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Nota_Bene
Guest
Some additional insights on the issue of altar girls by the Reverend Father Robert Levis, Ph.D.
Question from David C. Manning on 11-14-2004: I don’t know if this is a doctrinal or liturgical matter; I haven’t been a Roman Catholic long enough to fully understand the dividing line. However, since the following has become urgent and controversial in our parish, I hope you will respond to this, even if it’s strictly liturgical. For thirty years, our parish has run a very successful, all-boy altar servers’ program. Recently, this has borne fruit in one new vocation - the new priest now is serving a parish in Sacramento, California - and one boy who presently is actively considering the priesthood.
Two years ago, we acquired a new priest who describes himself as “a Catholic liberal”. Recently, he moved unilaterally to integrate our altar boys’ program. His actions have resulted in the program’s near-decimation. Some parents have pulled their boys out; other boys have quit on their own. So, here’s my question: Where the Vatican is concerned, my understanding is that, in a recent encyclical or some other directive, it discouraged the practice of female altar servers. If this is correct, where may I find this in writing? If it isn’t correct, what is the official position of the Church on this contentious matter?
Answer by Fr. Robert J. Levis on 11-15-2004: Dear David, This post is excellent in particularizing my fears of the phenomenon of girl servers, i.e. young boys don’t want to serve with girls, and we lose the potential for recruitment for the Priesthood. To my limited knowledge, Rome’s official permission is to accept the servcies of the girls, the local pastor being willing. I am unaware at this time of any further official stance. Fr. Bob Levis
Yet another nugget of wisdom:
Question from Jay Koch on 11-19-2004: I appreciate David Manning’s concern about female altar servers. David, I have been a Catholic since childhood (many years). I welcome altar girls. They represent over fifty percent of the population of the United States (gender-wise), and they represent countless thousands of women who have served Christ in His Church, either as religious or laypersons throughout the centuries.
Nowhere in the NT does Jesus dicriminate against the female gender. In fact, He had broken the barriers of discrimation against them in a strongly patriarchal society. As we contemplate the role of women in the Church, we cannot help but recall that, at the foot of the cross were two women and one man, St. John. This gender ratio is often representative of the actual number of Catholics who have been, and are active in the Christian apostolate, either as laypersons or religious. Blessings, David.
Answer by Fr. Robert J. Levis on 11-23-2004: Dear David, Time will tell the fruits of the use of girl altar servers today. I suspect such results will not be hopeful in the issue of seminarians for the Priesthood. Aware of this major break with Tradition, both of the Old Testament, as well as of the past 200 centuries of Catholicism, we must be humble in our assessement of the good or bad results of this major liturgical experimentation. Fr. Bob Levis
Question from David C. Manning on 11-14-2004: I don’t know if this is a doctrinal or liturgical matter; I haven’t been a Roman Catholic long enough to fully understand the dividing line. However, since the following has become urgent and controversial in our parish, I hope you will respond to this, even if it’s strictly liturgical. For thirty years, our parish has run a very successful, all-boy altar servers’ program. Recently, this has borne fruit in one new vocation - the new priest now is serving a parish in Sacramento, California - and one boy who presently is actively considering the priesthood.
Two years ago, we acquired a new priest who describes himself as “a Catholic liberal”. Recently, he moved unilaterally to integrate our altar boys’ program. His actions have resulted in the program’s near-decimation. Some parents have pulled their boys out; other boys have quit on their own. So, here’s my question: Where the Vatican is concerned, my understanding is that, in a recent encyclical or some other directive, it discouraged the practice of female altar servers. If this is correct, where may I find this in writing? If it isn’t correct, what is the official position of the Church on this contentious matter?
Answer by Fr. Robert J. Levis on 11-15-2004: Dear David, This post is excellent in particularizing my fears of the phenomenon of girl servers, i.e. young boys don’t want to serve with girls, and we lose the potential for recruitment for the Priesthood. To my limited knowledge, Rome’s official permission is to accept the servcies of the girls, the local pastor being willing. I am unaware at this time of any further official stance. Fr. Bob Levis
Yet another nugget of wisdom:
Question from Jay Koch on 11-19-2004: I appreciate David Manning’s concern about female altar servers. David, I have been a Catholic since childhood (many years). I welcome altar girls. They represent over fifty percent of the population of the United States (gender-wise), and they represent countless thousands of women who have served Christ in His Church, either as religious or laypersons throughout the centuries.
Nowhere in the NT does Jesus dicriminate against the female gender. In fact, He had broken the barriers of discrimation against them in a strongly patriarchal society. As we contemplate the role of women in the Church, we cannot help but recall that, at the foot of the cross were two women and one man, St. John. This gender ratio is often representative of the actual number of Catholics who have been, and are active in the Christian apostolate, either as laypersons or religious. Blessings, David.
Answer by Fr. Robert J. Levis on 11-23-2004: Dear David, Time will tell the fruits of the use of girl altar servers today. I suspect such results will not be hopeful in the issue of seminarians for the Priesthood. Aware of this major break with Tradition, both of the Old Testament, as well as of the past 200 centuries of Catholicism, we must be humble in our assessement of the good or bad results of this major liturgical experimentation. Fr. Bob Levis