A photo in the Sept. 14 edition of the Catholic News Herald, depicting “an army of altar servers” in the Eucharistic Procession of the annual Eucharistic Congress, couldn’t help but catch my attention. What was wrong with the picture? There was not a single girl shown in the procession of servers. As a mother to both a son and a daughter, this is very disheartening to me.
Church law states that service at the altar is one of the liturgical functions that can be performed by both lay men and women.
In light of the continuing sexual abuse scandals that plague our Church, maybe, if we could be more inclusive, we might be able to stop raising generations of misogynist male leaders and clean up our Church. Let’s try to be more inclusive in our diocese and follow the teachings of Jesus.
Ann Helms lives in Monroe.
The agreement reached between the Vatican and the Chinese government to share approval of candidates for bishop and the recognition of previously excommunicated bishops (created by the government) demands comment from Bishop Peter Jugis.
Does he support and agree with the Vatican’s decision? If so, will all future Chinese candidates have to agree to comply with the government’s policy of one child per family, as well as their official policy of approving of abortion, to be “approved” as a candidate for the office of bishop? Further, are Church teachings, past, present and future, subject to approval of the Chinese government?
To say the government acknowledging that the pope is the spiritual leader of all Chinese Catholics as a reason to make this agreement is ridiculous. By definition, the pope is the spiritual leader of all Catholics regardless of where they live. By this agreement, the Vatican has moved the Church back to the 16th century when Henry VIII made bishops for Rome’s approval. Which country will be next to want “approval”?
A much larger question remains open in the minds of many laity: Given the current hierarchical sex abuse scandal and now this bizarre agreement with China, is the papacy of Pope Francis out of control?
Stephen F. Bagnell lives in High Point.