Editing Altar server (section)

=== Female altar servers ===
{{Main|Female altar servers}}
[[File:Altar servers.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Since the 1990s, girls may serve at altar]]

The [[1983 Code of Canon Law]] altered the juridical situation: without distinguishing between male and female, it declared: "Lay persons can fulfill the function of [[reader (liturgy)|lector]] in liturgical actions by temporary designation. All lay persons can also perform the functions of commentator or [[cantor]], or other functions, according to the norm of law."<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__PV.HTM Code of Canon Law, canon 230 §2]</ref> On 30 June 1992, the [[Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts]] issued an [[Interpretation (Catholic canon law)#Authentic interpretation|authentic interpretation]] of that canon declaring that service of the altar is one of the "other functions" open to lay persons in general, without distinguishing between male and female.<ref>[http://www.delegumtextibus.va/content/testilegislativi/it/attivita/interpretazioni/can230-par2.html Authentic interpretation of canon 230 §2]</ref>

In reference to this authentic interpretation, the [[Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments]] sent on 15 March 1994 a circular letter to presidents of [[episcopal conference]]s, clarifying that the canon in question is only of permissive character. It does not require the use of female altar servers. It is thus for each diocesan bishop to decide whether to allow them in his diocese.<ref>[https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/vatican-communication-on-female-altar-servers-2162 Vatican Communication on Female Altar Servers]</ref> A later document from 2001 states that even if a bishop permits female altar servers, the priest in charge of a church in that diocese is not obliged to recruit them, since no one, male or female, has a ''right'' to become an altar server. The document also states that "it will always be very appropriate to follow the noble tradition of having boys serve at the altar".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/DocumentContents/DocumentIndex/556|title=The Catholic Liturgical Library}}</ref>

As priests in charge of churches are not obliged to avail of a diocesan bishop's permission in this matter, those belonging to [[traditionalist Catholic]] groups such as the [[Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter|Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter]], the [[Institute of Christ the King|Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest]], the [[Institute of the Good Shepherd|Institute of The Good Shepherd]], the [[Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X|Society of Saint Pius X]] and the self-professed Catholic [[Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen|CMRI]] and some other priests do not.

In the United States, after the Arlington Diocese's decision to allow them, the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Lincoln|Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska]] in 2006 became the only diocese in the country that did not allow females to be altar servers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2006-03-22-altar-girls_x.htm|title=USATODAY.com - Neb. diocese is lone U.S. holdout on allowing altar girls|website=[[USA Today]] }}</ref> However, it was joined by a church in the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix|Diocese of Phoenix]] in August 2011, when it was announced that girls would no longer be allowed to altar serve.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clancy |first1=Michael |title=Phoenix diocese cathedral won't allow girl altar servers |url=http://archive.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/20110821phoenix-catholic-diocese-girl-servers.html#ixzz2HBvJANlK |website=The Arizona Republic |access-date=2 November 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181102160627/http://archive.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/20110821phoenix-catholic-diocese-girl-servers.html%23ixzz2HBvJANlK |archive-date=2 November 2018| url-status=live}}</ref>