Women Serving During Mass

[traichuoi]

[quote name='Spiritual_Arsonist' date='Apr 7 2004, 01:54 PM'] Women as servers? Absolutely not. I have expereinced this firsthand and see it time and time again. Altar Serving does help foster vocations to the Priesthood. If women cannot be priests, then they should not serve. Lectors and EME's? Sure. Only when done by the rules. [/quote]
you know, i agree that altar servers give way to Priesthood. with that said, i spoke with our Vocation Director (Phoenix) and he said the number one thing that stands in the way of vocations in America are mothers. sadly enough, there are mothers who do not support their sons discerning a call to the priesthood. now if altar serving gave boys insight into the priesthood, then would it not allow girls who may be mothers someday the insight into the priesthood so that they may be more supportive?

just a thought...

[BLAZEr]

[quote name='popestpiusx' date='Apr 8 2004, 09:13 AM'] Well blazer, at least you admit that they are ordinary laity. [/quote]
Uhhh? What?

[VeraMaria]

[quote name='BLAZEr' date='Apr 8 2004, 03:12 AM'] In fact, an early martyr and patron of Altar Boys (I'll give 10 points to the first person who can name him!) was martyred while he was carrying the Eucharist to the sick who could not make it to the mass. [/quote]
Saint Tarcisius....

[aByzantineCatholic]

The Pope has made his opinion VERY clear on the matter. However, the Bishops see it differently.

[quote][b]Pope Extols Altar Boys as "Garden" of Vocations[/b]

The Pope referred to his experience as archbishop of Krakow, when he was able to appreciate "the great benefits which can accrue from a concern for their human, spiritual and liturgical training."
[/quote]

[url="http://www.zenit.org/english/"]http://www.zenit.org/english/[/url]

Altar boys = priest.

My thoughts on the matter
Girls can NEVER EVER EVER become a priest. We have a shortage of priest. Therefore, girls should NOT serve on the altar. Not because they are not worthy but because of the great need for priest!

God Bless!

Edited April 9, 2004 by aByzantineCatholic

[ilovechrist]

there are only 2 girls that serve at our parish now, thanks to Father A's very traditional view on things, which i agree with him on this one. i don't think there's a prob with them lectoring, just becuz its the reading of the Word--everybody does it, and EM's... i've grown up with them, so i don't mind them much. but thats just me

[FaustinaVianney]

Liturgicae Instaurationes
Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship
Instruction on the orderly carrying out of the Constitution on the Liturgy, September 5, 1970-- 7. In conformity with norms traditional in the Church, women (single, married, religious), whether in churches, homes, convents, schools, or institutions for women, are barred from serving the priest at the altar.

Inaestimabile Donum
Instruction Concerning Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery
Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship
Approved and Confirmed by His Holiness Pope John Paul II April 17, 1980-- 18. There are, of course, various roles that women can perform in the liturgical assembly: these include reading the Word of God and proclaiming the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful. Women are not, however, permitted to act as altar servers

[PhatPhred]

[quote name='FaustinaVianney' date='Apr 9 2004, 01:48 AM']Liturgicae Instaurationes
Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship
Instruction on the orderly carrying out of the Constitution on the Liturgy, September 5, 1970-- 7. In conformity with norms traditional in the Church, women (single, married, religious), whether in churches, homes, convents, schools, or institutions for women, are barred from serving the priest at the altar.[/quote]
Yes, in 1970, women were not allowed to be altar servers.

[quote name='FaustinaVianney' date='Apr 9 2004, 01:48 AM']Inaestimabile Donum
Instruction Concerning Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery
Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship
Approved and Confirmed by His Holiness Pope John Paul II April 17, 1980-- 18. There are, of course, various roles that women can perform in the liturgical assembly: these include reading the Word of God and proclaiming the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful. Women are not, however, permitted to act as altar servers[/quote]
And this was still the case in 1980.

It wasn't until 1983 that the canon law was changed to allow female altar servers.

[FaustinaVianney]

Props for actually reading canon law, but me personally I didn't say that girls couldn't..I said they shouldn't. Whether or not girls are allowed is up to the bishop of that diocese. In reading the commentary on Cannon Law boys are still of particular choice because it does lead up to the priesthood. In our diocese and in particular my parish (we haven't had someone ordained from my parish in 30 years and we used to always have a seminarian) we have mainly girl servers and well we don't have a lot of semmies. In another diocese where I go to school there are very few girl servers and they have 8 Deacons being ordained in May...

[FaustinaVianney]

[url="http://www.adoremus.org/CDW-AltarServers.html"]Altar Servers[/url]

[url="http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=48444"]Zenit[/url]

[CatholicCrusader]

Where was the "NO, NEVER" response...??

Edited April 10, 2004 by CatholicCrusader

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='aByzantineCatholic' date='Apr 8 2004, 10:10 PM'] The Pope has made his opinion VERY clear on the matter. However, the Bishops see it differently.



[url="http://www.zenit.org/english/"]http://www.zenit.org/english/[/url]

Altar boys = priest.

My thoughts on the matter
Girls can NEVER EVER EVER become a priest. We have a shortage of priest. Therefore, girls should NOT serve on the altar. Not because they are not worthy but because of the great need for priest!

God Bless! [/quote]
Actually there are more priests now then 30 years ago, Its the distribution that is the problem.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='CatholicCrusader' date='Apr 10 2004, 03:26 PM'] Where was the "NO, NEVER" response...?? [/quote]
lol not an option!

[IrishG8s]

Well since we are famly here and we know that famly's argue with such sincerity and dignity, I want a word in this to.
First off let me say I have the greatest respect toward women. Even though you ladies are sometimes so hard to figure out :slap: But never the less women have a greater thing which I don't think us men can relate to. You women have and emotional side that is what makes you women. Now don't be like "HOW DARE HE" What I'm talking about is Love, Women have such a greater understanding and more showing of love then us men. (guys you don't take this out of porportion either).
Now to get to the arguing stage [i]"Puts in Mouth Guard"[/i] I think, I'm only thinking out loud here, so please do be kind and here me out. What I say may sound auckward but here goes. As some have said in the past being an altar boy relates best for a young man to possibly have an interest in being a priest. I mean you sit up at the altar and follow the priest the whole time helping out with mass and it's and absouluty wonderfull experience. Now with Young women, I think it may be possibly distracting to both the altar boys and the priest. I mean ladies don't get me wrong you are all beautiful, and we guys know it. So that's my imput. It makes know since becuase I have no clue how to write my thoughts out but I hope my point was understood. Again Ladies love ya lots but just wanted say what I had to say. [i]"Slowly backs away"[/i]

[cmotherofpirl]

I have no problem with boy-only altar servers.
However there is nothing wrong with women lectors.

[ilovechrist]

[quote name='IrishG8s' date='Apr 10 2004, 02:39 PM'] Now with young women, I think it may be possibly distracting to both the altar boys and the priest. I mean ladies don't get me wrong you are all beautiful, and we guys know it. [/quote]
that is very true--and this is where i bring in the modesty thread part for just a moment.
girls REALLY need to concentrate on dressing modestly for Mass---for us guys have a big problem getting distracted on the altar as it is--i admit it! you are all beautiful, and... if i could have this favor, i think it might help everyone, but me especially, so i can concentrate on leading everyone and setting an example in Mass

[voiciblanche]

[quote name='ilovechrist' date='Apr 11 2004, 06:04 PM'] that is very true--and this is where i bring in the modesty thread part for just a moment.
girls REALLY need to concentrate on dressing modestly for Mass---for us guys have a big problem getting distracted on the altar as it is--i admit it! you are all beautiful, and... if i could have this favor, i think it might help everyone, but me especially, so i can concentrate on leading everyone and setting an example in Mass [/quote]
Guys can distract the girls, too! Girls are different than guys in that aspect; we don't care what you're wearing! For guys, it's like, who's in the shortest skirt. I've seen girls check out the altar boy, and their altar boy outfit is about as modest as you can get.

[qfnol31]

[quote name='CatholicCrusader' date='Apr 10 2004, 02:26 PM'] Where was the "NO, NEVER" response...?? [/quote]
Eh, I was in a generous mood...

J/K, I wanted to be nice.

[ilovechrist]

[quote name='voiciblanche' date='Apr 12 2004, 06:11 PM'] Guys can distract the girls, too! Girls are different than guys in that aspect; we don't care what you're wearing! For guys, it's like, who's in the shortest skirt. I've seen girls check out the altar boy, and their altar boy outfit is about as modest as you can get. [/quote]
true...
the altar boy kasik and surplus heat up so quickly its not even funny --stand by one candle and u start to sweat... ick. now to address guys like that isn't very fair, for not all of us look for the shortest skirt (which, unfortunately for the people who push for modesty, isn't too hard to find nowadays). gee, if i had known i distract girls up on the altar, i might just stick with being a sub-organist

[dominicansoul]

I can honestly say, that as a woman, I have NEVER been offended by even the thought that women shouldn't be up at the Altar, or serve at Mass.

I just wonder if the females of the past...ever had problems with this subject? Like, for example...did the Jewish women want to be Levite priests and do the rituals and the sacrificing? I think not...only because...well...God struck down a lot more people back then...and maybe they were a little bit more reverent and had a healthy fear of the Lord!

[HisChildForever]

I think that, by serving, a girl may feel Called to become a sister. After all, she's learning [b]obedience[/b] through serving.