Raise age of altar servers? Good idea?

[goout]

Ann_Stanton:

In my diocese, all persons including altar servers must complete the Safe Environment training (face to face) before they can work or volunteer in the Church. There are adult only sessions and before adulthood sessions. So why discriminate against pre-adult altar servers?

My own thinking was not about discrimination against children serving on the altar, it was more in line with protecting children in area’s where they may be more vulnerable.
Our diocese here does the same as you have describe, but I wonder is this implemented around the world for each diocese?

What did you make of the popes letter linked in post 29 above?

The Pope’s letter is full of good spiritual counsel.
It is short on action, or even promises of action. It makes me think that the hierarchy of the Church needs to go outside and get some sunshine, and see what the rest of the Church can see: this self serving culture of abusive power is broken and needs to be pulled out by the roots.

servus servorum Dei seems to be a lost concept.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

The safe environment policies protect children, which is what they’re designed to do. It’s a reasonable thing to do. As for your wife getting fingerprinted, it’s not like they singled her out. Huge numbers of people get fingerprinted for all kinds of stuff in USA all day long. I had to get fingerprinted by the police just to take a graduate school entrance exam.

McCarrick abused older teens and adults. Raising the age of altar servers is not relevant to his type of abuse, any more than it’s relevant to the priests who sexually harassed adult women.

 

[goout]

The safe environment policies protect children, which is what they’re designed to do. It’s a reasonable thing to do. As for your wife getting fingerprinted, it’s not like they singled her out. Huge numbers of people get fingerprinted for all kinds of stuff in USA all day long. I had to get fingerprinted by the police just to take a graduate school entrance exam.

McCarrick abused older teens and adults. Raising the age of altar servers is not relevant to his type of abuse, any more than it’s relevant to the priests who sexually harassed adult women.

yes, of course, these protection programs are essential. I agree with that.

 

[simpleas]

I’ve read the ages to be 11-14 for the majority.

The Pope’s letter is full of good spiritual counsel.
It is short on action, or even promises of action. It makes me think that the hierarchy of the Church needs to go outside and get some sunshine, and see what the rest of the Church can see: this self serving culture of abusive power is broken and needs to be pulled out by the roots.

Yes, I’m disappointed in what has been said because it’s mainly repeated words.