Dear Olivia:

Neither I or the Church has any bias toward women.

The first mention of liturgical offices restricted to men is by St. Paul in the Bible:

(1 Cor 14:33b-35) As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

Since this is the Word of God, it is infallible teaching that comes from God. Are you calling God biased against women?

For 2000 years the liturgical offices (celebrant, deacon, acolyte, and Lector) have always been restricted to men. And these offices are still restricted to men today. God has ordained that liturgical offices be under the direction, leadership, and practice of men. This is part of the paterfamilias (father head of the family) economy of God. This is God's way of doing things and we have no authority or power to contradict God on this.

Thus, the Church maintains the liturgical offices for men only and always will. That will never change.

Because of shortages of qualified men to fill these offices, the Church allows extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) who are not installed (in the office of acolyte, which is reserved to men), to serve in this function. Same with Readers (Lector is an installed office reserved to men. Anyone not installed in this office is properly called a "Reader.")

When these exceptions to the rule are applied, it does not imply that the use of non-installed extraordinary ministers are "ordinary." No one has a right to be a EMHC. The EMHC should not be an expectation among the parishioners. EMHCs are not designed to be the "way the laity participate in the Mass." The proper place for the laity to participate in the Mass is from the Pew. This has not and will never change.

The only reason women are allowed to serve at the altar is because of a canonical loophole that the Pope decided not to close. He could have closed that loophole, but he didn't.

The fact that this was a loophole to allow women to serve at the altar, and that this loophole is not mandated to any bishop or priest, shows us that this is an extraordinary form, not an ordinary one. The norm is for men only to serve at the altar (and boys as a recruitment for the priesthood, which Pope John Paul II said was to be a tradition that is respected). This is the 2000 year tradition.

Non-installed EMHCs, regardless of gender, should not be used as if they are ordinary. That are meant to be used, according to Church law, in extraordinary circumstances only, and not on a permanent basis.

Many parishes are using EMHCs as if they are normal, even when circumstances are not extraordinary. Thus, the Faithful have come to think of EMHCs has a stable possibility for lay participation. It is not.

Now with all this said, the Pope did allow the loophole, thus I must respect that and not disparage any bishop or priest who uses women or girls at the alter, or disparate those women and girls who choose to volunteer for that function.

In like manner, those bishops or priests who do not allow women/girls to serve are not to be disparaged and called names. This also applies to people like me who say that if I were a priest that I would not allow it. Bishops and Priest are fully within their rights to disallow it or to allow it.

Thus, you need to submit to the Church, get over your bias, and stop calling people biased because they accept God's paterfamilias economy, and the original intentions of liturgical offices, but fully accept Church's regulations. You are within your rights under Church Law to volunteer for EMHC. I am also within my rights under Church law, if I were a priest, to not use women or girls at the alter.

Any name-calling on either side of this issue is the sin of uncharity at the very least.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary