Fr. Z's Blog

After reading this howler from the Conference for Women’s Ordination or COW … no… that’s not it… the Women’s Ordination Conference or WOC…. whatever… take note (below) of our WDTPRS ACTION ALERT!

I’ll bet this comes from WOC’s Ministry of Irritation.  I am not making that up.  Really.  Ministry of Irritation.

Women’s Ordination Conference [WOC!] Decries Ban on Altar Girls in Phoenix Diocese

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 22, 2011

Contact: Erin Saiz Hanna, 202 675-1006, woc@womensordination.org

Women’s Ordination Conference Decries [A high dudgeon word if ever there was one.] Ban on Altar Girls in Pheonix Diocese [No… really.  Pheonix, who was, I believe both one of their large puppets as well as a character with mottled skin in a Star Trek series.]

WASHINGTON, DC – August 22, 2011 – Girls will no longer be allowed to serve as altar servers during Mass at the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, SS. Simon and Jude. In response, Women’s Ordination Conference has issued an action alert [aaahWOOOOgah!] calling on the Diocese to immediately reinstate female altar servers in that parish.  [More on this, below.]

“If young women in the Phoenix diocese want to grow up to work for the Church – or even aspire to the priesthood [not gonna happen] – I, and the vast majority of U.S. Catholics, don’t see the harm in that, said Erin Saiz Hanna, executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference. [Because in the Catholic Church doctrine is determined by the number of people who believe something.] “Around the country, young women have been lawfully serving at the altar for well over a decade.” [More on this below.]

Reportedly, Rev. Lankeit banned girls from the altar because he wants only boys to prepare for priesthood in this way. [Hold on there.  That is an assumption.  Are they working from the newspaper article or did anyone from COW call the rector of the cathedral and ask him?  It could be that he is also trying to follow what the Holy See said was the “preferable” practice.  It is still permitted to obey Rome, no?] Since 1994, the Vatican and the U.S. Bishops have allowed female altar servers. There is no restriction in Canon Law for women to help at the altar during the liturgy.  [And there is no right, either.  There is, however, a tradition and clearly expressed preference in the Holy See’s documents on the matter.]

“This is not only disgraceful, it is impractical. Women comprise at least 80 per cent of church lay ministers, and they are backbone of most parishes around the world,” continued Hanna. [Oh my!  What is WOC going to do about the manifest discrimination against men filling these roles?  JUSTICE! we must cry, JUSTICE!]

“The Vatican’s stance on the ordination of women is based on arguments that have been refuted time and again. [Refuted?  Because WOC says so?  Pfffft.] In 1976, the Vatican’s own Pontifical Biblical Commission determined that there is no scriptural reason to prohibit women’s ordination.  [And there is no scriptural prohibition against slavery either.  We can, in WOC-logic both ordain women and also enslave them.] Jesus included women as full and equal partners in his ministry, [ROLF! One of the dumbest things I have read in a looooong time.  Hanna, read this carefully.  NOBODY was Jesus “full and equal partner in His ministry”.  Jesus was Master and Lord.  The greatest man born of women, John the Baptist, said he wasn’t worthy to untie the Lord’s sandal.  The Mother of God said to listen to and obey her Son.  The Apostles themselves had a hierarchy within their ranks and they only did what they did in Jesus’ Name.  Priests today are partners and collaborators with the bishops, but they are not exactly “full and equal” partners of the bishops.  They have different roles.] and the hierarchy would do well to follow suit,” Hanna concluded.

First she mentioned that girls had served lawfully.  The law makes a big difference to WOC?  They who are involved in fake ordinations which are clearly against the Church’s law?  They call on law when it serves their ideology.

Then the writer calls on the male bishop of the diocese to impose something on the pastor/rector of the Cathedral, who is acting lawfully in opting for service at the altar by males only.

It is lawful to have only male servers.  Why doesn’t WOC praise the rector for his lawful decision?

It is even preferable, according to Congregation for Divine Worship, to have male service.  WOC should applaud the rector for this.  WOC doesn’t understand, apparently, that pastors/bishops may permit females to serve at the altar, but it is better to have boys serve, to wit, “it will always be very appropriate to follow the noble tradition of having boys serve at the altar” (Circular Letter to the Presidents of Episcopal Conference, March 15, 1994, no. 2).  May… not must.

WOC thinks about priesthood in terms of power and of rights they wish to vindicate for themselves.  No one has a right to be a priest and no one has the right to serve at the altar.   While it is possible under the current interpretation of the current Code of Canon Law for the Latin Church for females to substitute for duly installed male acolytes, they have not right to substitute.  And it will never be possible to ordain females of any age to any order of Holy Orders.

I think WDTPRSers should have our own

ACTION ALERT!

I have already sent a nice “Save The Liturgy Save The World” coffee mug to Fr. Lankeit, the Very Reverend Rector of the Cathedral in Phoenix.  In fact, I think Bp. Olmsted (may his years be long and full of health and joy), should make Fr. Lankeit a Monsignor right away!

I also think everyone should drop him a nice note of thanks and support for promoting Communion on the tongue and male service at the altar.

Here is the general email address of the Cathedral in Phoenix.   contactus@simonjude.org

Sample note:

Dear Fr. Lankeit,

Thank you for standing up for worthy liturgical worship in continuity with our Catholic tradition and in keeping with Holy Church’s laws and rites.  Thank you for affirming male service at the altar as well as priestly vocations.  Thank you for promoting Holy Communion on the tongue in your 30 January 2011 bulletin.

Please know that I have said a prayer for you and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood from among the boys and young men who will be serving at the altar of the Cathedral which Bishop Olmsted has entrusted to your pastoral care.

Blessings in Christ the High Priest,

…..

UPDATE:

Based on a comment, below, I had to add this.

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