EVERY position women have in the liturgy started as an abuse! Now the “norm” includes lector, Extraordinary Ministers, and some altar servers. In some parishes even pastorial assistants, where only some are “necessary” due to the unavailibilty of a priest/pastor. IMNSHO, many, even those who are nuns (out of habit) are simply priest-wannabes. Who is to blame??? It starts with a shortage of discipline at the top, then a lack of knowledge and backbone by some bishops, and then to pastors who were rushed through the seminary with no background in many of these critical areas. Pray for our priests!
No human sacrifice in your church huh? http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon10.gifWe don’t have men or women on the alter itself.
Good Post!
sec. 2. Lay persons *Laici*] can fulfill the function of lector in liturgical actions by temporary designation. All lay persons *Omnes laici*] can also perform the functions of commentator or cantor, or other functions, according to the norm of law.
sec. 3. When the need of the Church warrants it and ministers are lacking, lay persons *laici*], even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also supply certain of their duties, namely, to exercise the ministry of the word, to preside over liturgical prayers, to confer baptism, and to distribute Holy Communion, according to the precepts of the law. So women, as lay persons, can serve in the above capacities according to the norm or precepts of the law, but cannot become a duly instituted lector or acolyte.
Your citation does prove that women can perform these functions. But I think the beef a lot of people have with it is that the canon allowing it also states that they are meant to do so only by “temporary designation.” I know most of the women at my church who perform liturgical functions have been doing so for many, many years. This doesn’t seem all that temporary to me. (The same criticism applies, of course, to the men who are permanent fixtures but not actually liturgically admitted acolytes or lectors.) It’s another example of the “Spirit of Vatican II” taking a mile when it was given an inch.
Having said all that, it is wrong to have lay persons, be they women or men, serving in roles not set up for them, especially where either they or the faithful confuse those roles with those of an ordained man. And they must always treat the Mass, especially the Eucharist, with profound respect and reverence. The lay readers and EMHC's in our parish generally do that. Apparently that is not done in many other places.No one should ever be allowed on the Altar! I could not resist. Any way, the Document issued a few years ago specifically addressing the distinction between the Lay Minister and the Ordained as well as this latest document discussion the difference of roles between men and women may be of some help.
Okay, I’ll bite. How did female EMHCs start out as an abuse?
Of course not. The church can, and sometimes must change matters of discipline. Most of the liturgical practices are disciplines.If having women lectors and Communion Servers is acceptable today…are we saying the Holy Mother Church was wrong for 2000 years?
Sorry, but there’s no such thing as an EME, nor a female lector.
The rubrics, or “norms” if you wish did not allow a pastor to consider or request “assistance” from non ordained laity as lectors, servers, or helpers in distributing Holy Communion.
