Posted on 01/24/2015 12:45:37 PM PST by marshmallow
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — A Bay Area church is now under fire over a controversial new policy saying only boys can be altar servers.
The new practice is making waves at the century old church Star of the Sea. Since the ’70s, they’ve used altar girls during masses.
The well-known Richmond District church also has a school serving about 230 kids. When the new priest banned girls from being altar servers, it generated outrage among parents and parishioners alike. The priest admits some parishioners even left the church.
“It’s disturbing,” said churchgoer Connie Porciuncula.
Star of the Sea School parent Tara Widmer agrees. “They’re definitely taking a step in the wrong direction,” she said.
Father Joseph Illo took over five months ago and decided to train only boys to be altar servers. He said he has no choice but to exclude girls because the future of the church is at stake.
“The specifics of serving at the altar is a priestly function,” Illo said. “And the Catholic church does not ordain women.”
But many parishioners and parents criticize the new practice saying it sends the wrong message.
“It just kind of makes me feel that I’m not good enough because I’m a girl,” said a 7th grader at the school who wishes to stay anonymous.
(Excerpt) Read more at sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com ...
Dang it. I was an altar boy for three years and I never got ordained. I'm suing.
Then why vest them with cossack and surplice or alb if they are not an acolyte/understudy..
Remember when it was “controversial” for girls to serve at the altar?
I wish they wouldn’t have the right to vote either.
Whoa there. Really?
well, that’ll wake people up .....
(smile)
(smile)
Yeah, we've all been suffraging ever since...
Hey, if they want to go to the Anglican Church a/k/a the church of lesbianism and pederasty, that is their decision.
It's past time people woke up to this fact. I just hope it's not too late.
As I expected, the article only quotes those who disagree with the pastor.
If this parish has been using female servers since the 70s then they were in violation of Canon law for 20-odd years as this INDULT allowing female servers was only granted in 1994.
The pastor is doing the right thing. God bless him and give us many more like him.
Given their support for liberals, I sometimes feel that way.
Why doesn’t he tell the little girls that boys need to do the clean-up and set-up at mass so they learn to be humble servants of God,and not big-headed pimps and thugs?
Girls are absolutely “good enough” to draw near to Jesus. They just might not need the lesson that the altar boy job is teaching.
“’It just kind of makes me feel that I’m not good enough because I’m a girl,’ said a 7th grader at the school who wishes to stay anonymous.”
And as soon as you learn that it’s not about you, but about effacing yourself before God, it will make sense. Make it about God, and it will not be important if you are allowed to be an altar server in your parish.
I know a priest who was sent there. Since priests don’t pick their assignments, it’s not fair to say that they are there because they chose to be. My friend found the place spiritually barren. People would show up at funerals without the faintest idea how to act, or what it was supposed to be about. He found it really weird, and not for any of the typical SF-joke reasons.
Tongue barely in cheek with that comment. ;)
“Jesus is Lord” is the oldest Christian creed. He leads and the Church should follow because He is Lord. Many believers in Jesus were women, but He chose none of them to be among the Twelve Apostles. That is the way God wanted it, and we accept His will as perfect.
God made women to help Him bring about physical life, while He appointed men to help Him bring about spiritual life. Are we in our arrogance going to criticize God’s perfect will?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.