RE: Do the rules permit the foot washing of women on Holy Thursday?

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aetratus

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Over in this thread Fr. Serpa quoted Paschales Solemnitatis to the effect that only men’s feet are to be washed during the ceremony on Holy Thursday. IIRC (and I’m 99% certain I do), last year at our parish only or primarily women had their feet washed. And based on some of the behavior I’ve seen at our parish, I’m fairly certain it will happen this year as well (yes, I’m going to quietly find out for certain). My question, then, is to whose attention must I bring this?
 
aetratus said:
Over in this thread Fr. Serpa quoted Paschales Solemnitatis to the effect that only men’s feet are to be washed during the ceremony on Holy Thursday. IIRC (and I’m 99% certain I do), last year at our parish only or primarily women had their feet washed. And based on some of the behavior I’ve seen at our parish, I’m fairly certain it will happen this year as well (yes, I’m going to quietly find out for certain). My question, then, is to whose attention must I bring this?
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This would be a liturgical abuse, so you should bring it to the attention of your pastor, and if he doesnt make any move to change this then go to the Bishop.
 
Caesar said:
This would be a liturgical abuse, so you should bring it to the attention of your pastor, and if he doesnt make any move to change this then go to the Bishop.
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Well, the “head pastor” at our parish (a monsignor) is one of the priests doing it, so unless he’s suffering from split personality, I’m fairly certain he’s aware of it. If you mean point out to him in the rubrics where it states only men’s feet are to be washed…I have no idea how to do that. As for bringing it to our bishop’s attention…how?
 
I didn’t know this either until I read it today. When I was going through RCIA all of us candidates males and females had our feet washed.
aetratus said:
Over in this thread Fr. Serpa quoted Paschales Solemnitatis to the effect that only men’s feet are to be washed during the ceremony on Holy Thursday. IIRC (and I’m 99% certain I do), last year at our parish only or primarily women had their feet washed. And based on some of the behavior I’ve seen at our parish, I’m fairly certain it will happen this year as well (yes, I’m going to quietly find out for certain). My question, then, is to whose attention must I bring this?
Click to expand...
 
aetratus said:
Over in this thread Fr. Serpa quoted Paschales Solemnitatis to the effect that only men’s feet are to be washed during the ceremony on Holy Thursday. IIRC (and I’m 99% certain I do), last year at our parish only or primarily women had their feet washed. And based on some of the behavior I’ve seen at our parish, I’m fairly certain it will happen this year as well (yes, I’m going to quietly find out for certain). My question, then, is to whose attention must I bring this?
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That is correct:

There are generally four issues to deal with.
  1. Only men are to have their feet washed.
  2. There are to be 12 or 13 of them no more.
  3. It is to be their feet not their hands.
  4. It is only the priest who does the washing.
 
I think the washing of the feet should be removed from the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. It is either ruined by people complaining about how it isn’t done properly, or it’s ruined by people complaining about how it IS done properly. It’s a nice action, but it’s not worth the heartburn.
 
introibo said:
I think the washing of the feet should be removed from the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. It is either ruined by people complaining about how it isn’t done properly, or it’s ruined by people complaining about how it IS done properly. It’s a nice action, but it’s not worth the heartburn.
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I think it’s an important part of the Triduum and we should just do it according to the liturgical books and not worry about who it offends!
 
It was such an awesome experience. Very humbling! And helped prepare me for the receiving of the Eucharist that Easter.
introibo said:
I think the washing of the feet should be removed from the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. It is either ruined by people complaining about how it isn’t done properly, or it’s ruined by people complaining about how it IS done properly. It’s a nice action, but it’s not worth the heartburn.
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ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=432487&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2005&Author=&Keyword=washing+feet&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=2&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=
I have seen this answered differently on EWTN ask an expert the reply was
Dear Friend, I understand that Rome has recently decreed that the feet of women may also be washed on Holy Thursday. So your wish for a more general washing of any and all who so wish is well placed. Happy Easter. Fr. Bob Levis
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There does not seem to be a decree from Rome—to include the washing the feet of women. Rome still upholds the universal norm of washing the feet of men only.

adoremus.org/0303ReadersForum.html#anchor1543600

Washing Feet on Holy Thursday

Letter
As we approach Lent, the question of washing the feet of women on Holy Thursday is being discussed.

In 1988, the Congregation for Divine Worship issued instructions on this matter stating in part, “The washing of the feet of chosen men which according to tradition is performed on this day, Holy Thursday… This tradition should be maintained”.

Has the Holy See ever granted an indult to the NCCB?

W.F. Walsh
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Response
The Vatican did not grant such an indult. The official documentation for the celebration of Holy Thursday clearly says in Latin that “selected men” (viri selecti) have their feet washed. However, there is variation in the practice because of varying interpretations.

In many dioceses the practice is extended to women with the consent of the bishop, despite the restriction to men in the universal norm.

In March 1997 we published an article on this topic, “Paths to Rome”, which can be accessed on our web site at www.adoremus.org/97-03_pokorsky.htm
 
Fairly recently Cdl. O’Malley, I believe in his first Holy Week in Boston (so probably then-Abp. O’Malley) asked the Holy See for clarification of this issue because he was under pressure from his church on the question and wanted a clear answer. If I remember the coverage of it correctly, the Vatican basically pointed to the rubrics but, in popular modern double speak said something to the effect of “Here are the norms, do what you need to do.” I got the impression that they were saying it was on his conscience if he did it (of course meaning it was clearly illicit), but many other people “remember” the CDW giving him an indult to wash women’s feet. I’ll try to do some googling and see if I can find any documentation from back then.

Bottom line, though: All the books and clarifications available make it clear that only men’s feet are washed.
 
Well, it seems the flap took place in 2005, not O’Malley’s first year, but still before he got his red hat. Concerning that the rubrics call for only men…

"This was reaffirmed by the Congregation for Divine Worship a year ago, responding to a question by Archbishop O’Malley; but reportedly the CDW left the final decision about including other than adult men in this ceremony to the “pastoral sensitivity” of the bishop. "
adoremus.org/0406ReadersForum.html

“Last year, Archbishop (now Cardinal) Sean O’Malley made a “pastoral decision” to allow for the washing of women’s feet in Boston. This much-publicized development did not, as some have implied, signal a change in the Church’s law. The general norm that only men’s feet be washed is still in effect and should be observed.”
cuf.org/news/newsdetail.asp?newID=90

From the following it seems that I won’t be able to track down the actual letter and news reports were all just giving the gist of “what the letter said;” knowing the media, this makes me 100% skeptical that we can have any idea what it really did say.

“However, for those of us who remained obedient, despite great adversity, a recent non-directive by the CDW on this topic has once again undermined our case. Archbishop Sean O’Malley of Boston (beleaguered by the priest pedophile cases left behind by Cardinal Law, and no doubt under extra pressure from feminists and their clerical allies) asked for a clarification from the CDW regarding washing the feet of women on Holy Thursday. The question should not have been asked at all, since the archbishop knew full well what the ritual states. But the Congregation’s response was basically: Use your own judgment. Do what you think is pastorally wise. (Note: I have repeatedly requested that the Archdiocese of Boston provide me with a copy of CDW’s quizzical answer. Finally, I was told it could not be located and perhaps it was only verbal. Hmm!)”
ignatius.com/magazines/hprweb/orsi_June2006.htm
 
Aside from this making excellent banter-fodder, does anyone know how I should handle this particular case? I’m not looking for suggestions; I’m looking for the rules on how to handle these situations. :confused:
 
aetratus said:
Aside from this making excellent banter-fodder, does anyone know how I should handle this particular case? I’m not looking for suggestions; I’m looking for the rules on how to handle these situations. :confused:
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It is difficult to know how to handle this situation, without knowing about you, the priest, bishop etc.

Perhaps you should talk to the priest. Perhaps write to the bishop or Vatican. Perhaps bring a tribunal case against the priest for a breach of the Code of Canon Law, canon 846 §1 “The liturgical books, approved by the competent authority, are to be faithfully followed in the celebration of the sacraments. …”.

A letter to the bishop might be along these lines:

"I believe that my parish is going to wash the feet of women at Mass on Holy Thursday. I would be appreciated if you could encourage Father … to follow the Roman Missal. It has for Holy Thursday – Mass of the Lord’s Supper:

“Washing of Feet
Depending on pastoral circumstances, the washing of feet follows the homily.
The men who have been chosen are led by the ministers to chairs prepared in a suitable place. Then the priest (removing his chasuble if necessary) goes to each man. With the help of the ministers, he pours water over each one’s feet and dries them.”
(From Roman Missal, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1985, page 136).

The 2002 Latin edition of the Roman Missal has “viri” meaning “men” in its description of the ceremony.

So I am uneasy about the washing of women’s feet and hope you will be able to correct this situation.

Yours sincerely, …"
 
In my sister-in-law’s parish, she tells me that anyone who wants to have their feet washed lines up. This includes men, women and children. It takes quite a long time. They are obviously not following any rubrics at all. In my parish, one of the priests apparently has said he will not wash the feet of women and, you guessed it, he has come under criticism for it.
 
John_Lilburne said:
It is difficult to know how to handle this situation, without knowing about you, the priest, bishop etc.
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Suffice it to say, I come on a bit strong, the priest is caught up in all the secular stuff for our parish and usually short on time/patience, and the bishop (met him once, briefly)…no idea. Your letter looks like the sanest way to handle it, and I thank you.
 
jamannor said:
It was such an awesome experience. Very humbling! And helped prepare me for the receiving of the Eucharist that Easter.
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Do I understand your comment to mean you were washing someone’s feet? If I understand it correctly it is to be roughly a dozen people, men only, and only the Priest is to do the washing. Any thing beyond that is a liturgical abuse that you would not want to participate in no matter how positive an experience it is. I can understand the desire to break this rule in today’s “inclusive” society but Church rules are Church rules and they should not be knowingly broken. I do not mean to sound “preachy” but our former parish was doing this and making a couple of other mistakes like having EM’s (which we were) on the altar before the celebrant had received the Eucharist and they changed their procedures after someone pointed out the errors. Although the “inclusive” parctice was nice, we felt better afterward knowing that we had been involved in liturgical abuses and that those abuses had been corrected.
 
:eek:

I never knew this was wrong before becuase it was always done wrong at my parish. For as long as I could remember… and I’ve been going to the same parish since I was about 7.

Here is how they do it…

The congregation lines up in much the same manner as for communion - meaning about 4 groups. You sit down and the person who went before you washes your feet. Then you wash the feet of the person before you. I never knew this was wrong. Now that I do, I’ll send a letter and refuse to participate if it isn’t changed.

I guess I didn’t really do anything wrong before since I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong, but I still feel embarressed. And a bit angry that my parish would teach me the wrong way.
 
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