Posted on 01/31/2015 1:57:22 AM PST by Morgana
Current Issue: Interview Interview 8 Fr. Joseph Illo Explains Altar Boys-Only Policy at San Francisco Parish January 29, 2015 The pastor of Star of the Sea Church notes that “altar service is intrinsically tied to the priesthood"; says media furor over decision is "biased" Jim Graves Fr. Joseph Illo, pictured celebrating Mass in an undated photo, has been pastor of Star of the Sea Church in San Francisco since last year. (Photo courtesy of Fr. Illo)
Star of the Sea Church in San Francisco made national news recently when its priests announced that female altar servers were being phased out and the parish was returning to the traditional practice of having only altar boys assisting the priest during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. A CBS television news report (“Peeved Parishioners Leaving SF Catholic Church Over Ban on Girls as Altar Servers”) declared there was “outrage” among parishioners and featured a girl from the parish school saying she feels “insulted” because “it makes me feel like I’m not good enough because I’m a girl.” Other reports were also negative. “Because they are too good at fulfilling their duties,” the New York Daily News stated, “girls will no longer be trained as altar servers at a Catholic church in San Francisco.”
A Religion News piece reported that the “move that is sparking both criticism and praise and comes amid a wider debate over conservative concerns that the Catholic Church has become too 'feminized',” seeking to connect the story to recent remarks by Cardinal Raymond Burke about the lack of men attending Mass.
Fr. Joseph Illo is pastor of Star of the Sea Church and is a co-founder of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, which operates the parish. (He was interviewed by Catholic World Report last May about the Oratory.)
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicworldreport.com ...
One of my hardest times when I was a young teacher at St. Augustine’s Elementary School (late 1960s), was explaining to two of my 6th grade boys, who asked me if they could be the altar boys at my wedding, that I was not Catholic and my church did not use altar boys. I did have them as junior ushers, which was the best I could do to repay the honor they have given me by wanting to serve at my wedding.
**On January 26, he issued a two-fold defense of the policy, stating 1) that mixed altar-server programs typically result in boys losing interest; conversely, “a boys-only program gives altar boys the space to develop their own leadership potential,” and 2) more importantly, “altar service is intrinsically tied to the priesthood and serve as feeder programs for the seminary. If the Catholic Church ordained women, altar girls would make sense, but the Catholic priesthood is a male charism. Nothing awakens a desire for the priesthood like service at the altar among the brotherhood of young men.”**
Amen!
I always thought that “pipeline to the priesthood” thing was wishful thinking. But, now that I have a son who is an altar boy, I have to say that it is a brotherhood in the sacristy and on the altar, in a way. The head of the altar boy ministry, the deacons and priests and sacristans, all know who my son is and how he works, in a different way than his parents and coaches do. It’s a whole new layer of faith commitment that is, well, not “fun” like baseball, but it feels right and good to be doing. We have altar girls, too, and they are happy to do it, but I rather doubt it is the same sort of manly faith connection that it is for the boys.
Re: your post # 2 — I think you did well to have those boys serve as junior ushers at your wedding.
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