Sri Lankan cardinal bans girls from being altar servers

ROME – Nearly two months after it was written, a letter has been published by Sri Lankan Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo banning girls from serving as altar servers in his archdiocese, on grounds that it is a pathway to the priesthood.

In an Oct. 22, 2024, letter to the priests of his diocese, Ranjith said, “It has been brought to my knowledge that several parishes in the Archdiocese of Colombo have appointed girls as altar servers.”

“In this context, I wish to reiterate...