Washing Female's Feet on Holy Thursday?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nota_Bene
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I wrote my pastor aboue this as at my parish as he will wash the feet of 12 people (both men and women) and they in turn will wash everyone’s feet.

I pointed out the rubrics in the Sacramentary, the limits of Holy Thursday Mandatum and the contents of Paschale Solemnitatis.

His response is that the “bishop allows it.” No, “the bishop” does not have the authority to ignore the Sacramentary. Thank God he is retiring soon.

What bothers me most is that the Church can be ignored due to the PC pressures of sexist-feminism and that is truly troubling…
 
40.png
MariaG:
So once again, place the blame where it belongs, on the priest not the women who innocently volunteer.

And while it would be wrong for a woman to volunteer if she knew, the blame still rests squarely on the priest. He should politely decline and state the reasons why. Sin on the woman’s behalf if she knows, but the Blame should be 100% on the priest for not following through with his leadership role and allowing it to happen. JMHO.

Your sister in Christ,
Maria
Click to expand...
Actually, I think the blame rests primarily on the Bishops, and particularly those on the Bishop’s committee on the liturgy who have publicly sanctioned liturgical abuse.

They admit in their answer on their website that it is at variance from the rubrics they are canonically bound to uphold:

While this variation may differ from the rubric of the Sacramentary which mentions only men (“viri selecti”),… (1)

My brother-in-law who was recently ordained knew nothing of the controversy. They were not taught correctly in the seminaries. When I brought it to his attention, he asked about it and another priest sent him the document from the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy directly from the Bishops website sanctioning what amounts to a liturgical abuse.

See:
Adoremus Bulletin
Online Edition - Vol. III, No. 1: March 1997
Paths to Rome: Washing of feet on Holy Thursday
By Father Jerry Pokorsky
www.adoremus.org/97-03_pokorsky.htm

See also:
the Catholic Answers
S p e c i a l R e p o r t
Liturgical Abuses
www.catholic.com/library/liturgical_abuses.asp

Washing of Women’s Feet on Holy Thursday?
by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical Athenaeum
zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=51112

Endnotes:
  1. Holy Thursday Mandatum
    US Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on the Liturgy
    www.usccb.org/liturgy/q&a/general/feet.shtml
 
40.png
CCF_Jeff:
Actually, I think the blame rests primarily on the Bishops, and particularly those on the Bishop’s committee on the liturgy who have publicly sanctioned liturgical abuse.

They admit in their answer on their website that it is at variance from the rubrics they are canonically bound to uphold:

While this variation may differ from the rubric of the Sacramentary which mentions only men (“viri selecti”),… (1)

My brother-in-law who was recently ordained knew nothing of the controversy. They were not taught correctly in the seminaries. When I brought it to his attention, he asked about it and another priest sent him the document from the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy directly from the Bishops website sanctioning what amounts to a liturgical abuse…
Click to expand...
The problem is the BCL (or even the entire USCCB) cannot change the Missial without approval from the Holy See.

They do not have the authority to “sanction” this…
 
I understand why this is a sensitive issue, but it is also a very personal one for me. Last year I had the great honor of being asked by my priest if he could wash my feet on Holy Thursday. At the time I did not know that some question the practice of washing women’s feet, so I humbly said yes. The experience was truly a blessing for me. It was a humbling too, especially because the priest is also my confessor. It meant so much to me that this man of God that I respect and love, who knows all my sins wanted to wash my feet. I felt, and was, very unworthy.

When I discovered that some do not support the washing of women’s feet, I talked with my priest about it. He said that although Jesus did not wash the feet of any men, He washed the feet of his disciples. Both Catholic men and women are disciples of Christ.

I understand that even though men and women are equal, they are different. I understand and accept that God has not given the Church the power to ordain women. I do not see that God does not allow their feet to be washed only because Jesus did not do it.
 
40.png
ElizabethAnne:
I understand why this is a sensitive issue, but it is also a very personal one for me. Last year I had the great honor of being asked by my priest if he could wash my feet on Holy Thursday. At the time I did not know that some question the practice of washing women’s feet, so I humbly said yes. The experience was truly a blessing for me. It was a humbling too, especially because the priest is also my confessor. It meant so much to me that this man of God that I respect and love, who knows all my sins wanted to wash my feet. I felt, and was, very unworthy.

When I discovered that some do not support the washing of women’s feet, I talked with my priest about it. He said that although Jesus did not wash the feet of any men, He washed the feet of his disciples. Both Catholic men and women are disciples of Christ.

I understand that even though men and women are equal, they are different. I understand and accept that God has not given the Church the power to ordain women. I do not see that God does not allow their feet to be washed only because Jesus did not do it.
Click to expand...
It is not a question of support, but obedience. Does the Church give permission to the bishop, or individual priest, to change the rubrics?
 
I’ve spoken with several other Catholics about this issue. Some of them feel very strongly that priests should only was men’s feet. Others say there are pastoral reasons for a priest to reach out to all the faithful - both men and women - and such a pastoral decision is left to the pastor.
 
40.png
Brendan:
It doesn’t matter who appointed the USCCB. Changes in liturgical matters that are not specifically granted to the national synods or the local Ordinary require Vatican approval.

This rubric was not delegated, so changes to it must be approved by Rome first.

Such a practice has not had universal usage for 30 years, so it does not have the force of particular law (unlike some other potential cases).

Archbishop O’Malley has submitted a dubium to the Vatican on this issue and is waiting a reply.

Untill then, the rubric remains in force.
Click to expand...
Good. Because last year, he was coerced into washing women’s feet.
 
40.png
ElizabethAnne:
I’ve spoken with several other Catholics about this issue. Some of them feel very strongly that priests should only was men’s feet. Others say there are pastoral reasons for a priest to reach out to all the faithful - both men and women - and such a pastoral decision is left to the pastor.
Click to expand...
Since when?
 
40.png
CatQuilt:
Good. Because last year, he was coerced into washing women’s feet.
Click to expand...
If you mean Archbishop O’Malley, he did not wash women’s feet last year. Many were upset about it, and he asked a Vatican official about it. He has stayed very silent on the issue, but I believe that is because he will not be washing women’s feet this year either. I guess we will know next week.
 
Last year I received a phone call asking me to organise 6 people for the washing of the feet. I said I would on one condition that I would only be selecting men. There was no problem with that.

Off I went and had 6 people in about 5 mins.
God love our Pastoral Coordinator who happens to also be one of the most liberal minds at work in our Parish. She said she hadn’t time to organise it so someone else would just have to do it.

Holy Thursday came and the 6 men processed to the sanctuary and took their places. It was wonderful.

There in the midst of the congregation was our Pastoral Coordinator who afterwards made the comment “I was livid when no women went forward and only for I was wearing pantyhose I would have left my pew and got a chair and joined them on the Sanctuary.” There was not one other negative comment from the 300 or so Parishoners present at that Solemn Celebration.

My reply? “Thank God for pantyhose.”
 
40.png
Fergal:
Last year I received a phone call asking me to organise 6 people for the washing of the feet. I said I would on one condition that I would only be selecting men. There was no problem with that.

Off I went and had 6 people in about 5 mins.
God love our Pastoral Coordinator who happens to also be one of the most liberal minds at work in our Parish. She said she hadn’t time to organise it so someone else would just have to do it.

Holy Thursday came and the 6 men processed to the sanctuary and took their places. It was wonderful.

There in the midst of the congregation was our Pastoral Coordinator who afterwards made the comment “I was livid when no women went forward and only for I was wearing pantyhose I would have left my pew and got a chair and joined them on the Sanctuary.” There was not one other negative comment from the 300 or so Parishoners present at that Solemn Celebration.

My reply? “Thank God for pantyhose.”
Click to expand...
This would be funny if not so said. That woman has a secular agenda that is beyond stupid.
 
40.png
Fergal:
Last year I received a phone call asking me to organise 6 people for the washing of the feet. I said I would on one condition that I would only be selecting men. There was no problem with that.

Off I went and had 6 people in about 5 mins.
God love our Pastoral Coordinator who happens to also be one of the most liberal minds at work in our Parish. She said she hadn’t time to organise it so someone else would just have to do it.

Holy Thursday came and the 6 men processed to the sanctuary and took their places. It was wonderful.

There in the midst of the congregation was our Pastoral Coordinator who afterwards made the comment “I was livid when no women went forward and only for I was wearing pantyhose I would have left my pew and got a chair and joined them on the Sanctuary.” There was not one other negative comment from the 300 or so Parishoners present at that Solemn Celebration.

My reply? “Thank God for pantyhose.”
Click to expand...
Why only six? Why not 12? If the washing of feet can be changed in number because the six men represent the 12 deciples, why can’t tit also be changed by washing the feet of women (who are also Jesus’ deciples)?

If you have a commitment to the tradition, why did you not insist on 12 as well as men?
 
**
The Vatican made no changes in the rubrics referring to “men”; indeed, the new instruction said that the “tradition should be maintained”: The washing of the feet of* chosen men*** which, according to tradition, is performed on this day [Holy Thursday], represents the service and charity of Christ, who came ‘not to be served, but to serve.’ This tradition should be maintained, and its proper significance explained. (Congregation for Divine Worship, “Preparing and Celebrating the Paschal Feasts,” January 16, 1988*.)…
*

The liturgical innovation of ritually washing women’s feet on Holy Thursday demonstrates the persistence of those promoting the feminist ideology at the highest levels of the Church’s liturgical establishment in America. If the Holy See allows traditional liturgical practices such to be changed for merely “pastoral”, sociological or ideological reasons, the Church may discover that not all of the paths lead to Rome – or to Christ.
adoremus.org/AdBull.html
 
40.png
ElizabethAnne:
Why only six? Why not 12? If the washing of feet can be changed in number because the six men represent the 12 deciples, why can’t tit also be changed by washing the feet of women (who are also Jesus’ deciples)?

If you have a commitment to the tradition, why did you not insist on 12 as well as men?
Click to expand...
Ooopss I should have stated that 6 priests were also getting their feet washed. Sorry.
 
Page 44 of Catholic Answers’ own Jimmy Akin’s book, Mass Confusion, has this to say about washing of the feet on Holy Thursday:
  • When the term *viri *(men) appears in Church documents, it indicates that the text is making a requirement for males and not females.
  • By Christ’s intention, the apostolic college was composed of men only.
  • In some places, women have been invited to participate in the washing of the feet, but this conflicts with the rubrics for the Mass of Holy Thursday.
Is including women in the washing of the feet a liturgical abuse? Yes. Is it a serious abuse? Probably not. However, every liturgical abuse, whether major or minor, weakens the unity of the Church. The liturgy of the Mass is the corporate worship of the Church. No one individual or conference of bishops has the authority to change the liturgy without papal approval. There’s also a serious issue of symbolism contained in the ritual of foot washing. The Gospel clearly states that Our Lord washed the feet of the apostles, all of whom were men (viri). Washing the feet of women sends the wrong signal that they too may be apostles (bishops) or priests. Why muddy the waters or create further turmoil in the Church by favoring political correctness over legitimate rules?
 
My parish not only allows women to participate (priest washes feet of pastoral staff), it is followed by a weird thing…The pastoral staff sets up shop at stations around the church and wash the entire congregation’s feet!?! I am sure this began in the 80’s and the intentions are “warm feelings for all” but I have serious problems with not following the rite. I almost refuse to attend with my family but that makes me feel bad–as I am on the parish staff! At any rate, I refuse to wash feet. Not because of pride but b/c it is not an appropriate practice in my mind. I have the same problem with hand holding during the Lord’s Prayer. Any advise?
 
40.png
Standrewyouth:
Any advise?
Click to expand...
Yes, write a letter to your pastor and cc your diocese, politely requesting that they follow the Sacramentary as written.

I can send you the letter that I wrote if you wish.
 
Interesting article in the National Catholic Register on this topic.

It mentions that the UCCB has petitioned Rome for allowing washing of women’s and children’s feet in this rite…but they petitioned in 1996. The Vatican has refrained from recognizing this, and, therefore, the UCCB document has no canonical authority at all.

So, technically, it is a liturgical abuse to be washing women’s feet.

Rich
 
I just heard this today on the news when listening to the radio. I guess the bishops said that they were going to wash womens feet this year. I dont understand why the church keeps caving in to the modernist agenda. I suppose the UCCSB does not know how to do their own job or something…not that I’d be any better at it, but aren’t they supposed to be leaders excercising integrity even in the face of adversity? Weak leadership kills troop moral and the entire force begins to fall apart. Why do I feel like we are continually throwing our faith away. Jesus left us with a church and we treat it with negligence. It makes me think of a parent leaving their 17 year old home while they leave for the weekend…they leave the house clean, make sure their is enough food in the fridge for them and even tell them it is okay to have a friend over but no parties…Well, whaddya know, the stupid kid threw a party while they were gone…isn’t that pleasant?! Now the parents have to clean up the mess because the teen is too irresponsible.
 
I dont understand why the church keeps caving in to the modernist agenda. I suppose the UCCSB does not know how to do their own job or something…not that I’d be any better at it, but aren’t they supposed to be leaders excercising integrity even in the face of adversity? Weak leadership kills troop moral and the entire force begins to fall apart. Why do I feel like we are continually throwing our faith away.
Click to expand...
**You’re overreacting, ** this is a one day a year liturgical event, its no great sacrilege to allow women, the majority of the church going public at little part in it.

I’ve never attended the Holy Thursday liturgy, as a youth I lived too far away and my mother didn’t drive, and as an adult I’ve always had to work. But I wouldn’t think letting women to be part of it would change it in the slightest.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top