S.F. Catholic Church priest bans girls as altar servers

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DaddyGirl said:
???
You won’t* let* your daughter be an altar server?!

You mean…she wants to be an altar server, and your parish allows it, and the pope has decreed it…and yet, you will not *let *her?

:nope:

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Correct. My daughter is singing in the choir and my son will be an alter server. Why is this so wrong?

My daughter wants to do a lot of things and I have to decide what is best for her, her siblings and me and my husband.
 
there is nothing wrong with young females (girls) serving on the altar; of all the things you can and should be strict about as as a parent i don’t see this issue as one to dig your heels in over

pick your battles better
 
Regina7 said:
Correct. My daughter is singing in the choir and my son will be an alter server. Why is this so wrong?
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Good for her. This last year, most of my kids that sing started serving as altar servers. I had two girls that choose to stay with me and sing. I am a big fan of kids and teenagers singing in the parish choir.
 
it’s about time!

the next thing they need to do is re-institute the discipline of meatless fridays. this will quickly separate the nominal catholics from the real catholics or at least those who really care about what they believe in
 
brian_custer said:
there is nothing wrong with young females (girls) serving on the altar; of all the things you can and should be strict about as as a parent i don’t see this issue as one to dig your heels in over

pick your battles better
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It’s not a battle. I am the parent. My husband and I make the decisions, not her. When she asked to serve, I said that we preferred she stay in the choir loft and her brother serve. That was the end of that; she hasn’t mentioned it since.
 
Regina7 said:
It’s not a battle. I am the parent. My husband and I make the decisions, not her. When she asked to serve, I said that we preferred she stay in the choir loft and her brother serve. That was the end of that; she hasn’t mentioned it since.
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OK end of discussion as far as i am concerned.
 
We have both male and female altar servers at my church. It really makes no difference to me. Whatever the bishop or the priest approve of. They remind me of angels.
 
Maybe serving could lead to a desire to be nun. I’m sure the girls have been or will be catechized to know they can not be priests.
 
I’ll buy into some of Illo’s “logic” when he can present some studies showing that female altar servers definitely do take boys away from the priesthood. We’ve had them for decades: where are the numbers?
 
Anyone know the reasoning behind allowing girl servers? I’ve heard that because there weren’t enough boys, they needed help from girls. I’ve also heard that it happened during the feminist movement, when there was a push to have girls perform traditionally male tasks.
:confused:
 
Maxirad said:
sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-Catholic-Church-priest-bans-girls-as-altar-6041400.php
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I was a devout altar boy in my parish, before there were altar girls. Years later, when I went back to the church of my youth, they had altar girls. Now that I’ve beginning studying the Bible, I really don’t see the Scriptural significance of altar boys in the Church, let alone altar girls. If the idea of altar boys somehow loosely correlates with “servers” in the church, who aren’t “technically” deacons, which - Scripturally - are limited to men (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1; etc), then what about Phoebe who was a “server” (diakonos) in the early church? Since she was a “server,” although not a “deacon” since she was not qualified since she wasn’t a man, then why - Scripturally - couldn’t a girl “serve” the priest at Mass, just not as a “deacon” since she is not a man? Then again, altar boys aren’t men either. And aren’t deacons called to be men? And since altar boys aren’t “technically” deacons, but just servers, then - again - why couldn’t girls “serve” the priest, just boys can?

To be honest, after reading Scripture, I really don’t see the concept of “altar boys” in the early NT Church, even though I loved being one in my parish.
 
thetazlord said:
I was a devout altar boy in my parish, before there were altar girls. Years later, when I went back to the church of my youth, they had altar girls. Now that I’ve beginning studying the Bible, I really don’t see the Scriptural significance of altar boys in the Church, let alone altar girls. If the idea of altar boys somehow loosely correlates with “servers” in the church, who aren’t “technically” deacons, which - Scripturally - are limited to men (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1; etc), then what about Phoebe who was a “server” (diakonos) in the early church? Since she was a “server,” although not a “deacon” since she was not qualified since she wasn’t a man, then why - Scripturally - couldn’t a girl “serve” the priest at Mass, just not as a “deacon” since she is not a man? Then again, altar boys aren’t men either. And aren’t deacons called to be men? And since altar boys aren’t “technically” deacons, but just servers, then - again - why couldn’t girls “serve” the priest, just boys can?

To be honest, after reading Scripture, I really don’t see the concept of “altar boys” in the early NT Church, even though I loved being one in my parish.
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this is a well thought post. imo being an “altar server” is just a way of being more connected to what is going on at mass and yes i was an “altar boy” back in the day when an “altar girl” would’ve been unheard of

but as a more mature catholic i welcome “ALTAR GIRLS” PERHAPS IT IS A PATH TO VOCATION
 
Sy_Noe said:
Maybe serving could lead to a desire to be nun. I’m sure the girls have been or will be catechized to know they can not be priests.
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Personally, I think there isn’t a theological reason girls can’t serve. However, I do think that parishes are missing an opportunity when they do.

I see some more traditional parishes and ones dedicated to the EF have all boy altar servers PLUS Legion of Mary for girls.

In these parishes, the boys don’t just serve. They go through a “training program” which teaches them about the GIRM, the liturgy, pray the hours (when they are there), etc., plus they learn what it’s like to be a priest. Take tours of a seminary, etc. Those altar server programs are really ran like seminary prep programs.

Meanwhile, the girls go participate in Legion of Mary (a youth version). Also pray the hours (when there), spend time in adoration, pray the Rosary for the parish and all the intentions of the parishioners, visit convents, do community service, etc. Those programs are really run like a nun’s preparation program. They also often sit together at Mass, wearing their veil and sash and lead Marian prayers before and/or after Mass.

So while I think that altar girls are not theologically wrong, I think we are totally missing the boat. We should really be treating the altar boy program as a priest recruitment and preparatory program, while offering a girls Legion of Mary prayer group (or another group) which really is a nun preparatory program.

Obviously, we wouldn’t want the two programs to be limited to those who are only interested in becoming a priest or nun, but really push it in a passive way. If the boys don’t become priest, perhaps they will become Deacons, apologists, evangelists, and/or catechists. Same with the girls (mins the ordained part). But most importantly, hopefully they will become better evangelized and catechized and can lead the way to strengthen the Faith of the next generation and their children.

May The Lord grant us the wisdom, vision, “knowhow” and fortitude to strengthen the Faith. Amen.
 
Sy_Noe said:
Maybe serving could lead to a desire to be nun. I’m sure the girls have been or will be catechized to know they can not be priests.
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Absolutely, but I will go even further. *All *young people need to consider their vocation, including those who choose the vocation of the married life. There is much good to come from service to the Church, or any sort of charitable work, from childhood on. There simple is not right or wrong here. All service has the opportunity to develop character of both boys and girls. However, it might be prudent from time to time to use opportunities in gender specific ways.

One way to encourage equal dignity, if one does limit this one service to boys, is to avoid extra honor or privileges. For example, as I had some kids sing in the choir, I broached the priest about including them in altar server parties given as reward and he agreed it was a meritorious idea.
 
I really don’t think that we should discourage anyone, male or female from getting more involved in giving something back to their church. It’s a good thing for any young person to do, it teaches them to have some responsibility and discipline and brings them closer to their faith.

We have both male and female altar servers, including an elderly man with Tourettes (who tends to repeat or anticipate what the priest is about to say :)) and a young lad with Down’s Syndrome. We all know that girls can’t go on to be a Deacon or a Priest, but they can be a reader, a Eucharistic Minister, a member of the choir, a musician or an altar server - or indeed, they can join a religious order!

Our EMs are virtually all older or elderly ladies and if we don’t bring more young girls into a service role at Mass, where will we find the next generation? It’s a significant commitment.
 
Regina7 said:
Anyone know the reasoning behind allowing girl servers? I’ve heard that because there weren’t enough boys, they needed help from girls. I’ve also heard that it happened during the feminist movement, when there was a push to have girls perform traditionally male tasks.
:confused:
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It is sufficient that serving the altar is training to be of service to God, whatever one’s vocation. In this, gender matters not.
 
NeedsMercy said:
I’ll buy into some of Illo’s “logic” when he can present some studies showing that female altar servers definitely do take boys away from the priesthood. We’ve had them for decades: where are the numbers?
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Here’s one that will help. The USCCB with Georgetown University did a study of Men who were ordained to the Priesthood last year. One of the major findings was that 80% of those ordained were altar servers.

For every girl altar server is one less boy and as seen one less potential Priest.

usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/ordination-class/upload/Class-of-2014-report-FINAL-2.pdf
 
saintjohnxxiii said:
Here’s one that will help. The USCCB with Georgetown University did a study of Men who were ordained to the Priesthood last year. One of the major findings was that 80% of those ordained were altar servers.

For every girl altar server is one less boy and as seen one less potential Priest.

usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/ordination-class/upload/Class-of-2014-report-FINAL-2.pdf
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Our parish in the past implemented using altar girls because there were not enough boys willing to do so.

Mary.
 
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