priest” and there is no provision whatsoever to allow for someone else to do this. There are times (like the Exsultet for example) when it may be a licit option for someone else to do the priest/deacon’s part of the Triduum Liturgy, but this is definately not one of those times.
 
MrS said:
I, for one, don’t even consider this line of discussion. Jesus will not come back to change anything… only to end it.

It is pointless to surmise that He would or would not wash everyone’s feet. That instruction was given once, in His lifetime. We need only to accept it and not surmise how things would change, or He would change, because we have changed the times.

On the other hand, if He came back on Saturday night, knocked on your door, and wanted to go to Church with you the next day… would you take Him to His … or to yours? I would hope they would be the same.👍

.
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The instruction was given…where? He DEMONSTRATED servanthood to men, yes…where did He instruct that only men’s feet be washed? Please, show me this.
 
MrS said:
I, for one, don’t even consider this line of discussion. Jesus will not come back to change anything… only to end it.

It is pointless to surmise that He would or would not wash everyone’s feet. That instruction was given once, in His lifetime. We need only to accept it and not surmise how things would change, or He would change, because we have changed the times.

On the other hand, if He came back on Saturday night, knocked on your door, and wanted to go to Church with you the next day… would you take Him to His … or to yours? I would hope they would be the same.👍

.
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Please don’t judge me. I am a devout Catholic, this ‘rule’ is news to me. (bolded part, mine) Especially, if you have witnessed women and children having their feet washed, why would one question?
 
I don’t have any real feelings either way. I just simply didn’t know.
whatevergirl said:
Yeah, and why is this a bad thing? I’m really shocked right now. I am very saddened to read this. I guess I didn’t know there was a right/wrong way, except that of course, only PRIESTS and not nuns needed to the actual washing of the feet. Not lay people. From seeing women’s and children’s feet washed, I guess I just didn’t think about it. 😦
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This question came up in March 2008 too (and probably every year before that :D)

This was my response then:
This question was recently answered on the Catholic Answers board at EWTN. Apologist Michelle Arnold stated that "Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston sought clarification from Rome over whether women could be included in the washing of feet on Holy Thursday. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments “affirmed the liturgical requirement that only the feet of men be washed at the Holy Thursday ritual” but provided for “the archbishop to make a pastoral decision concerning his practice of the rite if such a decision would be helpful to the faithful of the archdiocese” . She quoted this source: rcab.org/Pilot/2005/ps050…ythursday.html
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So clearly this is not an unchangeable tradition and again to quote Michelle Arnold, “the Vatican has begun to allow for pastoral decisions to be made in local areas as to whether the feet of women should be washed on Holy Thursday”.
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