Friday, February 6, 2015
Ban On Altar Girls
A Church in San Francisco is putting a ban on having altar girls. One reason is that having just boys is that it will make for a bonding experience among the guys. Yes, now that you remove the servers who are smarter, more reverent, and just more together than the boys. My experience of girl servers is that I much prefer them to the boys. Boys seem more clueless than the girls at the same age. When boys and girls serve together, the girls at times hold back from doing something in deference to the boys. When it is all girls, that is the best. At least that is my experience.
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Is being an altar server supposed to be about bonding with the guys or about serving God during the mass? Again the Church chooses males. Girls are not good enough. How do the men of the church think they could have been born without a woman? What kind of world do we live in where even the Church discriminates?
ReplyDeleteWhat a loaded topic. Agree completely with the Church and I deny the aspirations of many girl altar servers. Disagree with the Church and I am accused of being a cafeteria Catholic.
ReplyDeleteMy daughters are in their third year of serving. They love to serve and do this entirely on their own. I don't make them do it.
Like many other kids who quietly and regularly serve, the girls are there rain or shine, even during the summer months, and most recently, during the Super Bowl. They are missing their favorite priest right now! ;-)
They are dependable and devoted, even if they sometimes bicker a bit in the pew. We're working on that part. They ask absolutely nothing in return except to be valued as members of our parish (and they are).
One of my girls especially loves her altar server role but was recently horrified to learn she cannot be a Master Server. "I can do the job just as good as any boy!" she insisted.
I tried to explain the reasoning behind the rule but I wasn't very convincing. I eventually had to confess that I don't agree with this rule.
She once considered switching to an Episcopal church, just so some long-term options might be opened to her but for now has decided to remain Catholic as it is "her" faith. She hopes to be part of a change in the church later in her lifetime.
As for the church in SF, they are missing out on some beautiful energy, the much-needed female nurturing that girls bring to their service.
I will leave the justification for stronger female church leadership to those more eloquent than I but I will say a loud, "Thank you, Fr. Terry!" for being brave enough to proclaim - in writing - things that undoubtedly cause some of your priest-brothers to look at you sideways.
Change can only happen when someone has the courage to suggest that we try a different path.