Foot Washing/Holy thursday

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asquared:
if women feel left out because they will not be having thier feet washed on Holy Thursday the person upon whom they should vent their anger is Jesus Christ. He only invited men to be his apostles, so they were the only ones invited to the Last Supper. Only 12 men are selected for Holy Thursday, should the rest of the congregation, men and women, feel left out and offended?
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We simply cannot definitively say that women were not present in the Cenacle at the Last Supper. We cannot definitively say that they WERE present, either. They simply weren’t mentioned in the story (neither was the menu, or the weather, or the color of the tablecloth). The women weren’t mentioned that often anyway. What we do know of them is that they were among His disciples (as opposed to His Apostles, an important distinction), and that they contributed to the material needs of Our Lord and those who moved about with Him. They may well have been present (as a species, we generally stick women with the cooking and the cleaning up, which is at least an anthropological argument for them having been there) and He may well have washed their feet. The only example as per the washing of the feet that we have is that He washed Saint Peter’s and we are lead to believe that He washed at least the other apostle’s feet as well. We don’t know if the other “disciples” got their feet washed by the Savior as well.
On the question of whether women should have their feet washed, I think it is simply a matter of obedience and also decorum, but if a bishop allowed it, I wouldn’t storm out of church.
 
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JKirkLVNV:
We simply cannot definitively say that women were not present in the Cenacle at the Last Supper. We cannot definitively say that they WERE present, either. They simply weren’t mentioned in the story (neither was the menu, or the weather, or the color of the tablecloth). The women weren’t mentioned that often anyway. What we do know of them is that they were among His disciples (as opposed to His Apostles, an important distinction), and that they contributed to the material needs of Our Lord and those who moved about with Him. They may well have been present (as a species, we generally stick women with the cooking and the cleaning up, which is at least an anthropological argument for them having been there) and He may well have washed their feet. The only example as per the washing of the feet that we have is that He washed Saint Peter’s and we are lead to believe that He washed at least the other apostle’s feet as well. We don’t know if the other “disciples” got their feet washed by the Savior as well.
On the question of whether women should have their feet washed, I think it is simply a matter of obedience and also decorum, but if a bishop allowed it, I wouldn’t storm out of church.
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Nor should we boycott the Mass of the Last Supper because the Bishop is following the norm issued by Rome.
 
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JKirkLVNV:
We simply cannot definitively say that women were not present in the Cenacle at the Last Supper. We cannot definitively say that they WERE present, either. They simply weren’t mentioned in the story (neither was the menu, or the weather, or the color of the tablecloth). The women weren’t mentioned that often anyway.
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The honorable gentleman from Nevada makes a great point. This leads to one of my favorite verses which answers “It doesn’t say that in the Bible!”. I give you John 21:25

25Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (NIV)

John
 
I would not want to see a priest- touching a woman’s bare foot. I never have, and I hope I never do.
 
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Sirach14:
Women are going to be turned off by this. why are they being left out?
charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/14228901.htm
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Thanks for posting that. Obedience is a good thing, especially when a bishop sets a good example by following Rome.

James Patout Burns Jr., who teaches at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, Tenn., said the debate over foot-washing reflects a deeper rift in the U.S. Catholic church between conservatives and liberals. Beyond foot-washing, he said, the issue is the role of women in the church.

Charlotte, he said, may be welcoming a growing number of Catholics from other areas with less traditional views. But that likely wouldn’t make a bishop budge.

“He doesn’t work for them,” Burns said. “He works for the guy in Rome.”
 
I’ve always heard it is only for men. I really truly do not understand why some women get so upset about these things. Now the church owes it to women to wash their feet? If the Church says it ok to wash the feet of both men and women fine, if it says it’s not ok and it should be only men fine. The church has the authority and we as Catholics submit to church authority.
 
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rayne89:
I’ve always heard it is only for men. I really truly do not understand why some women get so upset about these things. Now the church owes it to women to wash their feet? If the Church says it ok to wash the feet of both men and women fine, if it says it’s not ok and it should be only men fine. The church has the authority and we as Catholics submit to church authority.
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If only the feminists would see it that way! 😉
 
My pastor just asked me if I wanted to have my feet washed on Holy Thursday. What an honor. I only had that happen to me once in my lifetime. Have any of you had your feet washed? What was the experience like? Well, the real burning question I have is it considered inappropriate to keep wearing the same sox’s until Father washes my feet on Holy Thursday? :hmmm: :ehh:

K
 
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K-McD:
My pastor just asked me if I wanted to have my feet washed on Holy Thursday. What an honor. I only had that happen to me once in my lifetime. Have any of you had your feet washed? What was the experience like? Well, the real burning question I have is it considered inappropriate to keep wearing the same sox’s until Father washes my feet on Holy Thursday? :hmmm: :ehh:

K
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The same socks…from now…till Holy Thursday :eek: 😃

Check with the others/or follow what they do… 🙂
 
Since you are a male, and a parish member… enjoy the honor… and the humility of your pastor.
 
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MrS:
Since you are a male, and a parish member… enjoy the honor… and the humility of your pastor.
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I was asked to have my feet washed and I declined because women aren’t supposed to participate in this, right?
 
~SunShine~:
I was asked to have my feet washed and I declined because women aren’t supposed to participate in this, right?
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I believe the GIRM specifies “men” but that is often ignored. A practical consideration is that it might not be considered appropriate for a man- especially a priest- to touch a woman’s foot like that.
 
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m134e5:
I believe the GIRM specifies “men” but that is often ignored. A practical consideration is that it might not be considered appropriate for a man- especially a priest- to touch a woman’s foot like that.
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That also crossed my mind.
 
~SunShine~:
I was asked to have my feet washed and I declined because women aren’t supposed to participate in this, right?
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No. That is not right. Anyone can be selected to do this. I too have been selected this year, and there have been some women selected by the priest.
 
I wouldn’t be worried about the fact that I am female, just that my feet are really a sad sight to behold - very neglected looking :o

Wouldn’t want to inflict them on anyone, especially after a full day sweating in shoes and walking around.
 
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sadie2723:
No. That is not right. Anyone can be selected to do this. I too have been selected this year, and there have been some women selected by the priest.
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Well, the poster before me said it’s in the GIRM that women aren’t supposed to participate.
 
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sadie2723:
No. That is not right. Anyone can be selected to do this. I too have been selected this year, and there have been some women selected by the priest.
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I suggest you go the www.zenit.org site and refresh your history of this rite.

SCROLL down the main page to liturgy questions

One bishop was given a one time permission for a special instance, and all of a sudden “Anyone can be selected…”

If the footwashing is meant to remind us of something… and it is… then that something is what the Lord did at the Last Supper.

If the footwashing is meant to only show a level of humility of the priest… it may be done at another time.

If the footwashing is a source of confusion or argument, it may be eliminated altogether as it is only a part of the Holy Thursday remembrance.

If the footwashing is meant to be a reason why women should be a part of the Mass, or heaven forbid, the clergy… let them wait until another 12 Apostles are chosen by Christ…

Perhaps the number 12 has lost its significance in the liberal church… perhaps even the significance of men in the sanctuary…

Benedict 16 has written often on the liturgy… IT AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN.
 
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