Parishes free to reject altar girls, says Vatican

BY CHRISTINA WHITE
BISHOPS do not have the authority to insist that parishes have girl altar servers, the Vatican has ruled.
An instruction, published in the December issue of Notitiae — the bulletin of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments — stated that bishops could not force priests to have girls serving on the altar.
Bishops have the authority to permit female altar servers, but cannot overrule the wishes of individual priests.
It said: "Such an authorisation may not, in any way, exclude men or, in particular, boys from the service of the altar, nor require that priests of the diocese would make use of female altar servers."
The Congregation stressed that a bishop's decision to allow altar girls did not set a precedent for either neighbouring dioceses or for the local bishops' conference. It reminded all altar servers that their presence is at the discretion of the priest.
It said: "It is perhaps helpful to recall that the non
ordained faithful do not have a right to service at the altar."
The statement was in response to a written enquiry by an unnamed bishop. The Congregation did not disclose the country involved.
Commenting on the statement, Bishop Ambrose Griffiths of Hexham and Newcastle said it was simply the case that more girls come forward to be altar servers.
He said: "Girls have a good influence on the boys. Generally speaking they are better behaved and more devout, "They have a certain grace and dignity about them which is welcomed."
The Vatican authorised girls to act as altar servers in 1994 with the publication of a letter that clarified the church's position — in accordance with Canon Law 230 — that liturgical services may be carried out by lay people ex temporanea deputatione, according to the judgement of the bishop and where the needs of the church require it.
The permission was issued retrospectively, as many parishes were using girl altar servers. Altar girls are now a feature of the majority of parishes in England and Wales. But the Vatican has always maintained that this should not detract from the "noble tradition" of boys serving on the altar, not least because this is seen as a source of future priestly vocations.
Opponents to altar girls have argued that the initial Vatican directive demanded an "overriding pastoral need". They claim that "need" has been misinterpreted and have thus resisted moves for inclusivity in the sanctuary.
Fr William Young of St Mary and St Ethelburga's, Barking in Essex, which boasts a strong body of maleonly altar servers, said he welcomed the clarification.
"The Church's insistence that boys and men should serve on the altar is an indication that they may, at some stage, consider a priestly vocation," he said.
"It is an act of ritual and I feel that is lost if you have women on the sanctuary.
"I simply continued the tradition that I inherited and I do not intend to have altar girls. There has never been any opposition from parishioners."