Has the Pope allowed women to become permanent altar servers?

🩷🩷🩷 When I first read the news that Pope Francis had officially allowed women to become permanent altar servers and participate in decision-making at the local level, something inside me froze. I don't know how to describe this feeling exactly — something between joy, slight excitement, and even a little anxiety. After all, this is not just another church decree, but something that can change the daily life of parishes, the atmosphere at Mass, and, in general, our perception of the role of women in the Church.

🖐️ I grew up in a Catholic family, and since childhood, the Church has been something unshakable, solid as a rock, for me. I always knew that boys could be altar servers, but girls could not. And even if the question “why?” sometimes arose somewhere inside me, I quickly suppressed it — probably because that's how it should be, since the Church had decided so. But over the years, I grew up and gradually began to understand: the Church is not a museum exhibit, but the living Body of Christ. It develops, breathes, sometimes rethinks itself — but not for the sake of fashion or politics, but in order to be closer to people, to better carry the light of the Gospel into a changing world.

😽And here it is — the decision. Women at the altar. Women participating in decision-making. For some, this is a revolution; for others, a natural step. Personally, I see something very profound and beautiful in this: finally, what has always been true is officially recognized. Women have ALWAYS served the Church. Just in different ways. Some as nuns who have dedicated their entire lives to prayer and serving the poor. Some as mothers who are the first to teach their children to pray and bring them to Sunday Mass. Some as parish activists who organize charity events or catechism. Isn't that service? Isn't that important?😽

But now we will have another opportunity — to be closer to the altar, to the very essence of the liturgy. And I cannot help but rejoice in this. Because when a woman stands next to a priest, helping during Mass, it is not a “rebellion against tradition,” but a return to something very ancient and real. Remember the deaconesses of the early Church! Remember the holy myrrh-bearers, who were the first to learn of the Resurrection and brought this news to the apostles. Women have always been part of this story. Sometimes more visible, sometimes less.

Of course, some may have doubts. “Aren't we breaking with tradition? Won't this be a step toward something radical?” I sometimes catch myself thinking this way. But then I remember the words of Christ, who so often broke the stereotypes of His time in the Gospel: He spoke with the Samaritan woman, defended the sinner, allowed women to follow Him and listen to His teachings. He was never afraid to entrust women with something important. So why should we be afraid?

💙💙💙 The main thing is that all this should not be for the sake of an abstract idea of “gender equality,” but for the sake of love. So that every person in the Church — man or woman — can fully reveal their God-given talents and use them for ministry. After all, we are all one body. And if one part of the body finally gets the opportunity to move more freely, isn't that a reason to rejoice?

I can already imagine how in a couple of years this will become common practice: you come to church, and there are both men and women at the altar. And it won't seem strange or revolutionary. It will just be... natural. Like breathing.

What do you think about this? Perhaps there are already female priests in your parish? How do you feel about this — with joy, with caution, or are you still unsure? Let's discuss it — without arguments, without judgment, simply as brothers and sisters in Christ.

🤭 P.S. The other day, I was talking to a friend who is about to undergo training to serve at the altar. She says that for her, it's not a “political gesture,” but an opportunity to be closer to the Eucharist, to participate in it not only as a spectator, but also as an assistant. I think that's the point — not “rights,” but love. And that's wonderful. I hope I haven't bored you with my post?

🫦🫦🫦Yours, Darina.🫦🫦🫦