Posted on 03/21/2006 2:26:16 PM PST by LibertyGirl77
Arlington, Va. (AP) - Some big changes are coming for Roman Catholics in Northern Virginia.
Arlington Bishop Paul Loverde said girls and women will now be allowed to serve at the altar in parishes. For years, that's been the case everywhere in the country except for two locations: Lincoln, Nebraska, and Arlington.
The Arlington Diocese only allowed females to serve in places like hospitals, nursing homes and colleges, but some parishes now want that option, Loverde added.
Also, the bishop said two churches, including Saint Lawrence in Alexandria, will be allowed to celebrate the 1962 Latin Mass.
Loverde is the spiritual leader of more than 400,000 Catholics in Northern Virginia.
I really think this is going to have horrible long term repercussions throught the Diocese. History has borne up that when women/girls are allowed into these positions, they take them over and the numbers of men willing to participate dwindle. In my Lutheran church growing up, it was ALL altar girls and no altar boys (we calle it "acolyte" though). I predict a decrease in Vocations 10-20 years from now. It's sad.
You should write Loverde and let him know of your disappointment. Also, a Priest can refuse to use females as servers. Maybe you can find one in your parish or diocese who won't use them.
I will do that. If there is any priest in our diocese who would refrain from using female altar serers, it is probably my parish priest, though. It's good to know that individual priests can make the call. We're looking for a new house right now and will definitely try to "vote with our feet" on this and other issues.
Also, from what I can gather from the forums at EWTN, the Eastern Rite Churches do not use females as altar servers, so that is another option for you.
This is, unfortunately, a phony "option" because the pastors know that the bishop has long wanted to go-with-the-flow and have girl altarboys. And very few of the fearful priests in Arlington (remembering the pending suspension cases of Fathers Haley and Clark) will have the courage to buck this bishop.
You are LUCKY! At St. James Cathedral in Seattle two Sundays ago, a NUN gave the SERMON!! She wasn't up there to talk about a program or charity, she gave a HOMILY! YUK...YUK...Double YUK! She wasn't even GOOD.
It's not a phony option, Rome has stated that Priests are not obligated to use altar girls. If a Bishop were foolish enough to seek retribution against a Priest who exercised his rights then said Priest has Canonical recourse. Those with courage who don't want to go along to get along don't have to.
Sadly this has been a common occurence at the Our Lady of the Assumption church in Claremont, CA (L.A. Archdiocese)...except the woman isn't even a nun!!!! :(
I am actually surprised there are still places in the U.S. where girls are not allowed to be altar servers.
65. The homily is part of the Liturgy and is strongly recommended,63 for it is necessary for the nurturing of the Christian life. It should be an exposition of some aspect of the readings from Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the listeners.64
66. The Homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person.65 In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate.
There is to be a homily on Sundays and holy days of obligation at all Masses that are celebrated with the participation of a congregation; it may not be omitted without a serious reason. It is recommended on other days, especially on the weekdays of Advent, Lent, and the Easter Season, as well as on other festive days and occasions when the people come to church in greater numbers.66
After the homily a brief period of silence is appropriately observed.
63. Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 52; Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 767 § 1.
64. Cf. Sacred Congregation of Rites, Instruction Inter Oecumenici, on the orderly carrying out of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 26 September 1964, no. 54: AAS 56 (1964), p. 890.
65. Cf. Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 767 ? 1; Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law, response to dubium regarding can. 767 § 1: AAS 79 (1987), p. 1249; Interdicasterial Instruction on certain questions regarding the collaboration of the non-ordained faithful in the sacred ministry of priests, Ecclesiae de mysterio, 15 August 1997 , art. 3: AAS 89 (1997), p. 864.
66. Cf. Sacred Congregation of Rites, Instruction Inter Oecumenici, on the orderly carrying out of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 26 September 1964, no. 53: AAS 56 (1964), p. 890.
While I cannot speak for all of the Eastern Churches, I can tell you that in my very small Maronite (Eastern) Catholic parish, our very orthodox pastor allows 2 girls to serve as acolytes but in a limited capacity. Allow me to explain. The parish is so small that there are not enough boys to fill the position. Father prefers to have boys up at the altar in order to encourage priestly vocations. Our parish recently celebrated its Centennial with two bishops and several chorbishops concelebrating the Divine Liturgy. Only the boys were allowed to serve at the altar on that day. In the Eastern Catholic parishes, however, there are NO EMHCs, nor communion in the hand, thus ruling out their active participation. The Maronite Catholic Church does allow women to serve as lectors, probably because there are too few men interested in serving at the lectern.
Dear LibertyGirl77, please do not allow this to encomber your mind or dissuade you from completing the journey home. Those called to serve in these ministries usually take it very seriously. As lector in my parish, I invest many hours in preparation. Last month, one of the faithful pulled me aside to say how much she enjoys hearing Scripture when I read it. This is an awesome responsibility and one I take most seriously. Father told us up front that the lector's role is to "open the minds and hearts of the listeners", not to draw attention to themselves. I heed that advice each time I am asked to serve.
But be happy that you'll have the Indult at two different parishes in the diocese.
That's a start. And I can almost guarantee you, there won't be "altar girls" there.
By little steps, you seem to be following ECUSA... turn back while you can.
Just be thankful you are not in the Richmond Diocese.
Is it cause or effect? When the Boston diocese started allowing altar girls, we had maybe one per Mass. Once the priest abuse scandal hit, parents wouldn't let their sons become altar boys. Now it almost all girls.
Well, let's see what happens and how many priests will actually demonstrate the courage to resist what this bishop wants (i.e., to be in sync with his fellow bishops). He can find indirect ways to impose his will and he relishes the exercise of power for its own sake. As to canonical recourse, that's there but not particularly meaningful: Father Haley, the whistleblower, has been waiting for years for a decision on his appeal.
Well, let's see what happens and how many priests will actually demonstrate the courage to resist what this bishop wants (i.e., to be in sync with his fellow bishops). He can find indirect ways to impose his will and he relishes the exercise of power for its own sake. As to canonical recourse, that's there but not particularly meaningful: Father Haley, the whistleblower, has been waiting for years for a decision on his appeal.
I heard the new Bishop there was making some excellent changes and moving to orthodoxy. Is the word on the streets wrong?
That's a violation of Canon Law. Only priests and deacons can give a homily.
He did give permission for Latin Masses at two parishes. Maybe he's trying to accommodate many demands. After all, he's not doing anything against the rubrics. I think the days are long past where girl altar-servers would be considered "unothodox" and maybe we need to look at his overall record.
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