Should the American Catholic Church Continue with Altar Girls, Yea or Nay?

Everyday day parish life in most any diocese in North America | Today | Dennis

[Wonder Warthog]

"I've heard it, too. From a church musician who definitely knows about this stuff."

This is called "opinion", not evidence. In a court, it would qualify as "hearsay". I don't care what you guys have "heard". Unless and until there is some actual EVIDENCE presented (like a study by some organization with the wherewithal to gather actual FACTS), I'll take it as "unproven".

[livius]

Oh, please, what's your "evidence" in the other direction? Where's your study? Or is your opinion better just because it's yours?

This woman has worked at churches and seen the fact that when the girls take over, the boys leave.

[WhiteGuy]

Should the American Catholic Church Continue with Altar Girls, Yea or Nay?


Of course!

[Chickensoup]

I am a former Catholic.

A few years ago my local church had its annual outdoor nativity pagent. The boys of the church were out bid by the girls of the church to become Wise Men. All the mothers tittered and the boys were relegated to carrying stuff. A couple of other boys were suckered into the main roles, Joseph and the innkeeper. Otherwise an all girl cast.

This continued for a couple of years.

Every year I hear that boys leave this church by 6th grade.

Of course they do, there is no role for them.

The women of the church drive them out.

[marsh_of_mists]

If the boys "interest" is that easily derailed, they have no vocation in the first place.

The problem is that those who may have a vocation might not discover it because their interest was never sparked in the first place. Obviously, one can't suddenly know one's vocation; it must be encouraged.

What good, precisely, are altar girls for the Church? Because it makes them happy? But the purpose of altar serving is not to make the altar servers happy; it's to serve the Church.

[Andrew Byler]

Orthodox Catholics should allow charity to take precedence if the matter is not of sin and with time try to restore the better liturgical choices.

The "why things will never get better" attitude strikes. Our Holy Fathers in the past were not "charitable" as you call it with the enemies of faith, and that is exactly what girl altar boy supporters are. Nor did they dilly-dally and wait for people to come about to their point of view. If the Church has a spot or blemish, you should immediately cleanse it if it is in your power.