First, I missed who was saying “girls are just as good, if not better”. Did you think I said that?
Second, the specific causes responsible for boys not getting involved is complicated to be sure. I expect that multiple reasons are at play. If the Pope chooses to ban girls, then so be it, but I doubt the presence of girls is scaring away the boys.
I coach a co-ed Catholic baseball team, and none of the teams in our co-ed league seem to have any trouble filling the roster with boys willing to play alongside girls.
I’m not saying what you said. I’m saying what they hear.
What you are teaching them is that, “it doesn’t matter whether it’s boys or girls”, when it’s girls stepping up.
The boys hear, “I’m happy that there are girls up there” since you are a girl yourself. Then then think, “there is no value to me stepping up and doing something because everyone is happy with the status quo”.
Do you have any sons? There should be no doubt that the presence of girls keeps the numbers of boys down. I'm not heavily invested one way or the other in the question of girls serving, but I'm not kidding myself about one of the consequences.
I don't. The reformed liturgy has been feminized, and normal boys sense this even if they can't put it in words. They come to believe that "church" is a chick thing -- a hobby for pious girls and pathetic emasculated males wholly unreliable as masculine role models. If they continue to show up and participate, it's as passive outsiders. Female altar servers are a work of the devil. I mean that literally.
Coaching a team is much different than saying a Mass.
Saying a Mass has reverence in it, the Blessed Sacrament in it.
Where is the real analogy?