Girl Servers For Extraordinary Form

[OraProMe]

I think Rex said that in a Mass without a server the priest answers himself though so it would be like "Dominus Vobiscum. Et Cum Spirito Tuo" which wouldn't really make sense but you know whatever.

[Mr.Cat]

The Extraordinary Form does not require any altarboys or altarservers, it does not even require people, it can be said totally by the Priest on his own secretly if he so wished.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='OraProMe' date='13 December 2009 - 12:53 AM' timestamp='1260683619' post='2019561']
Me neither but from a practical point of view altar girl boys are a novelty and the TLM crowd aren't usually the biggest fans of novelty in the liturgy
[/quote]

Actually, there are practical and theological reasons for girls not to serve Mass. As I stated before, men who have been ordained to the minor order of acolyte were originally the original servers. It was only when the minor orders ceased to exist outside of monasteries and seminaries that laymen began to replace them. Since servers are merely replacing ordained acolytes, it makes much more sense that the server be a male (someone who could actually receive that minor order) than a female (someone who could not).

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='OraProMe' date='13 December 2009 - 02:30 AM' timestamp='1260689443' post='2019589']
I think Rex said that in a Mass without a server the priest answers himself though so it would be like "Dominus Vobiscum. Et Cum Spirito Tuo" which wouldn't really make sense but you know whatever.
[/quote]

That is what EF liturgical books say. The historical reason behind is that, when a server wasn't present, the priest basically said everything that the server would say. The theological explanation is that the priest is saluting the whole communion of saints with "The Lord be with you", and that he is responding for them, "And with your spirit".

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='curtins' date='13 December 2009 - 12:05 AM' timestamp='1260680725' post='2019534']
just to clarify, this is in the context of a university community, trying to get the EF mass going. When I asked in an email who would be willing to serve, some girls expressed interest. My hunch is that they didn't know that EF mass is ususally served by guys.
[/quote]

Maybe you could politely explain to them that only males normally serve Mass for the following reasons, and that you'd be glad for them to help out with the Mass in some other way.