Mother Miriam on EWTN states that women should not be in the Sanctuary

[Elizabeth3]

Women do contribute in the parish life, but to Say we only want them in the background “doing the heaven lifting” because we don’t think it appropriate to have them in the sanctuary serving is silly.

While I don’t agree with the sentiment that men only want women doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes, it can seem that way when the argument about who should or should not be in the sanctuary is about women/men rather than clergy/laity. If the Church allows laity to read, altar serve, cantor etc, then that would include both women and men. It is traditional to have only men serve due to it being traditional that only clergy admitted into the minor orders served. It can be more fitting that only men serve in light of tradition. But that doesn’t mean it’s not fit for women, as part of the laity to serve as well. IOW, either way is not wrong. OT priests may have been all men in the service of the sacrifice, but the NT shows women at the sacrifice at foot of the cross, bringing spices to the tomb and as the first to hear and announce the news of the resurrection. Being a reader, altar server or cantor is fitting in light of women’s direct service to the Lord surrounding the event of his death and resurrection.

Lay men had to come into the picture because of a falling number of vocations. We didn’t have all the minor orders any longer to fulfill these serving roles at mass.

If only men serving at the altar was so effective at helping men discern, why did the numbers start falling long before women had any visible roles in the sanctuary? There must have been other factors at play. It would be good to look into what they were.

 

[dochawk]

I don’t really know what you mean by this. All of the readers I’ve seen read from the sanctuary. In different parishes. Unless you mean something else?

In the East, the “Holy Place” is separated from the rest of the church by the iconostasis. Cantors and the reader of the epistle do so from the main body of the church, not within the Holy Place (comparable to the western Sanctuary).

Even for the Gospel, the deacon leaves the holy place. (as does the priest in the absence of a deacon.

 

[phil19034]

Patron Saint of First Communicants: The Story of Blessed Imelda Lambertini - Mary Fabyan Windeatt - Google Books

I’ve searched a few links, cannot see anywhere that this confraternity resembles religious life of women.

It depends on the Chapter. There are several divisions of the society: young ladies, young gentlemen, ladies, and gentlemen.

In the pics I provided, there were two girls’ groups. One with the Archconfraternity of Blessed Imelda (also called Blessed Imelda Society). The other group was the Maidens of the Miraculous Medal.

Blessed Imelda
The way the young girls & women’s divisions prepare for a vocation is they teach about the contemplative life.

• The group meets for Adoration, first and foremost.
• They also attend mass on select days “in community” - meaning, they sit in their group, in dedicated pews, and not with their families. Even the 7 year olds.
• The girls will pledge to receive piously Holy Communion at least once a week
• Pledge to go to Holy Confession every two weeks
• Pledge to offer up daily their indulgences both plenary and partial for the poor souls of purgatory, their departed friends & family, and for their parish departed.

Also, some similar groups also pray the Divine Office or the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary in community.

That’s pretty big for little girl who just received her First Communion, and that’s how they teach girls what a vocation to the religious life (esp a contemplative order) is like.

The Maidens of the Miraculous Medal

• They are similar, but a local group.
• They do a pilgrimage at least once a year (often to visit a convent)
• This group is ages 8 to 22, so they have ranks, and positions within the group, with younger girls leaning from the older ones. Plus their is a group leader, who is in charge of selecting their activities, etc.
• They also are involved with community service & assist at the weekly potluck at their home parish.
• Here is a brochure for the Maidens: http://latinmasstrenton.org/lmt/MMM/MMM Information Brochure.pdf?1579324185

 

[phil19034]

Phil19034
Could you provide more info on that group for girls? I would love to see something like this started in my parish. Thanks

First - in the pics I posted, there were actually two groups.
The one with the lighter sashes was the “Maidens of the Miraculous Medal” from the Diocese of Trenton. Here is a brochure for the Maidens: http://latinmasstrenton.org/lmt/MMM/MMM Information Brochure.pdf?1579324185

The 2nd (with the deeper blue sashes) was the Archconfraternity of Blessed Imelda, which universally, isn’t limited to women. However that specific Chapter is. For more information regarding them, you could call Fr. Pasley at Mater Ecclesiae Catholic Church Blessed Imelda Lambertini Society – Mater Ecclesiae Roman Catholic Church – they like to tell people about their girl’s program (which is very successful).

I found this from what used to be the society’s website (About The Society)

Society of Blessed Imelda Lambertini

This society will pledge to receive piously Holy Communion at least once a week and Holy Confession every two weeks and to offer up daily their indulgences both plenary and partial for the poor souls of purgatory, their departed friends and family and for their parish departed. There are several divisions of the society: young ladies, young gentlemen, ladies, and gentlemen.

---

At another parish near me, the girls (7 to 18) group is called “Stella Maris Maidens.” They meet at least once a month on Saturdays

• Eucharistic Adoration at 8am
• Mass at 9am
• followed by breakfast, a spiritual discussion with Father, and an activity

Not sure what time it ends, but it’s all about learning to become dedicated to Adoration.

Some groups even pray the parts of the Divine Office or the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

If you have more questions, keep them coming. Also, read the post directly above, that I sent to TheLittleLady

 

[AlNg]

The ability to form speech in the brain is more developed in women vs. men.

What is the biological trigger that gives women a greater ability to form speech? If you look at the greatest speeches of all time, you don’t find too many women authors.

 

[Elizabeth3]

What is the biological trigger that gives women a greater ability to form speech? If you look at the greatest speeches of all time, you don’t find too many women authors.

It may have something to do with being the primary one who nurtures the young and from whom the young learn language from their close association. Women’s greater verbal ability is more readily used to serve the development of relationships on a personal level rather than something more abstract such as giving an inspiring speech to a crowd. It’s not that women aren’t capable of being inspiring or writing a great speech so much as it doesn’t interest the average woman as much as relating to others on a more personal level. It’s also not that men are not capable of relating on a personal level but that the average man would rather inspire and lead a group with abstract ideas. It’s a matter of degrees of interest that are affected by our biological makeup as men and women. Both are strengths that serve the common good in a complementary way.

 

[Anne1964]

Phil19034
Thanks for the info regarding the girls’ groups. I think something like this would go over well in my parish. I will be speaking to Father about the idea.

 

[Lenny]

Let us know here what he thought of the idea.

Thx.