Vatican may prohibit female alter (sic) service [Catholic Caucus]

ndsmcobserver.com ^ | October 14, 2003/Updated September 2012 | Amanda Michaels

[Salvation]

Vatican may prohibit female alter (sic) service

By Michaels, Amanda

Published: Tuesday, October 14, 2003

Updated: Wednesday, September 12, 2012 11:09

 

• Only nine years after the Vatican gave women permission to serve beside their male counterparts at the altar, a new proposal threatens to force them back into the crowd.

On Sept. 23, the Italian Catholic monthly, "Jesus," released advanced text of an article featuring excerpts from a draft document, or directive, written by the Vatican congregations for Divine Worship and the Sacraments and for the Doctrine of the Faith. Distributed on June 5, the document was an expansion on the papal encyclical published in April that cut down on abuses during Mass, specifically during Communion.

According to reports, in addition to banning applause and dancing at Mass - both of which often occur at papal services - the document specified that the use of female altar servers should be avoided "unless there is a just pastoral cause," and that "priests should never feel obliged to seek girls for this function."

However, both the Catholic News Service, the media extension of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) stated that the directive was almost immediately sent back for revisions.

"On June 29, the cardinals in charge of the two offices working on the document had a meeting and rejected it," said John Allen, Rome correspondent for the NCR. "The final version is expected by Christmas, and at least for now it says nothing on altar girls."

Though the news of the proposal's rejection is cause for much relief among female acolytes, the mere suggestion of restricting their use has stirred up controversy all over the United States and Western Europe, where the practice has become commonplace.

Since 1994, the USCCB has held that each individual bishop has the power to decide whether or not females within their diocese should be altar servers - a verdict based on the interpretation of 1983 Canon Law 230.2, said Sheila Garcia, USCCB Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women and Youth. To this date, very few dioceses across the country have prevented women from serving.

[Romulus]

My parish has tried to improvel situation by actively recruiting only boys.

A big mistake. It does away with the notion that serving is women's work, but doubles down on the notion that it's kid stuff.

Are there no men in your parish? Real men? Altar serving should always be dominated by adult males. Short of being a priest or a husband and father, it's the most manly thing a man can do. This is how you tell the world you mean business. Don't have any real men in your parish? Then get some -- by asking them to step up and own the responsibility that comes with manhood.

[Salvation]

Proves my point, doesn’t it?

[Salvation]

Just keep asking the boys if they ever thought about being an altar server.

Perhaps the change needs to come from us!

[Salvation]

But there is a role for them!

From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal only duties of acolytes are mentioned. No duties of altar servers is given! (Just in case people were thinking I am nuts in only talking about boys!)

You can also see how these definitions prepare a young man for thinking about entering the priesthood.

C. The Duties of the Acolyte

187. The duties that the acolyte may carry out are of various kinds and several may coincide. Hence, it is desirable that these duties be suitably distributed among several acolytes. If, however, only one acolyte is present, he should perform the more important duties while the rest are to be distributed among several ministers.

The Introductory Rites

188. In the procession to the altar, the acolyte may carry the cross, walking between two ministers with lighted candles. Upon reaching the altar, the acolyte places the cross upright near the altar so that it may serve as the altar cross; otherwise, he puts it in a worthy place. Then he takes his place in the sanctuary.

189. Through the entire celebration, the acolyte is to approach the priest or the deacon, whenever necessary, in order to present the book to them and to assist them in any other way required. Thus it is appropriate, insofar as possible, that the acolyte occupy a place from which he can conveniently carry out his ministry either at the chair or at the altar.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

190. If no deacon is present, after the Prayer of the Faithful is concluded and while the priest remains at the chair, the acolyte places the corporal, the purificator, the chalice, the pall, and the Missal on the altar. Then, if necessary, the acolyte assists the priest in receiving the gifts of the people and, if appropriate, brings the bread and wine to the altar and hands them to the priest. If incense is used, the acolyte presents the thurible to the priest and assists him while he incenses the gifts, the cross, and the altar. Then the acolyte incenses the priest and the people.

191. A duly instituted acolyte, as an extraordinary minister, may, if necessary, assist the priest in giving Communion to the people.[100] If Communion is given under both kinds, when no deacon is present, the acolyte administers the chalice to the communicants or holds the chalice if Communion is given by intinction.

192. Likewise, when the distribution of Communion is completed, a duly instituted acolyte helps the priest or deacon to purify and arrange the sacred vessels. When no deacon is present, a duly instituted acolyte carries the sacred vessels to the credence table and there purifies, wipes, and arranges them in the usual way.

193. After the celebration of Mass, the acolyte and other ministers return in procession to the sacristy, together with the deacon and the priest in the same way and order in which they entered.

[JCBreckenridge]

“We always had ample numbers of boy serving at our parish. After the girls started serving the number of boys dropped dramatically. Less than half of the servers are boys now.”

This is the problem. You don’t fix the shortage by watering down the sacrifice. If boys know that it’s up to them - they will step up. If responsibility is spread around - they will not. It’s really just that simple.

[arthurus]

We do have a couple of older men who serve, mostly at daily mass but occasionally on Sundays. One problem is the altar server trainer is a woman who prefers girls because they are easier for her to deal with. Again, women’s work.

[Bigg Red]

I think when something is a challenge boys are more eager to be a part of it. If it is something anyone can do, why bother?

&&&
Yes, well said!

[A.A. Cunningham]

EMs

You mean extraordinary minister of Holy Communion.

[Romulus]

If your pastor is serious about liturgy, he needs to dump that lady.

I have mothers at my parish pleading with me to start a program of altar serving for their boys because they want this healthy male environment for them. My bottom line is that I will consider taking a boy only if the father or a suitable adult male surrogate comes with him. I want the men for lots of practical reasons, but above all I want them because they have to assume the position of spiritual leadership in their families — and they can’t do so until they are re-evangelized in a disciplined and structured way.

[steve86]

At our small Latin Masses in the area we occasionally (not often) have NO server. Many of us would prefer that situation to females on the altar.

[steve86]

Thanks, I probably did misunderstand (my fault - nothing wrong with your wording).

[redhead]

"No tongue in cheek at all. "American Catholic" implies the Bernardin-Mahoney-Reese-Weakland-Hesburgh-Land-O-Lakes- Dominican Nuns of Sinsinnawa-Pope Joan-Curran-etaletal. Their warped theological outlook says: "I must increase..." A holy priest that you speak of, of which there are legion in our great nation, is a gift beyond all reckoning.">

Amen.

[al_c]

Of course that’s what I was referring to. Chalk that up to lazy typing on my phone ... didn’t feel like tyiping in the actual title. I guess I could’ve typed “eucharettes” ;-)

[savagesusie]

Oh, Yes.....The pope’s encyclicals warned many times about the danger of the seepage of “Modernism” into the Catholic Church Theology and they were brilliant!!!

Catholic Theology is brilliant when practiced——and had to be subverted from within to destroy the “faith” in many adults who were “raised” as Catholics. The watered down Theology taught in schools, also has done tremendous damage.

I know personally Notre Dame graduates whose faith was actually diminished after 4 years at that “Catholic” university. It is a shame.

[dsc]

What’s the name of the encyclical published in April?

[savagesusie]

It is an essential part of sexual identity formation for boys to have opportunity to bond with other boys. It is not normal (like muslim countries) to have no contact with females in the Latency period, which will also “warp” the sexual identity formation of men. You need balance—like in Nature.

That male camaraderie, though, is essential to happiness and flourishing-—that drive for excellence and competition necessary to survive, and the understanding of masculinity which is destroyed the minute you allow “girls” in the game or organization. It dilutes masculinity.

The “herd” instinct has to appreciate the sameness and understand it before they can move on and mature and understand the “other”...to mature to understand and move away from the “herd” instinct to diversity.

Homosexuals are fixated in the self-absorbed Latency period-—idolatry-—narcissism which is normal in children because they are in a process of “maturing” which takes natural experiences and which is necessary for the proper understanding of the world (Reality and Truth). But to fixate at an immature age-—is warped and maturity can never happen (Freud)-—Maturity is when you can appreciate diversity in its Natural Form.

Male bonding and males “playing” with each other (baseball—without girls) is how they learn about roles and their own nature. They learn to be rough and tumble—take risks, be admired for excellence (Virtue) and their maleness without having to “learn” about the “other” when they are too young to appreciate the real differences. You don’t want boys “learning” to be rough and “hit” girls in games, etc.-—it removes the natural “protectiveness” that should be encouraged in the Male. The mature male nature is what can create greatness in a civilization. Without mature, strong males—civilizations will collapse.

That is why the “war” on boys——to make slaves, you have to emasculate and feminize the boys-—destroy the Boy Scouts—homosexualize it-—Feminize it-— and create morons who live by base urges and are narcissistic—and use others. By diluting male experiences and bonding-—you remove Excellence/Virtue and that competitiveness which is positive—never destructive.

Respect and Admiration of the opposite sex can not occur if you don’t allow boys to form “packs” and discover what maleness is.....and have Virtuous males to model.

Without that-—boys can not fully understand themselves and the “masculine”. healthy Male bonding which is essential for societies/governments——not the “type” where young boys “learn” to look at boys with Lust-——this is what the homosexual community is doing-—destroying the normal sexual identity formation by “warping” this normal formation by forcing unnatural concepts of “sex” which uses other human beings as a “commodity” for selfishness (lust).

Sex is the easiest and most efficient way to corrupt young children. Cultural Marxists developed the methodology to destroy Western Civilization-—to destroy Virtue (Excellence, Wisdom) which destroys cultures.

Destroying children’s innocence before age 13 is devastating to their “maturation”. Sex Ed in schools (and on TV) has destroyed the “maturation” of boys in our culture-—where they are incapable of controlling base urges and always rule by “emotion”-—never Reason. IOW, they are immature males.....(and evil). They waste their lives -—their “leisure” is never spent improving their knowledge and becoming more Virtuous (Classical Education)-—the only reason for “work” is to have “leisure” (Aristotle). Play is necessary—but now “play” is the only way most men spend their “leisure” which will destroy cultures (immature males). Classical Education is about improving yourself every day—play is only “on occasion”.

We are reaping the “educational” system, which destroys Virtue in children, that thirst for Knowledge and Truth; it sexualizes them at young ages to corrupt them—preoccupy them with physical pleasures which distracts from formation of character and desire for true knowledge, and makes them lazy, and removes Common Sense (Natural Law Theory).....which is the foundation of our Founding Documents.

[Melian]

My daughter was an excellent altar server, even in college. While very proud of her, I never really got used to the sight of seeing her up there.

[Salvation]

The date on this was 2012 — so was it April of 2012?

[cloudmountain]

We still have girl servers. It’s not been an issue.

[Salvation]

For many it isn’t. But it’s quite modernistic. Not in line with the GIRM.

Supposoedly up to each Ordinary. So pray for your priests.