|
F e a t u r e A r t i c l e
JUST THE FACTS, PLEASE, ON ALTAR GIRLS
By HELEN HULL HITCHCOCK
|
This Rock
Volume 4, Number 5
 May 1993 
|
|
|
MUCH confusion surrounds the liturgical ministry
of women--and much misinformation also. The misinformation breeds
further confusion, hurt feelings, and divisions within parishes. Many
Catholics worry that a novel liturgical practice is being introduced
in their parishes without approval of the Universal Church. Others
don't see the point of all the fuss.
Following are real-life questions received by Women for Faith & Family.
The answers may clarify the issues, promote understanding of some
reasons for the prohibition of girls and women from serving in the
role of acolyte, and explain why we should be concerned about observing
the Church's laws and discipline.
"In my parish we have been told that altar
girls are now officially permitted. Is this true?"
No. The directive covering the liturgical ministry
of women is given in the official liturgical instruction Inaestimabile
Donum (no. 18), which says, "There are 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."
These instructions are binding, and in full force. Furthermore, the
1983 Code of Canon Law states:
"Since he must protect the unity of the Universal Church, the
bishop is bound to promote the common discipline of the whole Church
and therefore to urge the observance of all ecclesiastical laws"
(can. 292:1).
"He is to be watchful lest abuses creep into ecclesiastical discipline,
especially concerning the ministry of the word, the celebration of
the sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of God and devotion to
the saints, and also the administration of property" (canon 292:2).
These statements provide a basis for protecting the liturgy from such
innovations as females performing the role of acolyte. Not even a
bishop has the authority to make any changes which conflict with the
law of the Universal Church.
"In my parish girls dressed in albs carry
candles and the processional cross, but they are not called 'altar
servers' because they do not hand the cruets to the priest at Mass.
Isn't this okay?"
Some local liturgists interpret the laws this way,
but permission has not been given for girls or women to perform these
tasks. The Vatican has repeatedly attempted to clarify this.
In November, 1989, for example, the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the U.S.,
then-Archbishop (now Cardinal) Pio Laghi, emphasized that "altar
server" as used in Inaestimabile Donum "includes
those functions traditionally associated with serving as altar server,
thurifer, candlebearer, and crossbearer, and other such functions.
... In all matters regarding the liturgy, the local bishop
is to be consulted since he is responsible for promoting and deepening
the liturgical life of the diocese (Sacrosanctum Concilium
n. 41)."
In a 1991 letter, signed by Msgr. C. Sepe, the Vatican Secretariat
of State wrote:
"I am writing in reply to your letter to the Holy Father concerning
the possibility of girls acting as altar servers. The Church's traditional
discipline in this regard was reaffirmed in the instruction Inaestimabile
Donum, issued by the Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine
Worship on April 3, 1980, and it remains in force."
"The pastoral minister in our parish told
us that there are no theological reasons why women cannot be ordained,
and certainly there is no reason why girls cannot be altar servers.
She has recruited girls from our parish school to be servers at Mass."
Your pastoral minister is mistaken. Even if she does
not understand the theological reasons for restriction of the ordained
priesthood to certain men, or the reason girls and women may not serve
in the role of acolyte, that does not mean there are none.
The Pope has offered theological reasons for the Church's prohibition
of "women priests" in Christifidelis Laici and other
documents. He has emphasized that this restriction "represents
the mind of Christ," who could have chosen women as apostles
if he wanted to. He has also said that this is a matter of essential
Catholic belief and cannot change.
Although who may serve the priest at Mass is a discipline of the Church,
not a dogma, one theological reason which has been advanced to support
the constant tradition of the Church in this matter is that the altar
server's function is to directly serve the priest, who acts "in
the person of Christ" (in persona Christi), so the server
is actually an "extension of the priest's hands" when, for
example, he hands the cruets to the priest.
It is important for us to realize that the Church does not fully develop
theological positions until a particular teaching or practice is challenged.
Only now, after nearly two thousand years of Church history, has the
teaching and practice of the Church regarding the male priesthood
and connected liturgical roles been questioned.
The theological reasons for the restrictions will become more fully
developed over time. But we must realize that theological arguments
that everyone will find persuasive are not necessary for a teaching,
discipline, or practice to be true and binding on all Catholics.
"I am a [female] lector in my parish and
I am thankful that I am allowed to do this, but I understand that
Church law forbids it. Do we have to observe Church law regarding
altar servers?"
Yes, all Catholics--bishops, clergy, and laity--must
observe Church law. Part of the confusion about roles for women in
liturgical ministry is that in the past both lectors and acolytes
were "minor orders"; both required ordination. Laity could
not perform these functions.
In recent times the "minor orders" were abolished, and the
role of lector was open to lay men. Many years ago the liturgical
role of altar server once performed only by ordained acolytes came
to be given to boys. More recently, permission was given to the bishops
in the Church in the United States to allow lay women to function
as lectors, although nuns, particularly in cloistered convents, had
earlier been permitted to serve as lectors for their convent Masses.
Allowing boys to serve in the role of acolyte has been a rich source
of vocations to the priesthood. As you know, altar boys wear priestly
vestments (just as ordained acolytes had done) and come to know intimately
the text and structure of the Mass and often learn the prayers of
the liturgy and the Canon of the Mass by heart. They are taught their
duties and are formed by their parish priest, who becomes a powerful
role model for them.
One of the distinctive things about the Catholic Church in this country
has been the relatively vigorous piety of men. In other churches (and
in other countries) religion often comes to be regarded as mostly
women's business. Probably one reason for the remarkable participation
of Catholic men in the life of the Church in America is attributable
to their having been trained to be altar boys.
"Two of my sons have been altar boys for
several years, and it has always been important to them. This year
our parish has started an altar girl program, and my sons now want
to quit."
You bring up one of the serious problems with including
girls as altar servers. The effect of changing the norms to allow
girl servers (even if they are only crossbearers or candlebearers)
will likely lead to further feminization of the Church. Human nature
being what it is, pre-teenage boys and girls do not always mix well.
This is a stage in development during which most boys strongly prefer
the company of members of their own sex (notable on sports teams,
in scouting clubs, and so on). While this is also true of girls to
some extent, girls have less resistance to associating with boys than
vice versa. The existence of this dynamic has not been acknowledged
by the promoters of girls as acolytes.
"I recently attended a parish Mass where,
I became aware, the only male present was the priest, and he was entirely
surrounded by several adult women wearing vestments who were serving
the Mass. The choir, the readers, the extraordinary ministers, and
the entire congregation were women. I overheard one woman saying that
it would be a perfect Mass if only they didn't have to have
the priest's 'magic words.' I was very distressed."
The comment you overheard is typical of those that
appear in the writings of Catholic feminists. They claim the Church
is an "oppressive, patriarchal structure" and maintain that
the priesthood itself, because it is hierarchical, is the main obstacle
to achieving equality for women in the Church.
Members of feminist groups that formed the Women's Ordination Conference,
(WATER),
Women Church, the Quixote Center, New Ways Ministries, and other feminist
groups and individuals, have advocated ordination of women as a matter
of justice and equal rights.
Today most of these women say they no longer want to be ordained into
the "defective structure" of the Church, although they still
regard expanding the liturgical roles women may perform as an important
objective in achieving the kind of reform they desire. Feminist theologian
Rosemary Radford Ruether has said, "We don't want a piece of
the pie, we want a whole new recipe." Sr. Sandra Schneiders,
who teaches at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, has written
a book, Beyond Patching, which argues that the Church is so
defective that it cannot be "patched," but must be discarded
entirely and "rewoven."
Among the short-term goals of feminist reformers is the authorization
of female altar servers. They realize the significance of people becoming
accustomed to seeing women wearing vestments and performing functions
formerly reserved to men and clergy. They understand the power of
ritual and symbol well.
While Catholic feminists (of both sexes) are only a small percentage
of the Catholic population, many hold leadership positions in the
Church. Many are in Catholic schools, seminaries, and publishing houses.
They are liturgists and theology professors, and they lead countless
workshops on feminist spirituality. They have nearly instant access
to the media and financial resources. Thus they have influence far
beyond their numbers.
"My sons are not interested in being altar
boys, but my daughter is, and some of her girlfriends are servers.
How can I tell her she is not allowed by the Church to serve this
way when Sister is saying the opposite?"
Parents have a difficult job in cases like this, and
their jobs are made more difficult when other authority figures contradict
them. It is hard for parents, who cannot be expected to be experts
on liturgy or Church law, to explain such matters. It is most unfortunate
and confusing when the various authorities conflict. This is one reason
why the refusal on the part of an individual in a position of authority,
whether a pastoral minister or a priest, to conform to the clear norms
established by the Church causes so much distress and even scandal
to the faithful.
As parents know in other matters, that "everybody else does it"
or "sister says . . ." does not make something right. Even
if you are not qualified to explain theological nuances to your child,
you have an opportunity, in this case, to say something about the
importance of obedience--in this case obedience to what the highest
authorities in the Church have been saying repeatedly for several
years. Eventually all children will have to learn that even adults
make mistakes. Your child will have to be told that Sister is in error.
"Our parish has just started to have altar
girls. This really bothers us, but our pastor says this has
been approved by the diocesan liturgical office and we should be open
to change. If we voice our objections, we know we'll just
be branded as "right-wing nuts" and it probably won't do
any good anyway. Should we speak out, or should we keep quiet and
find another parish?"
There is no easy answer. You are obliged to voice
your concern (not your anger) to the pastor and, if necessary, to
call the matter to the attention of your bishop. Your personal responsibility
for the pastor's error ends there. The bishop cannot correct a situation
he does not know about, so you may have to give him the information
he needs. Correcting the mistakes of a parish priest is, ultimately,
the bishop's responsibility.
Nobody likes to be called names or to be stereotyped and disregarded.
Even if you discharge your obligation in a manner of great charity,
you may well find yourself branded a "right-wing nut." If
it's any consolation, you'll be in good company: Some folks call John
Paul II and Mother Teresa similar names.
"We just got a new assistant, and now all
the readings are being changed to 'gender-neutral' language. He changes
the parts of the Mass where God is addressed as 'Father,' and he's
asked several fifth- and sixth-grade girls to be altar girls. He says
the Pope approves of altar girls and they have them at St. Peter's.
Can this be true?"
The Holy Father does not approve of altar
girls--otherwise he would have acceded to the request of those
few bishops (mainly from the U. S., Canada, and Western Europe) who
some years ago asked to be allowed to open ministries not requiring
ordination, (including altar servers) to girls and women. He has not
given permission.
The rules remain in effect, as evidenced by the many individual letters
which have continued to issue from Vatican authorities to bishops
and others about the matter. Although the Pope can't personally supervise
every liturgy--not even the ones in St. Peter's--the story
(which we have heard, too) that altar girls serve Masses at St. Peter'
s is not true.
"Our bishop has been told about the use of
altar girls in our parish and in several other parishes in our diocese.
When he has responded to documented complaints, he has repeated the
Vatican prohibition, but he will not stop the practice. What's going
on here?"
We will not try to second-guess your bishop's motives
in what seems to be self-contradiction. Most bishops want to avoid
trouble and hope to preserve at least the appearance of unity in their
dioceses. Sometimes it takes a great deal more courage than most of
us have to risk criticism, and only very strong convictions can give
us the courage to do what is right in spite of opposition from those
around us.
As parents know well, it is often easier to give a disobedient child
his way than to risk the embarrassment of a public scene. In the Church,
as in families, there is often a desire for peace at any price. The
Church has become a target for destructive criticism in the media
and elsewhere, and most bishops avoid controversy. They generally
want to avoid getting bashed in the newspapers. As we know from our
own experience, it is also easier to pass the buck or to look the
other way instead of forthrightly and promptly dealing with a problem.
"I'm confused. I'm a student at a Catholic
university, and I think it is of utmost importance to accept Church
teachings. But I was an altar girl in my parish at home. I liked being
part of the action at Mass and, frankly, I didn't know that there
was anything wrong with it until now."
You surely were acting in good faith. Church law is
different from civil law in that, in the Church, acting in ignorance
of the law is a valid excuse. You could not have been expected to
know, when you were part of a parish altar server program, that whoever
initiated it was acting in contradiction to the discipline of the
Church.
It's not pleasant to think that you have been used to promote disobedience
to Church teaching. That is one reason why this illicit practice is
so damaging and genuinely unfair to the girls who are being made,
in effect, hostages by those who advocate sweeping changes in the
Church. No bishop or priest relishes the idea of discouraging youngsters
who have shown interest in their faith, as you did, and whose intention
was good, even if the action was improper. Consideration for the girls'
feelings is frequently cited as a reason not to insist on upholding
Church law.
Some liturgical reformers are so convinced that they are right and
the Church is wrong that they are willing to put a young person's
faith at risk to accomplish their own objectives. This is unjust to
the girls involved and to everybody else who is attempting, as you
are, to live by the teachings and discipline of the Church.
"I personally don't like the idea of altar
girls, but that may be just my own prejudice. Why all the fuss about
who hands a couple of cruets to the priest? If the priest and the
girls and the congregation don't see anything wrong with it, why not
let them do it?"
The altar girl problem is a manifestation of a fundamental
conflict within the Catholic Church over the nature of the Church
and its claim to authority. The problem focuses squarely on the meaning,
value, and legitimacy of the Church's hierarchy.
Contemporary Catholic "reformers," like their Protestant
counterparts at the time of the Reformation, reject the binding authority
of the magisterium (the teaching power of the pope and the bishops
united with him). They view the magisterium as oppressive, unjust,
and obscurantist. What is more, they argue for "adaptation"
of religious truth to conform to the will of "the People of God"
or to one's own individual convictions or conscience.
What is at stake here is whether the Catholic Church is what it has
always claimed to be, whether the Church has at least as much right
as any other human institution to make demands of its members, and
whether the Church's essential teachings are eternally true.
If the answer to these questions is "yes," then the Church's
members are required to live up to its teachings and abide by its
laws. If the answer is "no"--if religious truth is a
construct of a particular time or culture or is a matter of individual
perception--then we are not talking about the same Church, the
same God, the same Savior, the same salvation. It's as simple and
as profoundly complex as that.
Helen Hull Hitchcock directs Women for Faith & Family,
an organization of women devoted to authentic Catholic faith and practice.
Information on the issues in this article may be obtained by writing
to WFF at P.O. Box 8326, St. Louis, MO 63132.
|
