To argue that some girl serving at mass has been the cause for the fall-off in vocations to the priesthood is flat-out stupid. [Now please don't run off bawling to the moderator "like a little girl" that I called you "stupid." I called the argument stupid.] Numero uno, if someone's alleged "Call to the altar" to serve as a priest is stopped by the sight of a 9 year old girl handing a priest a cruet at mass, then it wasn't much of a "calling." That's like saying because some 9 year old girl on a co-ed little league team hit a Texas leaguer off a boy pitcher, that he's going to take his ball, go home, and never become the next Nolan Ryan. This "drop off" happened WAY before girls routinely served at the altar. Try again, sherlock.
For extra credit: Tell me why the following TRUE situation was "equitable, just, and right" -- tell me why if you had a daughter in the following situation, you can explain to her how the boy in question had so much more right to hand the priest the cruets at mass than she did:
year: 1970-1971 place(s): St. John Eudes Catholic Church, Chatsworth, Ca. Ernest Lawrence Jr. High School---9th grade English class dramatis personae: Boy who shall be named "John" Girl who shall be named "Mary"
"John" is one of the head altar boys. John regularly serves mass. He has a penis. He is "entitled." [He does not really have "the faith" but that is immaterial, he has a penis, and that is what matters. He was baptised, just like John Kerry.]
"Mary" is John's age. They attend school together. In fact, they have some classes together. Can Mary serve mass? No. She is "just a girl" the church does not deem her worthy to hand the priest the cruets. Some insecure little boy might be swayed away from his future calling to be a priest if he sees Mary assisting at the altar. Mary sees John serve mass at least twice a month, with perks like getting to be thurifer at high masses throughout the year.
There is a "debate" in English class in the public school. "John" vociferously argues that abortion should be legal. yes. This same pure-faced altar boy. No matter he recieves communion all the time...no matter idiots in the pews think "Ah, there's a future priest"...."John" what will later be termed a "cafeteria catholic."
Mary? Mary is on the debate team OPPOSITE John. While most of her budding liberal classmates are on John's side (John is an easy sucker for peer pressure, but MAry is not) Mary argues pro-life. Mary is concious of her duty to defend the faith, unlike dirtbag John who goes out of his way to say religions shouldn't "push their morals on other people." [BTW, John was not "Assigned" the pro-abort position, the kids were asked to sign up for the side they could in conscience support. John was a true-blue abortion rights supporter.]
Would Mary have given anything to be able to assist the priest at mass? Yes. Did she "Defend the faith?" Yes. Was she a better catholic than John? Yes. How come she couldn't serve mass? She didn't have a penis. "PEnis envy," in this case? No. More like "penis disgust." Disgust that FOR NO GOOD REASON, she was not allowed to assist at mass. This particular "Mary" remained a good and faithful catholic, because she knew in her heart that JESUS would never have refused her....it was just a stupid social custom that prevented her. As for the "John?" Who knows? Maybe he repented of his non-catholic ways. Maybe he is now an abortionist himself.
Question: How many "Jills" saw the above true story, or similar situations and "lost the faith" because they were sick of the hypocrisy? People can only take so much crap. Not everyone is strong enough to retain the faith and not let stupid social customs in the church turn them from the eucharist. Unfortunately, load too many of these experiences on some people and they fall away from the church for no good DOCTRINAL reason.
Some people can actually see the inequities and the injustice in the above situation, which really happened. You won't be one of them.
In Paul's letter to Timothy, he complains about some women wearing braids and pearls too. Customs change. OR does your overly romanticized ritual have a "pearl/and braid" male porter at the door to chuck kids in braids and women with pearls out on their ears?
Try not being such a "pharisee" sometimes. Figure out WHY a rule is/was in place. A temporary discipline? A social custom? A response to counteract a current topic? [Can we eat sacrificed meats without giving offense?]
Sure it's great if boys serve at the altar. It's also great when girls do so as well. And it's even better when they actually PRACTISE the faith outside of mass.