From: edjans01@orion.spd.louisville.edu (David Jansing)
Subject: Re: Altar girls and millstones
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 19:37:20 GMT
Organization: University of Louisville

In <92280.092523MNHCC@CUNYVM.BITNET> Marty Helgesen <MNHCC@CUNYVM.BITNET> writes:


>     "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name wel-
>comes me.  But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe
>in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone
>hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."
>(Matthew 18:5-6 NIV)

>I started reading this list when it was gatewayed to usenet, so I
>don't know what was said before, but I haven't seen anyone mention
>the most serious objections to using altar girls in defiance of the
>Church's rules.  The first objection is suggested by the passage I
>quoted from Jesus.  Using altar girls corrupts the children of the
>parish, especially the altar girls themselves.  They are taught by
>example that if they don't like any of the Church's rules they are
>free to ignore them.  And they are taught this by the people who have
>a special responsibility before God to obey God and His Church: the
>pastor who permits the unauthorized use of altar girls and the par-
>ents who permit their children to participate.  That is bad enough,
>but if it is okay to defy the laws of God's Church, why not defy the
>laws of God Himself?  After all, the Church's legislative authority
>comes from God.

Have we become so obsessed with our own _Earthly_ laws that we have completely
missed the picture and are now condeming children to Hell?!?!?  This is not
the example that we are setting.  We are setting an example that all of the
People of God (this includes women!) can be free to celebrate together in the
worship of the Lord.  We are _NOT_ breaking any rules by having women cross-
bearers, or women servers.  It is against Canon Law to have women Acolytes, as
this is an ordained(sp?) ministry (one of the many steps to priesthood).  Having
women servers is NOT the same as having women acolytes.  I believe that there
is a Scripture passage that says that Christ came to instill one commandment,
that we love one another and that we are no longer slaves, for a slave knows
not what his master does; that we are friends of Christ.  I don't believe
(in the interpretation I have been given) that Christ says that we are all
his friends, except women; women are slaves.  This is NOT what Christ says.
Therefore, all of the people are free to worship and serve in the ministry of
the Lord.  Besides, it is STUPID to allow women as ministers of the Eucharist
(completely allowed in Canon Law) but we can't have women serving the altar.
This makes no sense.  Why does it make no sense?  See the reason labeled 
above.

>The second objection is that the primary purpose of the Mass is to
>worship God.  How can these people think that God will be pleased by
>worship conducted in deliberate, willful defiance of the rules of the
>Church He founded?

Because God knows that the Church has had its own agenda many times with its
History and the agenda has not always been according to the Scripture or the
Gospel message.  I am sure He probably realizes that even now.  Don't confuse
infallablity with the actions of the Church.  We have had too many instances
in our History of the Church not acting as a member of the body of Christ.
-- 
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Dave Jansing                     | "What we call the beginning is often the end
Electrical Engineering Department|  And to make an end is to make a beginning.
University of Louisville         |  The end is where we start from . . ."
                                 |  -- T.S. Eliot, "Four Quartets"
              Internet:  edjans01@starbase.spd.louisville.edu
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DISCLAIMER:	The opinions expressed here are strictly my own and do not
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