UPDATE: Altar girls and the Extraordinary Form – the PCED clarifies the situation [Fr. Z's blog]

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Just wondering what the “Extraordinary Form” is and if “altar girls” are not permissible then why are women able to distribute Holy Communion? 🤷
 
LSIP said:
Just wondering what the “Extraordinary Form” is and if “altar girls” are not permissible then why are women able to distribute Holy Communion?
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they would not do so in the Extraordinary Form (Mass celebrated in Latin according to the 1962 Roman Missal) because under that form on the ordained ministers give communion.
 
I my home church only priest or instituted transitory acolytes distribute communion, and there are only male altar servers, hopefully and apparently some of the boys growing up toward the priesthood.
 
I guess I’m wondering if the below means the inclusion of female servers does not apply, but if someone wants to include them, they can, or **MUST **not,under any circumstances apply?

In other words, are there loopholes?
Furthermore, by virtue of its character of special law, within its own area, the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum derogates from those provisions of law, connected with the sacred Rites, promulgated from 1962 onwards and incompatible with the rubrics of the liturgical books in effect in 1962.
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In this regard, the Circular Letter of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments of 1994 (cf. Notitiae 30 [1994] 333-335) permitted female altar servers, does not apply to the Extraordinary Form.
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TrueLight said:
I guess I’m wondering if the below means the inclusion of female servers does not apply, but if someone wants to include them, they can, or **MUST **not,under any circumstances apply?

In other words, are there loopholes?
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The short answer is NO. No loopholes, no female altar servers at the Extraordinary Form Mass.

Permission for female altar servers only came with the 1983 Code of Canon Law and the document says that you can’t impose later laws on the EF that are incompatible with the rubrics of the 1962 Missal, rubrics which never allowed for females in the sanctuary during Mass.
 
laszlo said:
I my home church only priest or instituted transitory acolytes distribute communion, and there are only male altar servers, hopefully and apparently some of the boys growing up toward the priesthood.
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The priesthood was one of the reasons why only boys were altar servers in the Latin Mass. It showed them what it would be like being up on the altar and if they liked it. It was kind of like a training ground for young boys discerning the priesthood.
 
ajpirc said:
The priesthood was one of the reasons why only boys were altar servers in the Latin Mass. It showed them what it would be like being up on the altar and if they liked it. It was kind of like a training ground for young boys discerning the priesthood.
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I disagree with this. If being in the altar is what convinces kids to become priests, then we’d have really bad priests. There is more to the priesthood than saying Mass.
 
ajpirc said:
The priesthood was one of the reasons why only boys were altar servers in the Latin Mass. It showed them what it would be like being up on the altar and if they liked it. It was kind of like a training ground for young boys discerning the priesthood.
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As it should be. And hopefully will be again one day.

~Liza
 
There is more to the priesthood than saying Mass.
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And there is more to the altar server than just serving Mass. They help prepare the altar, cruets, serve at benedictions, and novenas; and it’s not unknown of that servers greet people at the door, train other servers, say some special prayers as they put on cassock and surplus, and spend outside time to perfect their Latin.
 
ProVobis said:
And there is more to the altar server than just serving Mass. They help prepare the altar, cruets, serve at benedictions, and novenas; and it’s not unknown of that servers greet people at the door, train other servers, say some special prayers as they put on cassock and surplus, and spend outside time to perfect their Latin.
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And that still isn’t even half of what a priest does. How about administering a parish, keeping relations with parishioners, giving advice during confession and spiritual counseling, hospital visits, home visits, diocesan responsibilities, charities, fund raising, etc.
 
ConstantineTG said:
I disagree with this. If being ** in the altar** is what convinces kids to become priests, then we’d have really bad priests. There is more to the priesthood than saying Mass.
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If they want to put me in the altar after I’m gone fine, but I’m not sure boys serve to become relics 😛
 
ajpirc said:
The priesthood was one of the reasons why only boys were altar servers in the Latin Mass. It showed them what it would be like being up on the altar and if they liked it. It was kind of like a training ground for young boys discerning the priesthood.
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Why in theory this might be correct…when I was growning up…only boys could be altar servers…and it created such a boom for the priesthood…oh wait a second…it didn’t…so theoretically it did not hold true. There must be other factors as well…🤷
 
LSIP said:
Just wondering what the “Extraordinary Form” is and if “altar girls” are not permissible then why are women able to distribute Holy Communion? 🤷
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They don’t. In the EF one receives from the priest or deacon only both of which would only be men.
 
Annabelle_Marie said:
Why in theory this might be correct…when I was growning up…only boys could be altar servers…and it created such a boom for the priesthood…oh wait a second…it didn’t…so theoretically it did not hold true. There must be other factors as well…🤷
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God doesn’t call all men to the priesthood. Being an altar boy was just there so that all boys could discern the priesthood. For some, it wasn’t for them.
 
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