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What is the function of permanent acolytes and lectors in the Catholic Church?
Prior to this [motu proprio](http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/papa-francesco-motu-proprio-20210110_spiritus-domini.html) the only purpose of the order of acolyte or lector in the Catholic Church that I knew of was to prepare permanent deacons for ordination. So, if t...
Prior to this [motu proprio](http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/papa-francesco-motu-proprio-20210110_spiritus-domini.html) the only purpose of the order of acolyte or lector in the Catholic Church that I knew of was to prepare permanent deacons for ordination.
So, if the purpose is expanded to all lay people, what function will acolytes perform in the future? Will we be expecting itinerant acolytes going from parish to parish helping at masses? Will we be wowed by one superior lector?
Peter Turner
(34456 rep)
Jan 11, 2021, 02:29 PM
• Last activity: Oct 4, 2022, 08:06 AM
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Does the Pope Francis' moto proprio Spiritus Domini mean that pastors cannot limit servers to only boys?
So it looks like a orders of lector and acolyte, which aren't that well understood in the church to begin with, are opened up to all lay people without respect to sex following the Pope's [moto proprio](http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/papa-francesco-motu-proprio-202...
So it looks like a orders of lector and acolyte, which aren't that well understood in the church to begin with, are opened up to all lay people without respect to sex following the Pope's [moto proprio](http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/papa-francesco-motu-proprio-20210110_spiritus-domini.html) .
It would seem that this would have no bearing on children being servers, as they're not permanently assigned, but is there something implicit in the wording that would make it seem that this is the case?
Currently, in the USA, it's just a matter of a priest sticking his neck out and explicitly disallowing girls from being servers or a more conservative parish implicitly doing it through tradition.
Does this mean that a Catholic parish would expect to have more lady MC's serving and coordinating the servers?
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I mean this question in regards to a parish where the pastor's prerogative is that of denying volunteer girl altar servers and has the support of the ordinary of the diocese and the congregation. I am also interested in how this might affect Tradition Latin Mass, but maybe it's a moot point?
Peter Turner
(34456 rep)
Jan 11, 2021, 02:23 PM
• Last activity: Jan 15, 2021, 09:46 PM
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