It's no wonder that "Msgr. Joseph F. Schaedel, vicar general of the Indianapolis Archdiocese and pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in Indianapolis, describes altar serving as a lost art and an underused tool in promoting vocations." With the introduction of girls at the altar, who are told they're not permitted to pursue a priestly vocation, the mentor relationship between priest and altar boy is fractured. Any boy who takes seriously the call to the priesthood does not want to serve Mass with girls. Even he senses that the two sexes do not mix in this environment. The introduction of girls at the altar is a sure-fire way to put the last nail in the coffin of new vocations; that is, snuff them out right at their inception.
This applies to those who might train them as well. When I was asked to train altar boys in the 1980's, I agreed on only one condition: that they be boys. I taught them "how to do [it] correctly." Now I have nothing to do with altar boy training, and I know of only one parish these days in which they are better-trained than when I was involved. That parish, by the way, of course only has boys or men.
It is a real distraction to me these days when pubescent altar girls hang out around the sanctuary looking bored and twirling their hair during, for instance, the Easter Vigil.
Giving the individual bishop (in the 1990's?) the power to decide whether to use altar girls in his diocese really provoked a crisis for me, I should add. It was the first case in which I could clearly see the ecclesiastical tail wagging the dog. Following authoritative liturgical directives and canon law can be very lonely.
// originally posted 12.19.03 - 11:21 am
Are girls twilrling their hair so much more off-putting than boys scratching themselves or staring at the ceiling?
Adolescents are adolescent.
// originally posted 12.20.03 - 6:45 pm
Miss Miriam, I will give you the point even though I have not had the privilege to witness such a spectacle.
What I was trying to say was that, if our concerns are primarily political, they can only be -- at best -- secondarily religious and liturgical. To spell it out: equal rights > altar girls > what else could anyone want? Responsibility? Reverence?
Adolescents, children, and adults will act with reverence when it is clearly modeled for them.
// originally posted 12.20.03 - 9:49 pm
The idea that "any boy who takes seriously the call to the priesthood does not want to serve Mass with girls" is frightening. I fear for those boys when indeed they DO become priests and find that . . . lo and behold . . . they are to actually MINISTER to girls . . . and even women! Hopefully, boys (and men) will learn to develop mentor relationships with girls (and women) that are sincere, appropriate, and ultimately good for the entire Body of Christ.
// originally posted 12.22.03 - 8:04 pm
Cheryl, I do have a tendency to over-generalize, when I am trying to make a point. In restrospect, I should not have said, "any boy," because it would be ludicrous to make such a claim. However, I do stand by the substance of my argument. Because the ordained priesthood was instituted by Christ to be a ministry for men alone (this we agree on, right?), it would seem most natural that young boys "grow into" the priestly role as altar servers. When they see girls in the same position, they experience a confusing contradiction, which causes them to recoil from participating. I have seen this in many boys. These are normal, well-adjusted boys, who do have many healthy relationships with girls and women, through family and friends (I agree whole-heartedly with your last sentence). However, I also think it is counter-intuitive to put girls into a process whose logical progression leads to a dead end. It's just another example of confusion between the concepts of equal dignity and complementarity of the sexes. The point I was trying to make in my post was that the experience of young altar boys, of many families I know, bears this out.
// originally posted 12.22.03 - 8:41 pm
Thanks for your additional thoughts. I do appreciate the conversation. I will make a confession here, probably against my best interests, that I have to work hard to accept the all-male priesthood, but I do so by focusing on obedience more than because I truly understand that Jesus would have instituted an all-male ordained priesthood for any other reason than the cultural milieu of his time. The Jews of Jesus' day lived in their own socio-political frame of reference (as we do), which did not include women in public positions of honor or authority. I want very much to think (and believe) that if Jesus was born in our world today, he would operate in this cultural environment and his actions would conform to our norms, not to those of another era. But as I said, I struggle to be obedient to the teachings of the Church in this matter. It is a good discipline for me. However, one final small thought. I don't think that, for the girls who serve on the altar, the experience of serving is a dead end if it does not lead to the priesthood, just as it is not for boys who ultimately choose not to enter a seminary. The service is an honor in itself. As a woman sitting in the congregation, remembering clearly a time when I was told point-blank that women defiled the altar, I can assure you that it helps me to feel more part of the community when I can see young Catholic daughters and granddaughters being given the gift of offering this service. They will never be allowed the great honor of becoming priests, but I pray that their service at the altar will give them a greater understanding of and love for what happens during that life-giving sacrament.
// originally posted 12.23.03 - 6:37 pm
Cheryl, thank you for your sincerity and candor. It speaks volumes about your character. I can appreciate what it is like to grapple with Church teaching. I've been on the other side as well. I can say with certainty that it is not by any merit of mine, but only by the grace of God that I came to embrace this teaching, as well as many others. Pray for this grace, and be at peace.
// originally posted 12.23.03 - 6:55 pm
Father Edward McNamara reminds us of the Church's official position on the use of female altar servers.
As a mom with 4 sons and 1 daughter, I can say that I am opposed to girls serving at the altar. I think they take up room on the schedule that would permit more boys to serve at perhaps younger ages. We do have a shortage of priests in this country and it seems silly to me to take up valuable opportunities to serve and foster a vocation with girls who are ineligible for ordination.
For my daughter, I hope to encourage her in many of the other ways to be of service in the church.