It is announced that Pope Francis is going to undertake the foot-washing ritual on Holy Thursday outside of the Vatican or Lateran Basilica once again. In past years, the foot-washing has included youth, women and muslims.
Up until 1955, it was done outside of Mass and reserved for monasteries, cathedrals or seminaries and religious houses. The superior or abbot or bishop or rector washed the feet of those clerics symbolic of the events of Our Lord at the Last Supper and as a sign of priesthood.
The rubrics are clear, the Latin word phrase is "viri selecti" or selected men.
The man in charge of the law has dispensed with the law and puts faithful priests in parishes who have resisted demands by feminist liturgical nazis to wash their feet in difficult position.
My advice to priests is this: the foot-washing in the the Mass (in either Form) is optional, just like the "sign of peace."
Option it out and save yourself the grief!
If the Bishop of Rome wishes to display an act of charity to those in prisons or muslims, etc., this is a wonderful thing to do. There are 364 other days of the year to display this charity and example. Holy Thursday is not one of them.