Women Lectors and EMHC's

[jmcrae]

The attitude “I will only do this if women can’t” is a sinful one and should not be pandered to.

I agree completely. I wonder if those who advocate males only serving are aware or realize that Mother Mary is right now serving at the Altar of Christ in Heaven? Does it dawn on them that there is no congregation in Heaven - all the Saints, both male and female, are serving at His Altar in the lay roles, with Him as their High Priest.

In the sense of giving up himself for his wife just as Christ did for the Church, sure. . . . I don’t think a man who has that attitude is going to refuse to serve as a reader or EMHC because his masculine ego is offended by having to work with women on an equal footing. Someone like that is clearly not acting as a “head” in the sense St. Paul meant.

I don’t think so, either. A man who really loves his wife and who really honours women will not demand that they pretend to be less talented than he is, or go hide themselves away to avoid offending him with the fact of their existence.

I also don’t believe that it is God’s intention that half the human race be required to hide their lights under a bushel in order to make the other half’s appear to shine brighter.

 

[BlestOne]

There is nothing a lay man can do that a lay woman can’t do. Both should be allowed equally, if lay people are allowed. Whether or not there should be lay EMHC’s or lectors, is a different issue.

It’s not about being able to do the same things as men, it is about what is right. At this time, women are allowed so I respect that, I just prefer men only on the altar. I think mass seems much more reverent with just men. In the work place I say sure, if both genders can perform equally…no prob, but in my family and in my parish community I want men to be men and women to be women. To celebrate what God has made us to be.

Many times it feels like the one place away from home where I can be what God made me to be. I have been in the computer and electronics fields for almost 30 years. Do you know how few women were in those fields 30 yrs ago? I was treated like a guy in a guys world at work, I like being a woman and being treated like one!

I know I am capable of changing the oil in my car… but I love it when dh or my boys do it for me. At the same time, DH can cook, but he really appreciates when I cook for him. Frankly, I do the majority of the cooking because he does appreciate it, and I love to see him happy.

 

[Fidelia]

It’s not about being able to do the same things as men, it is about what is right. At this time, women are allowed so I respect that, I just prefer men only on the altar. I think mass seems much more reverent with just men. .

How is it wrong for lay women to be able to take the same roles as lay men during mass? How does gender have anything to do with solemnity? We are no longer living in a time when women were thought to be, and forced to behave as, inferior to men.

 

[whatevergirl]

My question is…if the Pope doesn’t have an issue with it–and leaves it up to individual Dioceses/Bishops…why do some of you have an issue with it? If the Pope thought it harmful to allow women to be EEM’s, and altar servers…I think he would put a stop to it.

 

[Katie1723]

I think mass seems much more reverent with just men. …

If you ask me, that is pretty narrow minded. Just think where we’d be if the most reverent woman I know wasn’t allowed to “serve the Lord”??

Kathy

 

[BlestOne]

If you ask me, that is pretty narrow minded. Just think where we’d be if the most reverent woman I know wasn’t allowed to “serve the Lord”??

Kathy

We can and do serve the Lord in many ways… why does it have to be taking over a task that used to be reserved for men? We have our own work to do.

 

[BlestOne]

How is it wrong for lay women to be able to take the same roles as lay men during mass? How does gender have anything to do with solemnity? We are no longer living in a time when women were thought to be, and forced to behave as, inferior to men.

Having different roles certainly isn’t inferior, it is celebrating the differences God made in us. Until recently (last 40 yrs) women weren’t on the altar at all…this is relatively new to the church. We have other equally important roles to fulfill, why take over men’s roles just because we can?

 

[Fidelia]

Having different roles certainly isn’t inferior, it is celebrating the differences God made in us. Until recently (last 40 yrs) women weren’t on the altar at all…this is relatively new to the church. We have other equally important roles to fulfill, why take over men’s roles just because we can?

Because there is no reason why anything in particular has to be done by a man.
Likewise, there is nothing in particular that has to be done by a woman.

 

[maryj]

Because there is no reason why anything in particular has to be done by a man.
Likewise, there is nothing in particular that has to be done by a woman.

I disagree, my husband HAS to kill the spiders.

 

[BOBKAT]

I am actually ok with what you have to say here. I would not feel the least bit repressed if this were the direction that the Church decided to take, for the very reasons you cite. But then again, I’m quite secure in my feminine role, and don’t need to be the boss of everything to know that I’m valued.

So - no riot from me!

~Liza

I am also of the same feelings…Amen!!!

 

[Katie1723]

We can and do serve the Lord in many ways… why does it have to be taking over a task that used to be reserved for men? We have our own work to do.

I understand what you are saying. I remember as a kid thinking that" I could do that too" when I would watch the altar boys. Personally I think it’s wonderful that there are girls “up there” now. We are not relegating to washing the altar cloths etc. And yes I know that is important too.
Kathy

 

[jmcrae]

I disagree, my husband HAS to kill the spiders.

At our house, I’m the one who kills the bugs. My husband doesn’t even notice them. We had three bumble bees flying around the house the other day, and he didn’t even look up from his book.

I just waited until they landed on something and then took them outside. One of them tried to get back in so I slammed it in the jamb of the door and then wrapped it in a tissue and put it down the toilet.

 

[puzzleannie]

For me to recieve communion means that I recieve Jesus from Himself, in the person of his appointed priest, (In persona Christi capitis) as the apostles did at the last supper.
When I recieve holyAre the presence of EMHC stifling vocations?

if OP is about EMHCs why is the title asking about women lectors?

 

[Fidelia]

Yea, I don’t see what lectors have to do with EMHC’s. Except for the fact that they are both positions which are allowed to be filled by lay people, and for which gender discrimination should not occur.

My question though, is why does the title ask about women, whn the OP post itself, makes no mention of women at all, only EMHC’s.

 

[BlestOne]

if OP is about EMHCs why is the title asking about women lectors?

Puzzleannie… the reason I included lectors is that they do their job on the altar… a place that used to be reserved for men only. I respect that women are allowed to both lector and EMHC by our current authority, I just feel that men should be doing these things. I am not trying to offend anyone, just seeing if I am the only one who feels this way.

 

[jmcrae]

Puzzleannie… the reason I included lectors is that they do their job on the altar… a place that used to be reserved for men only. I respect that women are allowed to both lector and EMHC by our current authority, I just feel that men should be doing these things. I am not trying to offend anyone, just seeing if I am the only one who feels this way.

Keep in mind also that there is nobody up on the altar who was not personally commanded to be there by the priest. People don’t appoint themselves to these roles, and none of the women you see up there “took away” anything from a man. She was telephoned by the priest, he told her to be there at such and such a time to do thus and so, and she obeyed him.

At my parish there is an equal distribution of roles between men and women, but part of that is because we have a high number of retired men in our parish - thus, they are available to show up for training sessions and help out both on Sundays and during the week at the weekday Masses. I suspect that in places where there are fewer men helping out, it’s likely that the men are holding down full time jobs and just can’t commit to the times that are needed by the priest.

 

[maryalene]

But as soon as any lay person is allowed to do anything, men and women should be allowed equally.

I tend to agree with this.

I think there should be a distinction between laity and instituted lectors/religious/priests/deacons. I think it is always preferable to have someone in an instituted office take care of these functions. However, once it is opened up to the laity, I don’t see why we should distinguish between men and women.

FTR, I am a female reader and was an EMHC at a previous parish so you can take my opinion for whatever you think its worth.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Confusing, since agreeing with Fidelia
“But as soon as any lay person is allowed to do anything, men and women should be allowed equally.”

An instituted lector is a lay person, not someone ordained. The instituted lector should proclaim the first reading. Only men can be instituted as lectors.

A bishop, priest or deacon cannot say “I want to proclaim the first reading, I want to be instituted as a lector.” They have different roles.

Another aspect of the discussion is the rumoured Motu Proprio of Benedict XVI. If the 1964 Roman Missal can be used by any priest for any Mass, what is the church saying about the role of women in the sanctuary?

 

[paramedicgirl]

Because there is no reason why anything in particular has to be done by a man.
Likewise, there is nothing in particular that has to be done by a woman.

With the exceptions of ordination to the priesthood and childbirth, of course.

 

[paramedicgirl]

Keep in mind also that there is nobody up on the altar who was not personally commanded to be there by the priest. People don’t appoint themselves to these roles, and none of the women you see up there “took away” anything from a man. She was telephoned by the priest, he told her to be there at such and such a time to do thus and so, and she obeyed him.

At my parish there is an equal distribution of roles between men and women, but part of that is because we have a high number of retired men in our parish - thus, they are available to show up for training sessions and help out both on Sundays and during the week at the weekday Masses. I suspect that in places where there are fewer men helping out, it’s likely that the men are holding down full time jobs and just can’t commit to the times that are needed by the priest.

Might work like that in your parish, but in mine we have some pretty pushy females who will never give up their role to anyone, man or woman. I think they are going to be there until they die. Doesn’t matter how many times you offer to replace them when their term is up. They just say, “Oh, no one wants to do this except me.” I gave up years ago. When we would ask the priest about it, he would tell us we had to talk to the person currently serving in the ministry.

And I’ve noticed that when they do give up one of their many ministries, they don’t go through the priest. They hand select someone way before they ever announce they are leaving and present that person to the priest, leaving everyone else out of the running. It’s all about power and control.