Women Cantors EF Divine Office
  • DOAdvocate
    Posts: 30
    In the 1962 Divine Office, can women be cantors? I’m looking for some legislation or rubrics that would justify this. This would be a public Office with lots of people in attendance, and more than enough competent men. As far as we have been able to work out, hebdom and cantor are clerical roles, and so are reserved to men in the EF.
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 726
    Quit being sexist. They’re not clerical roles. Women religious do it all the time as did religious brothers who are not clerics.
  • DOAdvocate
    Posts: 30
    I’m not seeking confrontation, so thanks for your rudeness - we’re in a situation which went very badly when women altar served in the EF, so badly that the EF is no longer celebrated, and so this needs some actual legislation/rubrics behind either practise.
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,953
    I presume they will be in choir, with full ceremonies. So customs from Religious Communities will not apply.
  • DOAdvocate
    Posts: 30
    A practical (perhaps non-legislative) sticking point is that the hebdom and cantor are to be sat in choir - what is women’s choir dress in the EF?
  • DOAdvocate
    Posts: 30
    Thanks @tomjaw - yes, we will be sat in choir, or at least hebdom and cantors (and clergy) will be, with full ceremonies.
  • trentonjconn
    Posts: 803
    Quit being sexist


    What a ridiculous and profoundly unhelpful thing to say.
  • If they are to be in choir the legislation governing the traditional liturgy gives an unequivocal "no". For details consult the 1958 instruction De musica sacra on persons having principal functions in the liturgy.