Phoenix Arizona Diocese Cathedral Won't Allow Girls Serve On Altar

[centurionguard]

azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2011/08/21/20110821phoenix-catholic-diocese-girl-servers.html

**Girls no longer will be allowed as altar servers during Mass at the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, SS. Simon and Jude.

The Rev. John Lankeit, rector of the cathedral, said he made the decision in hopes of promoting the priesthood for males and other religious vocations, such as becoming a nun, for females.

Made up primarily of fifth- through eighth-graders the altar-server corps in American churches has included girls since 1983 in many places. Girls and boys regularly serve together at churches throughout the Phoenix Catholic Diocese.

Bishops and pastors always have had the option of restricting the role to boys, but only one diocese, Lincoln, Neb., and scattered parishes have done so. Before 1983, when church law was revised, girls were not allowed to serve.

At SS. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix, the girls will be offered the role of sacristan, the person who prepares the church and the altar area before Mass.

Lankeit said 80 to 95 percent of priests served as altar boys, but he could not state the percentage of altar servers who go on to be priests.

He made the decision on his own, he said, even though the cathedral is recognized as the home church of Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted and is used for some important church events.

“He leaves these decisions to me,” Lankeit said.

SS. Simon and Jude is believed to be the first church in the diocese of Phoenix to ban girls from serving Mass, according to the diocese.

Altar servers have a direct role in the Catholic Eucharistic ceremony, assisting the priest, and are the only lay people directly involved throughout the entire service. Other lay people may serve as lectors or Eucharistic ministers, helping the priest distribute communion.

“The connection between serving at the altar and priesthood is historic,” Lankeit said. “It is part of the differentiation between boys and girls, as Christ established the priesthood by choosing men. Serving at the altar is a specifically priestly act.”

There appears to be little if any research connecting altar service to a later decision to enter the priesthood - or connecting other types of service for girls to religious life as a nun. Anecdotally, the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., is one of the stronger dioceses in developing new priests.

The Rev. Kieran Kleczewski, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas in Avondale and director of the diocese Office of Worship, does not expect other parishes following the cathedral’s policy just because it is the cathedral.

“That’s not the way things work in our diocese,” he said. “The pastor has the authority over the parish’s liturgical practices.”

Kleczewski allows girls to serve Mass and has no plans to change.

Lankeit said there had been little reaction to his decision so far, but it was unlikely to sit well with many Catholics, especially those who have daughters who wish to serve.

“It is a shame on how the church continues to abuse the females,” said Bob Lutz of Phoenix, a Catholic with three grown daughters. “Church attendance is shrinking now, and this adds more fuel to the fire on how females are treated as second-class citizens.”

Carole Bartholomeuax of Phoenix, who attended St. Joan of Arc parish, said girls outnumbered boys as altar servers there.

“I believe Mary Magdalene set the example for women to be altar servers. I am so sorry to hear of this going backwards,” she said, adding that she still loves her church, “warts and all.”

But Michael Clancy, who heads the diocesan men’s group, said girls never were supposed to be allowed to serve, based on his understanding of the rules of the Mass.**

Gee! for once it looks like one Catholic Archdiocese has there Wits about them trying to promote and inspire boys becoming young men into the Priesthood

 

[irishpatrick]

It seems to me that if we want more Priests, we should do everything we can to encourage young men and boys. It has nothing to do with personal abilities, it has everything to do with vocations.

 

[lizaanne]

Outstanding news!! God bless this priest, because he is going to get it in the neck from a lot of people on this who just don’t get it.



~Liza

 

[irishpatrick]

Outstanding news!! God bless this priest, because he is going to get it in the neck from a lot of people on this who just don’t get it.



~Liza

Yes, he needs prayers.

 

[centurionguard]

It seems to me that if we want more Priests, we should do everything we can to encourage young men and boys. It has nothing to do with personal abilities, it has everything to do with vocations.

In my Parish 2/3 of the Altar Servers are Girls.

It begs asking with decreasing numbers of boys who might have wanted to serve but stay away because girls and women that now dominate the presence on the Sanctuary.

A lot of people might see this as bias and even chauvinistic.
However; it begs asking how serious the clergy promote vocational inspiration and service on the Altar for boys exclusively. Granted some of this inspiration has to come from Catholic parents too. It is a two-fold mission in the Church rarely addressed from the Ambo from what I have witnessed over the passing decades.

I think it would help too if the Knights of Columbus in conjunction with the parish priest helped with this mission.

 

[irishpatrick]

In my Parish 2/3 of the Altar Servers are Girls.

It begs asking with decreasing numbers of boys who might have wanted to serve but stay away because girls and women now dominate the presence on the Sanctuary.

A lot of people might see this as bias and even chauvinistic.
However; it begs asking how serious the clergy promote vocational inspiration and service on the Altar for boys exclusively. Granted some of this inspiration has to come from Catholic parents too. It is a two-fold mission in the Church rarely addressed from the Ambo from what I have witnessed over the passing decades.

Agreed. Most (not all) young men and boys tend to migrate to activities that they feel are male oriented. When they see so many girls and women serving at the Altar, they see nothing uniquely male to follow.

 

[Desertmesa]

This is good news. I admire this priest for his courage to take this stance.

 

[amgp]

Our parish has never allowed girls to serve together with boys at the same Mass. Our pastor also began phasing in an all male altar server program a few years ago. He explained that if a girl were already serving, she may continue, but any new servers who wished to join the ranks had to be boys. He clearly explained his reasons for doing this (help foster vocations, the history of altar boys in the Church, how the allowance for girls came about, etc.). It was very well received, and most all of the girls have dropped out of the program (only 3 remaining).

This type of phasing out approach was used at another parish in our area, and now they have an all-boy server program with over 60 boys involved. There are between 12 and 20 boys serving at each Mass…beautiful!

 

[Califman831]

bravo

 

[Inquiringperson]

As an altar boy living in the Diocese of Phoenix, I am glad Father John has decided to stop girls from being an altar servers. I have been discerning the priesthood, and I’m dismayed that there are no seminaries in Arizona. If more men goes to seminaries, maybe the state of Arizona can finally get a seminary.

 

[wisdomseeker]

Hopefully others will follow. The Church is turning around thanks be to God. Alleluia! May Almighty God continue to give the Bishop courage to continue to lead The Church back to Christ. Amen
Breaking God’s Laws is not a good idea.

 

[PaulinVA]

Whatever.

As long as this is done for the right reasons it’s okay. However, I find it somewhat scary that the young men we want to encourage to be priests are being taught from a young age that women are yucky and actually get in the way of mens fulfillment. Or, that men should be afraid of women and can only be successful if they are removed.

It is not right and not healthy for a parish to have priests believing this.

 

[glamourdollxoxo]

Whatever.

As long as this is done for the right reasons it’s okay. However, I find it somewhat scary that the young men we want to encourage to be priests are being taught from a young age that women are yucky and actually get in the way of mens fulfillment. Or, that men should be afraid of women and can only be successful if they are removed.

It is not right and not healthy for a parish to have priests believing this.

I agree completely that the whole women stand in the way idea is a little backwards thinking. Maybe they need to do more outreach, but to project the idea that women stand in the way isn’t the right way to go about it.

 

[asia53]

Whatever.

As long as this is done for the right reasons it’s okay. However, I find it somewhat scary that the young men we want to encourage to be priests are being taught from a young age that women are yucky and actually get in the way of mens fulfillment. Or, that men should be afraid of women and can only be successful if they are removed.

It is not right and not healthy for a parish to have priests believing this.

I agree!

A few years ago, there was a study in US public schools. In order to not turn my post into a MEGA-post, please allow me to summarize.

If a male student asked questions, the teacher, male or female, would almost bend over backwards to help. The female students were more or less left hanging, some help, but not as much effort as with the male student.

This is a horrible message to send to the girls. “Hey, you’re wonderful, just not good enough!” or “Don’t really need you girls, need the boys more!”

 

[Inquiringperson]

This is a horrible message to send to the girls. “Hey, you’re wonderful, just not good enough!” or “Don’t really need you girls, need the boys more!”

I’d like to respond with this. It has been a tradition for altar serving be a place for boys to discern the priesthood. So, this action shows that Father John is searching for more priests and we all know how bad it is if someone manages to get a woman “ordained”.

Edit: I’d also like to mention that the parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix don’t get much acolytes, possibly because there aren’t enough seminarians that it wouldn’t be worth getting a seminary. Perhaps we’ll get more seminarians and then we can finally get some acolytes.

 

[asia53]

I’d like to respond with this. It has been a tradition for altar serving be a place for boys to discern the priesthood. So, this action shows that Father John is searching for more priests and we all know how bad it is if someone manages to get a woman “ordained”.

Edit: I’d also like to mention that the parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix don’t get much acolytes, possibly because there aren’t enough seminarians that it wouldn’t be worth getting a seminary. Perhaps we’ll get more seminarians and then we can finally get some acolytes.

A female altar server couldn’t be inspired to become a nun??? Or are they just not needed or as important??? A very bad message is being conveyed to the girls.

My archdiocese is very blessed–we have 2 seminaries filled to capacity. Occasionally, I go Mass at the Basilica, the archbishop’s church. I’ve seen, and talked with a few of the seminarians, since they go to Mass there, too. Not one has ever told me, “It was my time as an altar server that inspired me.” The young men point to Blessed John Paul II, WYD, or both as their inspirations.

 

[glamourdollxoxo]

A female altar server couldn’t be inspired to become a nun??? Or are they just not needed or as important??? A very bad message is being conveyed to the girls.

My archdiocese is very blessed–we have 2 seminaries filled to capacity. Occasionally, I go Mass at the Basilica, the archbishop’s church. I’ve seen, and talked with a few of the seminarians, since they go to Mass there, too. Not one has ever told me, “It was my time as an altar server that inspired me.” The young men point to Blessed John Paul II, WYD, or both as their inspirations.

I’m with you there I find this very sad if anything they should reach out to have more boys interested in serving in the church but putting a ban on female altar servers isn’t the answer.

 

[beckers]

I am happy for this but I wish they would expand it age wise. One of the things I love about my church is it’s all male altar servers of all ages from 7 to 50. Boys are learning that you can serve God at any age whether as a priest, deacon or father. It teaches them to respect and think about the priesthood. Plus it keeps those older males from losing their valuable altar skills they learned as a boy. And for our boys who don’t have fathers it’s been an excellent way to have male interaction. It’s a win win situation.

The girls aren’t left out as the can do altar guild if they want or one of the numerous other groups we have. I personal love altar guild as we clean the altar, fix the vestments and set up for the next mass. Our work may not be as ‘public’ as the altar servers but I don’t serve for the gradifaction of my fellow church members but for the glory of God.

 

[Inquiringperson]

A female altar server couldn’t be inspired to become a nun??? Or are they just not needed or as important??? A very bad message is being conveyed to the girls.

Many altar boys in my parish were told by many people that they should become a priest. Only 1 altar girl was told by people that she should become a nun. And girl altar servers outnumber the boys by about 40 percent, plus or minus 5%.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I’d like to respond with this. It has been a tradition for altar serving be a place for boys to discern the priesthood. So, this action shows that Father John is searching for more priests and we all know how bad it is if someone manages to get a woman “ordained”.

Edit: I’d also like to mention that the parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix don’t get much acolytes, possibly because there aren’t enough seminarians that it wouldn’t be worth getting a seminary. Perhaps we’ll get more seminarians and then we can finally get some acolytes.

It is within his right…I guess:shrug:

But I don’t buy the whole…it leads to the priesthood thing. When I was growing up…there were no girls allowed to serve…only my brothers did…oh and guess what…priests numbers went down during that time. So I don’t buy the whole corollation…sorry…I just don’t.