Talk about nit picking! Traditional Catholics are currently IN EXILE, eking out survival in various LIFEBOATS for crying out loud.
They might as well complain about why so many Trad chapels have grown men serving, rather than (the ideal) boys and teenage boys.
The solution is simple: end the Crisis in the Church, get the numbers WAY up, and there will be enough boys to serve Mass again. Problem solved! Boys can't grow beards.
I disagree with this line of thinking. Having a beard is effeminate? That has to be the stupidest thing the Romans did/believed. First of all, God created men to naturally grow a beard. Second, there is nothing effeminate (whatever your definition: womanly, fastidious, or "metrosɛҳuąƖ") about NOT shaving off your beard. Now SHAVING one's beard literally makes you more like a woman, and it takes time (which homos love to spend on their appearance). So the truth is the exact opposite!
Grown men shaving off their beard every day to be responsible and respectable was pounded into Baby Boomer heads by Gillette and other companies. How can we let Madison Avenue convince us -- with a straight face -- that God made a mistake, or did something wrong when he created our bodies?
Seriously, if God wanted men to walk around with smooth faces, He could have easily done so -- just look at women!
I will wear my goatee when I serve Mass, as a reminder to everyone that a middle-aged father of 7 is not the ideal altar server. I don't want to pretend that I'm younger, more clerical/eligible for the clerical state, or more single than I am!
Let it be another sign of the Crisis we're living in, that we're not in normal times.
I am prompt and willing to serve at the altar, don't get me wrong: but frankly I don't feel it is best for anyone. As much as serving at the altar is a great honor, so is leading the Gregorian chant during the Mass, or serving as a (proper, male) Coordinator of the chapel, to assure everything is ready, in good order, make sure everything goes smoothly, etc.
Also, a father of 7 should be able to help his wife with all the young children -- and sit next to his wife so she doesn't have to feel like a single mother during Mass.
I await my "relief".
Still, I bet I'll miss serving Mass when I eventually don't have to -- for whatever reason.
At least part of my decision (to favor the role of "cantor" over "altar server") is rational: Typically, in my experience, there are several altar servers out there for every 1 man who can sing chant proficiently.