Does your parish have/allow adult female altar servers?

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Usige said:
It is partially driven by the individual pastors. The bishop desires that any man that petitions be an experienced sacristan and requires a letter of recommendation from the pastor. I would say there is more discernment than say an EMHC, reader, et cetera, but not as much as we went through before being accepted as aspirants for diaconal formation. They also are required to attest that they will cease functioning in the ministry if they enter into an invalid marriage, cohabitate, or otherwise lead a lifestyle incompatible with serving at the Lord’s altar.
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That’s all very excellent. It’s nice to see some take this so seriously.
Usige said:
Part of the application is a detailed training plan that includes Liturgical Duties, Training and Formation Plan, and a continuing education agreement. The initial training must include relevant sections of the GIRM, Redemptionis Sacramentum, Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, Code of Canon Law (230, 897-898, 907, 910-944), and Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass. There is also required training on care of sacred vessels, proper cleansing, dressing the altar, overview of various liturgical rites, etc.

Like I say, it’s not as comprehensive as clerical formation, but goes way beyond a 30-60 minute training session each year.
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Also excellent.
 
There are a few adults, both men and women, in my parish who will serve if no youth altar server is present at the Saturday evening Mass. That happens a fair bit since only one youth altar server, a girl, normally serves on Saturday.

Two weeks ago, I was called upon to do so. I prefer not to but no one else who does it was available so they figured I’d know what to do. It’s minimal when we adults do so: we prepare the altar after the Intercessions, accept the offerings with Father and hand him the wine, water, and the lavabo bowl and towel at the proper time then we return to our seats in the congregation.
 
The only time I have encountered adult female servers ( looked to be middle age)was while visiting the San Diego area.My husband and I attended Mass at the Cathedral there.The adult female servers were wearing long white vestments with long green jumper like coverings.They looked very Protestant to me and nothing I had ever seen before.I didn’t care for it at all.
 
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Jeanne_S said:
The adult female servers were wearing long white vestments with long green jumper like coverings.
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Were they sisters/nuns by chance? Sounds like they were wearing some sort of monastic scapular? Religious or not, they shouldn’t have been wearing them while serving Mass.
 
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Oh I don’t know They were wearing makeup if that’s any sort of clue. I just assumed they were laity
 
Jeanne_S said:
Oh I don’t know They were wearing makeup if that’s any sort of clue. I just assumed they were laity
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If it was something along the lines of this, it could be that some confused “liturgy director” came up with them to either remind the faithful that it was Ordinary Time or to make females look “sorta” like priestesses:
 
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