Posted on 10/25/2008 4:06:27 PM PDT by NYer
On its final day of deliberations, the Synod on the Word overwhelmingly passed a proposal for the formal admission of women to the ministry of lector earlier this morning... but not without a high-watermark of opposition, either.
CNS' John Thavis has the scoop:
The issue was raised in Proposition 17 on “The ministry of the word and women,” and on Saturday morning it passed with 191 votes in favor, 45 opposed and three abstentions, according to our sources.
“It is hoped that the ministry of lector be opened also to women, so that their role as proclaimers of the word may be recognized in the Christian community,” the proposition states in its final sentence.
What Pope Benedict XVI will do with that proposal is unclear, according to Vatican people I spoke with shortly after the synod vote.
The issue, of course, is not whether women can act as lectors, or Scripture readers, in Catholic liturgies. They already do so all over the world, including at papal Masses.
The question is whether women can be officially installed in such a ministry. Until now, the Vatican has said no: canon law states that only qualified lay men can be “installed on a stable basis in the ministries of lector and acolyte.” At the same time, canon law does allow for “temporary deputation” as lector to both men and women, which is why women routinely appear as lectors.
The reasoning behind church law’s exclusion of women from these official ministries has long been questioned. For centuries, the office of lector was one of the ”minor orders,” generally reserved to seminarians approaching ordination. While seminarians still are installed formally as “acolyte” and then as “lector” before being ordained deacons, since the 1970s service at the altar and proclaiming the readings at Mass have been seen primarily as ministries stemming from baptism and not specifically as steps toward ordination.
“It’s important to emphasize that any proposition for women lectors would simply arise from their baptism and not from any presumptive opening for orders,” said one Vatican source....
It’s interesting that this proposal, while passing overwhelmingly, drew the greatest number of “no” votes than any of the other 54 propositions, most of which passed with fewer than five opposing votes.
Another parting request of the Fathers: podcasts.
The monthlong gathering closes tomorrow morning with a papal Mass in St Peter's.
Puhlease ... is this really necessary?
In my parish, only women serve as lectors because the men refuse to do so. I have cajoled, encouraged and challenged several but not one is willing to step up to the lectern. Frankly, IMHO, let it remain the way it is, without any formal indoctrination into a ministry.
The problem with formally installing women in the ministry of lector is that the ministry of lector is the formally a step in the advancement of a man to Holy Orders: Lector, Acolyte, Deacon, Priest...
It is possible for men and women alike to function in the roles of lector and acolyte, but they are formally a part of the ministry that men undertake as they advance toward orders. To install women, then, as lectors seems to contradict the present understanding of ministry and Holy Orders in the Church.
That’s an odd situation. I have not seen any reluctance of men to serve as readers in any parish to which I have belonged.
I serve as a reader, and am the lector coordinator. The position, however, is unnecessary. The way it was done in the Traditional Mass was better. Let us laymen “actively participate” in the pews.
Also, please note that what is being pushed here is not the ability of women to serve as readers (which they do widely), but the formal institution of women into the (seldom used) office of lector.
This is about pushing the ordination of women.
That I understood.
This is about pushing the ordination of women.
Ummmm ... I'm not so sure about that. If anything, both Pope JPII and BXVI have repeatedly stated that this option is permanently closed. My take on it is that these bishops may be trying to placate the feminists, and it won't work.
Yes ... that is what I find most disturbing in this vote.
To install women, then, as lectors seems to contradict the present understanding of ministry and Holy Orders in the Church.
Let's pray the Holy Father disallows this vote. Is that possible?
This is a very small parish - 50 families - many of which come from Lebanon. Think 'Mediterranean' mentality and you'll understand their reluctance. It's challenge enough to get the men to attend Mass, much less take on the role of lector. It's a similar situation with the altar servers. We are down to only 2 brothers who serve and occasionally need a break. At that point, Father uses 2 girls. We have a few boys in the 3 to 5 age bracket but they are too young to serve at this time.
It is so true. I know we've said it before but whenever they bring it up, it bears repeating. I think it was Bishop Sheen who was very vocal about it. Whenever the women are brought in 'to help' or out of a sense of 'equality', the men start to vanish. I think most of us have seen it, with the installation of women EEM's and altar servers and even ushers. As the women serve, the men just stop bothering, and then the women priest crowd uses this as supposed 'proof'. Anecdotally, when my son started as an altar server, it was boys only. So many came forward each year that some of the boys got to serve as little as once a month. With the addition of girls, the number of altar servers in general has diminished and the girls outnumbered boys almost 3 to 1 his last year serving. Similarly the number of male EEM's and lectors has fallen to about the same ratio.
In my parish, only women serve as lectors because the men refuse to do so. I have cajoled, encouraged and challenged several but not one is willing to step up to the lectern.
I know what you mean. I'm no longer shy about asking guys to consider lectoring or helping at the Religious Ed program (a few have stepped up there, which is great!) or other ministries.
“Let us laymen “actively participate” in the pews.”
From an earlier discussion on FR:
I must quibble with the above translation of “actuosa participatio,” which is routinely translated as “active participation.” The phrase is better translated as “actual participation.”
Naturally, I agree completely with the position you express here.
“With the addition of girls, the number of altar servers in general has diminished”
For a boy, anything a gurl can do ain’t wurth doin’. You ain’t got to be Einstein to figger that one out.
“both Pope JPII and BXVI have repeatedly stated that this option is permanently closed.”
Satan never gives up.
It's so true. And the womyn priest crowd is counting on that. A few of the men stay on, but the fervor is lost.
According to the source, the Pope must ratify any decisions. The Church is neither a Democracy or an Aristocracy.
I’d do it...but it would be a long commute to Mass for me!!
I love lector duties.
I am as conservative as they come. I think they ought to allow a women ministry of lectors. It’s not a big deal. We should not confuse the path to holy orders with this ministry. It will not be a path to holy orders. Women have a role to play in the mass. As we have them performing this ministry then institute it. It is unclear and should be clarified. As a woman, I have no problem with my role in the church. Those nutcases that do are going to have a problem anyway. This takes some of their angst off the table. V’s wife.
“I am as conservative as they come.”
In that you believe that “they ought to allow a women ministry of lectors” and “Women have a role to play in the mass,” you are far, far, far from “as conservative as they come.”
I am as I maintain: authentically conservative. Unless we completely abandon the Novus Ordo, which I don’t think would be a bad thing at all, once you have women near the altar, altar girls, etc., you have women in the mass. It’s an obfuscation not to name it a ministry. What is it, then? To have women at the lecturn doing readings and officially there is a sham if not formalized. What you fear already happened. It still is not the ordination of women, which cannot ever happen in the Church. The Holy Spirit will not allow that, anyway. As, if it does happen, that won’t be the Church. V’s wife.
“once you have women near the altar, altar girls, etc., you have women in the mass.”
We were talking about what should be, not what is.
“To have women at the lecturn doing readings and officially there is a sham if not formalized.”
It is not conservative to legitimize something that shouldn’t be happening in the first place. Let it remain a sham, until it can be stopped.
“What you fear already happened.”
The war isn’t over.
It can’t be stopped in the Novus Ordo. V’s wife.
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