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Zach
Guest
On the other hand practically all the collectors are men, at least in the many different parish churches I’ve attended.
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Reuben_J
Guest
I think it depends from place to place. If there are more women among the church goers, it stand to reason that there probably are more women available to accept the appointment as EMHCs.Lea101:
Its certainly not a crisis one way or another. But its interesting to notice and guess the reason for disproportionate numbers of one demographic group or another in any role, or business- particularly when it is something open to all.
In other places, the majority of the EMHCs are still men. Maybe women are catching up in number if they feel that they are not against the norm to be EMHCs.
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PetraG
Guest
Well, it is often easier to get women to volunteer by just putting up a notice that says, “we need volunteers.” If there is active recruitment–meaning, people being approached individually with “we have this job and we think you would be good at it” then the numbers are more even, I think.
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Augustinian
Guest
That’s certainly true, if the Church thought this was a problem, targeted recruitment could help shape the demographics of the group.
But is it a problem that a lot women like the duty and put their name up for it?
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Lea101
Guest
It is interesting generally but I personally don’t think there’s a great answer here tbh. I simply assume that not many guys are interested in volunteering-type of work. That or a particular parish may have more religious women and that reflects in the groups as well?
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Phemie
Guest
Many more women EMHCs than men is certainly the case in our parish. I think the only men we have who are EMHCs are a few Knights of Columbus and they mostly distribute on the first Sunday of the month which has been designated KofC Sunday since I came to this parish 21 years ago. But as someone mentioned above, we make a general call for volunteers, we don’t tap someone on the shoulder and say “We need you.”
I think you do get a different perspective depending on which Mass you attend. I tend to mostly attend the Saturday evening Mass because that’s the one where I’ve volunteered to be a reader. There are no male EMHCs assigned on Saturday when there are usually fewer than 50 people and when we only use one EMHC, to minister the Cup.
I think you do get a different perspective depending on which Mass you attend. I tend to mostly attend the Saturday evening Mass because that’s the one where I’ve volunteered to be a reader. There are no male EMHCs assigned on Saturday when there are usually fewer than 50 people and when we only use one EMHC, to minister the Cup.
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Augustinian
Guest
Regardless of what the answer is on this query, I don’t see it as much of a real problem at all.
It doesn’t offend me to see a lot of young ladies in this role or any other role as an altar server, reader, etc, I don’t feel “excluded” in the least.
It doesn’t offend me to see a lot of young ladies in this role or any other role as an altar server, reader, etc, I don’t feel “excluded” in the least.
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Zach
Guest
Is there anyone else here who goes to churches where there are an equal amount of male and female EMHCs, readers, cantor’s, servers? That’s how it is in the several Churches I attend. By reading this thread I’m beginning to think every church besides the ones I attend it is females who overwhelmingly volunteer.
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Phemie
Guest
In my parish you wouldn’t see any “young” ladies unless you, yourself are over 65 and consider anyone under that age “young”. I don’t think we have any EMHCs younger than 55. Our youngest reader is a teenager but she’s the only one under 40. The majority of our readers are over 55, at least a few are in their 80s.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
And that and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee.
There are parishes with all women EMHCs. There are parishes with no women EMHCs. There are parishes where it’s split 50/50 and every other proportion you could name.
It’s all about who in a particular parish bothers to volunteer for the task.
Same for lectors.
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Tis_Bearself
Patron
And in a lot of other parishes there are younger women and younger men stepping up to take on these roles.
Again, it’s all about the demographics of the parish and who steps up for the task.
Again, it’s all about the demographics of the parish and who steps up for the task.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
No, it doesn’t matter.
This sort of thing is just more of people seeing what goes on at their parish, assuming it’s the same way in every parish out there, and proceeding to draw some big generalization from it.
waste of time
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Augustinian
Guest
Well, I am 62, and as I get older, my standards for considering people “young” have certainly got more flexible.
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on_the_hill
Guest
To be honest, I’ve never kept count. It’s pretty well mixed at our parish. If I remember, I’ll count them. I think most of our readers, EMHCs, and ushers are married couples. Servers, obviously, are too young to be married, but there’s a fairly equal split of boys and girls. The cantors and choir are also pretty well split.
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on_the_hill
Guest
Sometimes I see a young person (man or woman) and think, ‘Huh. She (or he) doesn’t look old enough to be an EMHC.’ College age.Phemie:
Well, I am 62, and as I get older, my standards for considering people “young” have certainly got more flexible.
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Peeps
Guest
We have a fairly equal number of men and women, and a fairly equal number of older folks and young ones. On Sunday evening, the teens generally do this service of EMHC.
I think that older men tend to have more mobility issues. Many of our older men (not ancient–I’m referring to men in their 50s-70s!) worked or still work in manual labor or at desk jobs and as a result, suffer from repetitive-stress injuries to hips, knees, and backs, as well as pains in the hands and elbows… It’s hard for them to struggle up and down steps, stand unsupported for any length of time, or pick up the tiny Hosts. (It’s hard for many women, too, like me!)
Also, balance issues might be an issue. I have a difficult time with this–I tend to stumble if I have to be in a line with lots of other people. I’ve taken several falls because of knees that give way or because I can’t see well out the sides of my glasses and so I think that a tiny object on the floor or a wrinkle in the carpet is bigger than it is, and when I try to swerve to avoid it, I fall or come close to falling.
So the issue could be a fear of falling or dropping the Body or Precious Blood.
It’s possible that some men have issues with looking people in the eyes and being physically close to others, especially others of the opposite sex.
It’s also likely that men, especially younger men with good mobility, get recruited to serve as ushers (or as Zach said, collectors).
My husband serves as an EMHC and he loves it! He’s 60.
I think that older men tend to have more mobility issues. Many of our older men (not ancient–I’m referring to men in their 50s-70s!) worked or still work in manual labor or at desk jobs and as a result, suffer from repetitive-stress injuries to hips, knees, and backs, as well as pains in the hands and elbows… It’s hard for them to struggle up and down steps, stand unsupported for any length of time, or pick up the tiny Hosts. (It’s hard for many women, too, like me!)
Also, balance issues might be an issue. I have a difficult time with this–I tend to stumble if I have to be in a line with lots of other people. I’ve taken several falls because of knees that give way or because I can’t see well out the sides of my glasses and so I think that a tiny object on the floor or a wrinkle in the carpet is bigger than it is, and when I try to swerve to avoid it, I fall or come close to falling.
So the issue could be a fear of falling or dropping the Body or Precious Blood.
It’s possible that some men have issues with looking people in the eyes and being physically close to others, especially others of the opposite sex.
It’s also likely that men, especially younger men with good mobility, get recruited to serve as ushers (or as Zach said, collectors).
My husband serves as an EMHC and he loves it! He’s 60.
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phil19034
Guest
Right … which is why I said SOME. From what I understand, there really were SOME priests and bishops who preferred women in lector and EMHC roles. How many had this view, no idea.phil19034:
And that and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee.
There are parishes with all women EMHCs. There are parishes with no women EMHCs. There are parishes where it’s split 50/50 and every other proportion you could name.
It’s all about who in a particular parish bothers to volunteer for the task.
Same for lectors.
However, I do know a priest today who prefers female lectors when all things are equal.
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Tis_Bearself
Patron
No doubt. And there are also Some traditionalist priests who don’t want women up there at all.
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casslean
Guest
Our lectors and EMHCs tend to be younger, with a near even split between men and women. In part, I think it’s because both of those are ministries more or less overseen by our pastor, which means that there is little opportunity for any one person or group to come “take over”. A lot of young people (myself included) who have struggled to participate elsewhere in the church because the old guard isn’t willing to make space find their way to being a lector or EMHC.
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Augustinian
Guest
Nothing wrong with that in my opinion.
A lot of men prefer to work with women, and if the priest you know is one of them, he’s not that rare of a bird.
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