Documents Concerning Altar Boys

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Suscipiat2011

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Hello,
I am currently writing a defense of Altar Serving being a Male only service. I am trying to find all of the documents concerning the allowing of girls to be altar servers, and was hoping that we could make a list on this thread, with links, to relevant documents concerning altar serving in general, and especially the allowing of girls.

I have heard that it was officially allowed in 1994, but have been unable to find the document which speaks of the canonical debate.

Thanks!

EDIT: Also, I do not want this to become an area of debat, like many other threads have become, but merely a list of documents concerning this issue. 👍
 
I believe that the purpose of altar boys was originially to foster vocations to the priesthood. From what I’ve read, whether or not to have altar girls is to the discretion of the bishop.
 
CatholicZ09 said:
I believe that the purpose of altar boys was originially to foster vocations to the priesthood. From what I’ve read, whether or not to have altar girls is to the discretion of the bishop.
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I know that, but what I am speaking of is finding all of the documents online, especially the 1994 documents, as I have had trouble finding the specific one which speaks of the issue concerning the interpretation of Canon Law.

I was hoping that someone would know where to find it, and maybe suggest other relevant documents.
😃
 
vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html

[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.[122]

[122] Cf. Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Response to dubium, 11 July 1992: AAS 86 (1994) pp. 541-542; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops concerning the liturgical service of laypersons, 15 March 1994: Notitiae 30 (1994) pp. 333-335, 347-348; Letter to a Bishop, 27 July 2001: Notitiae 38 (2002) 46-54.
 
JM3 said:
vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html

[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.[122]

[122] Cf. Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Response to dubium, 11 July 1992: AAS 86 (1994) pp. 541-542; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops concerning the liturgical service of laypersons, 15 March 1994: Notitiae 30 (1994) pp. 333-335, 347-348; Letter to a Bishop, 27 July 2001: Notitiae 38 (2002) 46-54.
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I was under the impression that there was an earlier document, within the same year, which touched upon this issue. I think it was a letter. Is this true? Maybe I have been on a wild-goose chase.
 
Suscipiat2011 said:
I was under the impression that there was an earlier document, within the same year, which touched upon this issue. I think it was a letter. Is this true? Maybe I have been on a wild-goose chase.
Click to expand...
JM3 said:
vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html

[122] Cf. Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Response to dubium, 11 July 1992: AAS 86 (1994) pp. 541-542; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops concerning the liturgical service of laypersons, 15 March 1994: Notitiae 30 (1994) pp. 333-335, 347-348; Letter to a Bishop, 27 July 2001: Notitiae 38 (2002) 46-54.
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  1. Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Response to dubium, 11 July 1992: AAS 86 (1994) pp. 541-542
2)Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops concerning the liturgical service of laypersons, 15 March 1994
  1. Notitiae 30 (1994) pp. 333-335, 347-348
So far, I haven’t been able to find the text of these online.
 
JM3 said:
vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html

[122] Cf. Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Response to dubium, 11 July 1992: AAS 86 (1994) pp. 541-542; Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops concerning the liturgical service of laypersons, 15 March 1994: Notitiae 30 (1994) pp. 333-335, 347-348; Letter to a Bishop, 27 July 2001: Notitiae 38 (2002) 46-54.
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Letter to a Bishop, 27 July 2001 - catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/DocumentContents/DocumentIndex/556
 
Suscipiat2011 said:
I know that, but what I am speaking of is finding all of the documents online, especially the 1994 documents, as I have had trouble finding the specific one which speaks of the issue concerning the interpretation of Canon Law.

I was hoping that someone would know where to find it, and maybe suggest other relevant documents.
😃
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:ouch:

Sorry! 😃
 
ewtn.com/library/curia/cdwcomm.htm

Following is the text of a communication sent from the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments to the presidents of episcopal conferences permitting altar girls.

Rome, 15 March 1994
 
CatholicZ09 said:
I believe that the purpose of altar boys was originially to foster vocations to the priesthood. From what I’ve read, whether or not to have altar girls is to the discretion of the bishop.
Click to expand...
adoremus.org/CDW-AltarServers.html
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.)
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The bishop may choose to allow them in his diocese, but cannot make them mandatory.

If the bishop has choosen to allow girls to serve at the altar, a pastor may then choose to allow them at his parish, but cannot make them mandatory ( an assoicate pastor or visiting priest may choose to have only boy assist him at Mass).

This is true because a parish pastor, by defintion, cannot carry more authority in the parish than the bishop himself has.

If the bishop cannot mandate the use of altar girls, then a parish priest subordinate to him can not likewise make it mandatory.
 
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