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Editor’s Note: Jim Fitzpatrick’s recent Edge article, Where Are the Altar Boys?, evoked quite a response from many of our readers. Given the sheer number of letters, we’ve posted a general reply from Mr. Fitzpatrick to all of our readers’ comments. His answer appears below the letters.
Dear CE:
I enjoyed the article, but the problem can be solved: attend the traditional Latin Mass. At this Mass, the altar boy “crisis” is not even an issue, and neither are the thousand other things conservatives fight about concerning the Novus Ordo Mass. A good case in point is taking place here at Christendom College. We have for the last decade (and then some) used the communion rail. Bishop Loverde, however, as of January, has forced the college to cease this practice—despite the fact that Rome has stated people may kneel, and we have the right of custom, which seems to have been forgotten over the last forty years. Girls serving at the altar is an issue somewhat like this. We (a general “we”) have forgotten the reasons for restricting access to the sanctuary; therefore, it is deemed irrelevant and offensive to the dignity of women to forbid such things.
I must admit that in the Novus Ordo Mass where women “can” serve as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist (the fact that any layman, much less women, are allowed to do this makes me ill), it seems a contradiction to forbid their service at the altar. I fought these battles for some time. I have grown tired. I now attend, almost exclusively (on Sundays), the Latin Mass. What a joy to assist at the same Mass nearly all the saints on the western calendar attended (not a single canonized saint [yet] assisted in the Novus Ordo Mass). I am not saying the Novus Ordo Mass is intrinsically evil or invalid or any other such thing. When I go to daily Mass, which is often, I have no other option but the Novus Ordo. My point is that a return to tradition will solve the liturgical issues and battles we fight and will provide a solid foundation by which to fix the rest of the problems. With an unstable liturgy at the heart of the Church, we should not be surprised that She is hitting rough waters.
God Bless!!!
Andy McDonald
***
Dear Mr. Fitzpatrick:
Yes, my boys also quit saying they would not be on the altar with a girl. What could I say since I agreed with them? That women do not belong on the altar during Mass is just something I feel deep down inside of me. Yes, I’m also talking about the women lectors and the women extraordinary ministers. I heard something several years ago that stuck in my head: “It is the humble man who serves at Mass, but it is the arrogant woman. . . .” I’m sure this is not a ‘blanket’ statement, but it made me stop and ponder. The feminists have done a lot of damage.
Mrs. Elizabeth DiPiazza
Birmingham, AL
***
Sir,
I must respectfully disagree with your statement that “the call for altar girls is part of a package being pushed by ideologues within the Church who have no love for the Church and who seek to reshape us to satisfy the likes of Gloria Steinem and Hillary Clinton.”
I love my Church, and I don’t want to see many changes (with the exception of getting rid of the corruption and those who hurt innocent children while hiding behind their Roman collar). I am not looking to change doctrine, to convert all women to priests, or to rally around the cause for a female pope.
But, I was an altar server, and through that service, I got to know the Eucharist, the customs and tradition behind the Eucharist, and why it truly is the essence of our Church—something I will teach my children. Fewer and fewer men are becoming priests. We can blame this either on society, or on the foundations of the priesthood. But one fact remains: The men who are leading our Church are aging, and more and more women are taking over the “functions” and ministries of the Church. In my parish in a very Catholic suburb of Boston, women run 90 percent of the ministries. These are women who are out working in the world, but take the time to build their family within the confines of the Church. We beg for men to take the lead. And they don’t answer the call. So, before you go off on the feminists of the world, please take a look at the men in our Church and their unwillingness to serve their Church. Women have taken on these roles because there was a need. The men gave us the opportunity. And we took it.
Thanks,
Peg McGuire
***
Dear Sir
The subject of the article is right on target. I am in my mid-forties and was an altar boy in both the Latin and English Mass. Being an altar boy was definitely not a “sissy” thing. It seems to be now. I forbade my daughter (now sixteen and thankful) when she was of age. My eldest son is not interested for some of the reasons you cited. I hope and pray my youngest son (aged six) will be eventually. Thanks for the interesting insight.
Sincerely,
Paul G. Augustin
***
Dear James,
As a mother of six, three boys and three girls, I take issue with your article. I don’t think boys get “bullied” for being altar boys. I just think it is a simple matter of girls wanting to share in this service for the Church. Altar boys were getting harder to come by, and they allowed girls on the altar. Only two of my children serve in Mass—one boy and one girl. My daughter is fifteen, a server and very proud of herself. Being on the altar brings her closer to God and helps her feel more a part of the Mass. My son also loves being a server. Many boys and girls in our parish serve—and serve with pride.
I think you over shot on this one. Being an altar server is all about serving God and our Church. Women will never be priests, and I am fine with that. Sometimes I look at all the people serving at our Mass and I wonder why the men DO NOT step up more. All the Readers-Servers-Eucharistic ministers are women. A better article might be: What Happened to Our Catholic Men?
Thank you for your time.
Glory Hartdegen
***
Dear Mr. Fitzpatrick,
I just read your article, “Where are the Altar Boys?,” on Catholic Exchange. It is the first article I have ever read that really makes sense to me about why having female altar servers is not a good idea. As a mother of two girls who are altar servers, I have never understood other arguments. I know my girls just see serving at Mass as another way to serve the Church. As a recent convert, I never knew about the altar boy culture you describe, but it makes perfect sense.
Thank you,
Julie Davis
***
Dear Mr. Fitzpatrick,
I am writing in response to your article entitled, “Where Are the Altar Boys?”
The parish where I was a pastoral minister for eight years has a very strong presence of both young men and women altar servers. These young people are among the most outstanding in leadership amid their peers. To highlight the boys in particular, these are the guys who have gone off to West Point, Harvard and Yale. They are the football players, the popular guys in school—the “manly” guys who are looked up to by the other kids. (I won’t mention the young women who also set examples for others and who share equal leadership and talent.)
Along side of these particular young people as they serve are other kids. One young man is in therapy. . . .And another young woman has Down’s Syndrome. The pastor personally invites all of the altar servers from the time they are very young. He fosters in them respect for what they are doing. He trains the older students to mentor the younger ones. When the students serve their final Mass as seniors at the end of the year, it is often one of the most emotional times for the parish. To see these strong young men and women hug a pastor who is choked up about their leaving is powerful. It expresses the church’s commitment to them as young people and, perhaps, hints of a connection that these kids have to the Mass that they will carry with them as they go off to the next stages of their life. In our church, it is still very much “cool” to be an altar server.
Your comment that Christianity by its nature seeks to soften the warrior spirit of the male is also curious. I could site a number of writings of the saints and passages of Scripture that contradict your statement. There is a warrior spirit necessary to conquer the flesh, to do spiritual battle with the enemy and to enter into the depths of a spiritual encounter with our God. This warrior spirit needs to be developed in both men and women. I believe the Eucharist serves as food to the warriors who fight in the army of God. Is not part of the development and spiritual formation of the spirit of Catholic young people and love of the Eucharist for both male and female alike fostered by serving at the altar?. . . .
I do not believe those who support having young women on the altar do so only from the perspective of new age philosophy or radical feminism. I believe some people just see the altar, where we receive Jesus, as the natural place to which all may be called to serve. . . .Is it beyond possibility that some who love the Eucharist and the Mass and know the joy of serving close to the altar welcome the opportunity to share that joy with young people regardless of their sex? I believe the opportunity for a young person to serve at Mass is more about who they are serving (Christ in the Eucharist) and how they are trained to understand that role than the sex of the person next to whom they serve.
. . .What about the “social/communal” elements you site? I can recall sitting around a table with guys for whom the outstanding memory of serving on the altar was the “community of mischief makers” into which one was inducted. There are no candy stores or alleyways any more. Part of what these kids are missing is the opportunity to come together in a community of church, mischief-makers or otherwise. Being an altar server connects these young people to other young people. . . .
. . .I am sure your article will draw, as you suggest, some angry response from those with a feminist agenda. I hope you will not view my response in such a way. I have simply seen the value of serving at the altar for both young men and women. I have found in my experience that with a good mentor and the right training, the lack of male presence that you describe in your article does not seem to be such a problem. . . . Perhaps it is very important to have a strong man with integrity and leadership step forward to train and foster this role in young men. Perhaps you already serve in your church as such a mentor, but if you do not, I would ask you to consider . . . taking on a role that would invite and train young people, particularly young men, to have a connection to the Mass and the Eucharist.
God bless you,
Cindy Shadle
***
Hi Sir,
I read your article about the altar boys who are fading away. Let me give you some inspiration by telling you I am an altar boy myself, and I am seventeen years old. I serve Mass every Sunday, and don’t care what other people think of it.
We have a nice group of altar boys, about ten total. The oldest is twenty-two, then there is me, another boy who is seventeen and my two brothers, twelve and nine. The others are between eight and twelve, too. It’s important to serve Mass, and I will serve until I go to college, or so. Nevertheless, I appreciate your effort; what you write is correct. I am only sorry so many people don’t know the Lord and His greatness and caring for everybody. I will pray for you.
God Bless,
JJ
***
Dear James:
I just read your great article on altar boys. It brought back some very good memories from the 1960s. (I’m a little younger).
At Holy Family parish in St. Louis Park, MN, me and another dad have taken over the altar boy program. We did it about 2 1/2 years ago. It has been a roaring success ever since. We started with the idea that altar servers should be altar boys. We had three young ladies who were still serving at the time. Through natural attrition (and only scheduling boys for Sunday), we had no young ladies serving in a short while. In fact, we reminded the ladies that there were many other services they could provide (i.e. lectoring) to the church. We believe having boys is a great first step toward fostering vocations.
We work closely with the pastor, Fr. Tom Dufner. We started out with about ten boys (none older than fourteen). Today, we have well over forty boys, the oldest ones juniors and seniors in high school. Each of the two Sunday masses has at least ten boys serving. We have setup a chain of command and levels of importance so the boys can strive to achieve. We have a Master of Ceremonies, Thurifier (incensor), Boat (assists thurifer), Cross, Book, (2) Mains to assist the presider and several acolytes. We process in and out every Mass.
The first thing we did was purchase new cassocks (red and black) and surplices. We also purchased black socks. No shoes on the altar. The boys look terrific. The next thing we did was teach them how to serve. We taught them reverence: hands folded and pointing upward, or hands on knees when seated. We taught them to genuflect, bow to Father and always be aware that they are in the presence of God.
The older boys serve as examples to the younger boys. The younger boys cannot wait to be the Mains, Thrurifer and MC. Boys younger than ten years cannot wait to start serving. People from other parishes stop us and marvel at how awesome it is to see reverence on the altar. It is one small way that we can serve God. It is indeed a pleasure.
Thanks,
Bob Spinharney
***
Mr. Fitzpatrick:
You are right on!!! Unfortunately, Christianity as it is practiced today is wimpy. I say wimpy instead of feminine because women who have not been brainwashed by the gender-neutral feminists aren’t all that thrilled about the touchy-feely sentimentality of our New Age Catholicism. Unfortunately, we have some radical religious DRE’s in our parish so we are inundated with girls to whom the boys often have to take a back seat.
I am a convert, so I missed most of the trashing years and walked right into girl altar servers showing up in jeans, open toe shoes with bright red toenail polish (or purple with silver glitter). I would be thrilled to have all boy altar servers. I’d much rather have a bunch of boys punching each other before Mass than a bunch of neutered females with red toenails.
Thanks for the article,
Karen L. Siegfried
Mr. Fitzpatrick’s Reply
Dear Readers,
The central criticism of my column was that I assumed that girls who serve Mass and their family members were radical feminists. I do not think that is the case. I tried to make that clear in the column. Two of my nieces serve Mass. They and their mother are not radical feminists. But I do think that radical feminists in the Church – the same forces that are pushing for women priests and the notion of God as some kind of “Earth Mother” – promoted girl altar servers as part of their agenda. I think this phenomenon deserves our attention.
Sincerely,
James Fitzpatrick