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It does not keep young women orthodox... While this is true, it is also true that banning them will not keep them Catholic. And it will not encourage them to raise their children Catholic.

I've been considering a return to the church after an absence of several decades. I was inspired to go in to talk to the priest after I saw altar girls serving Sunday mass.

In Cathoic grade school, all girls could do was lay out the vestments on Satuday for priest and altar boys. I remember how depressed I felt that I could not really take part in the service. After seeing girls serving mass, I thought, perhaps, that there is a place for me in this church after all. Guess not.

I'm certainly no radical feminist, just someone who wants to feel that she belongs. The policies of excluding females at every turn were the reason I left the church. Always an audience member, never a participant, condemned for no reason to irrelevance. Just like Muslim women who are relegated to back rooms off the main mosque floor during services. Bah humbug..

The Anglican church has a much more realistic attitude about women's "place."

I guess the saying about different strokes for different folks is true. I do not at all feel bothered by the various roles we have in the Catholic Church and have never felt unwelcome by it.

I guess I have always felt the reverance and devotion that Catholic feel toward Mother Mary and have felt that honor and love extended to the role of wife and mother.

The main reason to participate at Mass is to worship Jesus who becomes present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Jesus is truly present, and there is no limit as to how devotedly and wholeheartedly you can adore Him. And there are countless ways to provide service to others in the church, from visiting the sick, to teaching, to coming before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and praying your heart out for others, to greeting newcomers, reaching out to young people,etc. etc.. Get involved in a really active Eucharistic centered, Bible believing Roman Catholic parish -- with all its shortcomings -- the important thing is Jesus is there, the saints are there, Mary is there, and more believers need to be there. Don't get hung up on "roles."

After seeing girls serving mass, I thought, perhaps, that there is a place for me in this church after all. Guess not.

Don't let this scare you off. The Church is not going to restrict the use of altar girls. This is a draft of a document that will never see the light of day.