Boston Archbishop excludes women from Catholic foot-washing ritual

The Macon Telegraph ^ | Sat, Apr. 10, 2004

[narses]

BOSTON - Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley declined to wash the feet of women during a Holy Week ritual that symbolizes Jesus' washing the feet of his disciples.

O'Malley, heeding instructions from the Vatican on the subject, washed the feet of 12 men - representing Jesus' 12 male disciples - as he celebrated Holy Thursday Mass.

The practice of including women in the foot-washing ritual is controversial among some clergy. Traditionalists oppose inclusion of women in the ritual, but others see it as an outdated rule that can alienate women from the church.

In Atlanta, about 100 men and women gathered on Thursday outside the city's Roman Catholic cathedral to protest Archbishop John Donoghue's directions to exclude women from the ritual.

O'Malley has no plans to institute a men-only rule throughout the Boston Archdiocese, said his spokesman, the Rev. Christopher Coyne.

"This is particular to Archbishop O'Malley, who throughout his time as a bishop has kept the tradition of washing the feet of men and who is adhering strictly to an instruction out of Rome to do so," Coyne said.

[narses]

Ping.

[alisasny]

150,000 people nationwide are becoming Catholics today and I am sure their numbers trump the small group of feminists who feel abandoned by the church on this practice.

If this is the issue that is keeping women away so be it. (Sarcasm huge)

[GirlShortstop]

O'Malley, heeding instructions from the Vatican on the subject, washed the feet of 12 men - representing Jesus' 12 male disciples - as he celebrated Holy Thursday Mass.

I'm not sure, but it looks like the ignorance expressed in Atlanta cannot be explained away as "well he didn't elaborate as to our "need" to know why".

[tiki]

We have a bumper crop in our parish. Two familes each with 5 children and assorted others. It is great and it helps that they have a teacher who is so capable of teaching the faith.

[B Knotts]

How dare he obey Rome without explaining himself! :-)

[GirlShortstop]

How dare he obey Rome without explaining himself! :-)

Freakish, isn't it?!   :-)

[NeoCaveman]

The practice of including women in the foot-washing ritual is controversial among some clergy. Traditionalists oppose inclusion of women in the ritual, but others see it as an outdated rule that can alienate women from the church.

How very modern....

[SuziQ]

Traditionalists oppose inclusion of women in the ritual, but others see it as an outdated rule that can alienate women from the church.

That is SO stupid. If a woman's faith is so shallow that not having a female get her feet washed is going to damage it, she's got major problems!

[ninenot]

Traditionalists oppose inclusion of women in the ritual,

It's also a LIE.

The ritual's rubrics are clear: no dames.

Has nothing to do with "traditionalists."

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

That being said. O'Malley follows this rule from the Vatican, but ignores Canon Law when it comes to Kerry. I'm glad to see he follows the little things, but he is ignoring the bigger things. Who was it that said, "The Road to Hell is paved with the Skulls of Bishops." Not saying that of O'Malley, but as a shepard, he must call for repentance amongst his people.

[SuziQ]

Has nothing to do with "traditionalists."

WE know that, but do you expect every old joe in the media to know it too? Unfortunately, the media is how most Catholics get their news about the Church.

[SuziQ]

Has nothing to do with "traditionalists."

WE know that, but do you expect every old joe in the media to know it too? Unfortunately, the media is how most Catholics get their news about the Church.

[SuziQ]

Oops! Didn't press post twice; must have been a hiccup in the system!

[dsc]

"Oops! Didn't press post twice; must have been a hiccup in the system!"

Yeah, yeah, a likely story. Flame, flame, flame, flame, insult, insult, insult, insult.

(How'm I doing? Is the thread completely off topic yet?)

[dsc]

"O'Malley follows this rule from the Vatican, but ignores Canon Law when it comes to Kerry. I'm glad to see he follows the little things, but he is ignoring the bigger things."

I'm not ready to say that O'Malley is a crypto-liberal, but this is typical of the liberal modus operandi: look for minor things that lend plausible deniability, while trying to slip big things under the radar coverage.

[SamAdams76]

Pardon my ignorance but do people really show up to church expecting to get their feet washed? I couldn't do it. I'd feel so self-conscious about it, having a priest wash my feet. I know it's a just a ritual, but even so, I'd prefer to just sit in my pew and sing the hymns. I don't want to be taking my shoes and socks off in public and neither do I particularly want to smell the feet of others. But that's just me. To each their own.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Politically he is a liberal, he has said that himelf. He said that despite how attractive the Democratic agenda is, he cannot bring himself to vote for a democratic candidate, because of abortion. So, at least there, his heart is in the right place.

[dsc]

"Pardon my ignorance but do people really show up to church expecting to get their feet washed?"

It's a once a year thing, and nobody has to volunteer.