By Angela Marshall
Karen Ryan of Rockville Centre is the second Ryan sister to request a change in the Honor Guard. Her sister, Anne, made a few phone calls during her senior year but dropped the matter after the event took place.
It is too late for Karen as well. This year's Mercy Ball was held on Dec. 1. But Karen does not want other girls to go through the same experience.
If somebody had done this before, then maybe I would have been able to go, Karen said of her continued protesting through letters. If other girls want to go they deserve to. It's not right.
Prior to 1942, a traditional military honor guard was used at the ball. When these men went off to war, their young brothers began to participate and now high school boys in their senior year form the guard.
Of the eight Senior Bishop Servers at St. Agnes Cathedral, Karen is the only girl. All seven of the boys were invited to join the guard. Karen was not.
Your continued service at the Cathedral Altar to the Bishop and priests of St. Agnes is greatly appreciated, wrote Msgr. Francis Caldwell, who oversees St. Agnes' altar servers, in the invitation. You are an inspiration to the older members of the parish and a challenge to the younger ones. As a small token of my appreciation of your service, I would like to nominate you to be a member of the twelfth grade Honor Guard for Bishop William Murphy at the Annual Mercy Ball...
Prior to this year's ball, Karen wrote letters to the Friends of Mercy president and Msgr. Caldwell asking for a change in the tradition and questioning what the boys did to deserve such praise that she did not.
We do the same exact thing, she said during an interview. It's not like I do less work than they do at all.
Karen also pointed out that many traditions have changed since the honor guard was created. Women play an increasingly larger role in the military and the church now allows female altar servers, she said.
I am saddened and disappointed that simply because of my gender, members of my community feel that I am not worthy to be a part of the Honor Guard...This antiquated tradition is a form of sexism and outright discrimination, Karen wrote in a letter to the Herald.
John O'Rourke, the current president of the Friends of Mercy, could not be reached for comment. However, Joseph Metzger, a past president of the Friends of Mercy, said there is no issue.
Metzger continued saying, I'm so glad you called about this because I've wanted to join Lucille Roberts, the women's gym, so badly but they won't let me get in there. I can't understand why.
Msgr. Caldwell said that Karen would have been allowed to participate if she had asked if there was a way around the tradition. He said another Senior Altar Server from a different parish, Meaghan Dowling, had asked a member of the Friends' board to invite her boyfriend so that she could participate.
[Meaghan's] date was there because of her... She did it the smart way and said
