What if your pastor announced that from now on all new altar servers will be boys?

[anamchara]

If you are in the Detroit area, that can only be one of 2 parishes and it cannot be mine since it is not that big. So it sounds like you at the other

Oh boy, have I heard about these parishes in these forums. I have often wondered if there is any other parishes in Detroit but these two.

 

[mlchance]

It’s his call and I would follow it.

I agree. What the “average parishioner” would do or not do isn’t my concern. My concern is what I do or don’t do, and I prefer obedience.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

The average Catholic would oppose this. The vast majority of Catholics have no problem seeing both genders as alter servers. Excluding girls (or women in general from other adult mass roles) should not happen. The church has evolved between a hyper-patriarchal role it had in the past. Right now it blends both patriarchal and matriarchal roles in the liturgy nicely, as there is a need for both.

 

[Lepanto]

The average Catholic would oppose this. The vast majority of Catholics have no problem seeing both genders as alter servers. Excluding girls (or women in general from other adult mass roles) should not happen. The church has evolved between a hyper-patriarchal role it had in the past. Right now it blends both patriarchal and matriarchal roles in the liturgy nicely, as there is a need for both.

So you would not have a problem with a Pope Suzy I? That would be the logical conclusion.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

So you would not have a problem with a Pope Suzy I? That would be the logical conclusion.

Well, according to history we may have had a female pope in the Middle Ages already.

As far as women leading parishes? They are more than able to if you look at Lutheran and Episcopalian churches now. The precedent shows they can do the job. Many things would have to also change over a few generations for that to happen (but it is not impossible and Rome moves slowly on all things anyways).

Women in the Church are showing they can handle parishes in roles of Parish Administrator (besides liturgy roles). The sky has not fallen out. The Church is enhanced by having both patrichial and matricidal roles together.

 

[mlchance]

So you would not have a problem with a Pope Suzy I? That would be the logical conclusion.

No, that’s more like jumping to conclusions (although in this particular case you might be right). My parish allows female altar servers. If my daughter expresses an interest in taking the job seriously, I’ll permit her to participate. This hardly means I am in favor of female ordination. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Women cannot now nor will they ever be validly ordained to either the diaconate or the priesthood.

Well, according to history we may have had a female pope in the Middle Ages already.

Only if by “history” you mean “ahistorical hoax.”

The Church is enhanced by having both patrichial and matricidal roles together.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[Kielbasi]

I’m sure the average parishioner would leave that decision to the priest, figuring he know his business.

However, if the new plan didn’t work out, i.e., not enough altar servers, the priest would get the blame as well it should be.

 

[Joab_Anias]

That Vatican differs with you. Cardinal Arinze has ruled that no celebrant can be obligated to accept females in altar service.

I just quoted the USCCB. I think I know what you mean and I believe there may be a seperate indult for the US. I don’t think the statement of the USCCB obligates any more than a Pastors Bishop may.

The Vatican has thus set out that if girls are to act as altar servers, BOTH the bishop and the priest celebrating Mass must concur on allowing them.

Thats nice. Probably just. I hope you didn’t take my statement to incur an opinion on my part. My vote did that and I think I will keep that result to myself. Lets just say I am faithful to my Pastors and Bishops. I have been in both types of parishes. One where they had them I think it was necessary because they didn’t have the servers they needed. They even had to call on adults. The other I am in now has a slew of Deacons so its not even an issue.

If the Vatican has desired such uniformity, it would not either not permitted girls in the first place, or placed that decision exclusively with the bishop.

Its my understanding that things are different in different locals due to population and such and that also the governance of the Vatican on some issues varies from country to country. Perhaps this is one of those times. I am unsure though without researching it.

I voted “parishoners would strongly support it” mostly because our parish has never had altar girls, in addition, most every boy 61-8 is an altar boy, we have about 200 on the list. In addition, we don’t have a schedule, all altar servers who are present serve Mass (we have about 20-60 altar boys at a given Sunday Mass).

I don’t imagine all Parishes are so fortunate. At the same time I can see merit in the arguments from both sides. But I cannot see a clear answer either way. I guess thats why we have Bishops and Bastors in the first place. I will follow them and the Church on the issue.

Peace.

 

[Joab_Anias]

So you would not have a problem with a Pope Suzy I? That would be the logical conclusion.

I would vote for Pope Mary.

 

[Daprato]

The average Catholic would oppose this. The vast majority of Catholics have no problem seeing both genders as alter servers. Excluding girls (or women in general from other adult mass roles) should not happen. The church has evolved between a hyper-patriarchal role it had in the past. Right now it blends both patriarchal and matriarchal roles in the liturgy nicely, as there is a need for both.

You offer this personal conjecture as if it was a proven fact and that’s simply not the case.

We all have ideas about what would transpire, but none of us knows. I maintain that a crude announcement as suggested would offend far more people than actually having all-male servers.

 

[Publisher]

A friend of mine passed about a week ago…she was a Sister of Mercy…I attended her “memorial mass”…all the alter servers were women, more than half of them Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Associates and Sisters from Omaha from what I could gather.

After the memorial I heard more than one woman in the congregation commented how wonderful it was to see so many women serving at the alter.

As a Friend, I did not go up for the Eucharist, due to my own beliefs but out of respect for the Sister’s as well. I noticed the priest served the wafer and the women served the wine.

 

[zagjames]

We just got a new Pastor at my Parish, and I think he did away with alter girls. He hasn’t made any announcement about it, but the 2 to 3 girl alter servers that we used to have are gone, and now its seems like it is just boys.

Girl alter servers dont bug me, but I do like it better when it is just guys.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

You offer this personal conjecture as if it was a proven fact and that’s simply not the case.

We all have ideas about what would transpire, but none of us knows. I maintain that a crude announcement as suggested would offend far more people than actually having all-male servers.

Well, no polls have officially been done. In all the areas I have been too, even more “conservative” parishes still allow girls and nobody has raised a ruckus to have them changed. I am going by the modern state of the church which has more overall acceptance of women and girls in the liturgy.

 

[Cristiano]

I think that th “average parishoner” would have a hissy fit because (I am sorry to say that) I think that today’s average parishoner is more secular and of this world than he should be.

 

[zagjames]

I think that th “average parishoner” would have a hissy fit because (I am sorry to say that) I think that today’s average parishoner is more secular and of this world than he should be.

Well if your at a parish where the average parishoner would have a hissy fit, then the average parishoner is probably a she. I always find it interesting at more traditional orthodox parishes there seems to be a more even balence of men and women. Just as E. Catholic Churches seem to be pretty equal. As a guy I hate the girlishness of many modernist Masses. (Not trying to dispariage you wonderful ladies out there) Its just annoying when Jesus is made to seem like He was all touchy feely.

I get your point though, and it is true of many parishes. Thats why the Priest should not announce it but just slowly move behind the seens. Recruit more boys, dont work so hard to recruit girls, etc.

 

[DixiesFinest]

What if your pastor announced that from now on all new altar servers will be boys? (I understand that this is his canonical right.)

Given these provisos:

• Existing altar girls will be “grandmothered” in and allowed to serve as long as they wanted.
• A new organization just for girls would be formed to offer a way for girls to serve the parish.
• The bishop is indifferent on this issue.

How do you think the average person in your parish would react, bearing in mind that they are not likely to be CA forumites?

I would say good, took you long enough.

 

[valient_Lucy]

As a Friend, I did not go up for the Eucharist, due to my own beliefs but out of respect for the Sister’s as well.

Thank you.

 

[Cristiano]

Well if your at a parish where the average parishoner would have a hissy fit, then the average parishoner is probably a she. I always find it interesting at more traditional orthodox parishes there seems to be a more even balence of men and women. Just as E. Catholic Churches seem to be pretty equal. As a guy I hate the girlishness of many modernist Masses. (Not trying to dispariage you wonderful ladies out there) Its just annoying when Jesus is made to seem like He was all touchy feely.

I get your point though, and it is true of many parishes. Thats why the Priest should not announce it but just slowly move behind the seens. Recruit more boys, dont work so hard to recruit girls, etc.

My parish appears to have a 50/50 attendance and the pastor is quite traditionalist. However, maybe because Austin is quite a liberal town, I still think that the average parishoner would have an hissy fit. It is possible that I am wrong and surely I hope so.

 

[valient_Lucy]

We just got a new Pastor at my Parish, and I think he did away with alter girls. He hasn’t made any announcement about it, but the 2 to 3 girl alter servers that we used to have are gone, and now its seems like it is just boys.

Girl alter servers dont bug me, but I do like it better when it is just guys.

I agree with you. It’s very nice to see boys and young men serving at the altar.

 

[valient_Lucy]

Well if your at a parish where the average parishoner would have a hissy fit, then the average parishoner is probably a she. I always find it interesting at more traditional orthodox parishes there seems to be a more even balence of men and women. Just as E. Catholic Churches seem to be pretty equal. As a guy I hate the girlishness of many modernist Masses. (Not trying to dispariage you wonderful ladies out there) Its just annoying when Jesus is made to seem like He was all touchy feely.

I get your point though, and it is true of many parishes. Thats why the Priest should not announce it but just slowly move behind the seens. Recruit more boys, dont work so hard to recruit girls, etc.

Don’t worry. I am not disparaged, and I actually agree with you about the “girlishness” factor.