December 17th, 2025

O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti…

Regarding The Recent Protocol Letter of Bishop Martin announcing

The Elimination of the use of altar rails

As seen in today’s announcement HERE, the Bishop of Charlotte is eliminating the use of altar rails in all parishes in the Diocese. If a parish has removable altar rails, they must be taken out completely. If a parish has permanent altar rails, they are not allowed to be used.

He writes, in Prot. No. B 339/25

The use of altar rails, kneelers, and prie-dieus are not to be utilized for the reception of Communion in public celebrations by January 16, 2026. Temporary or movable fixtures used for kneeling for the reception of communion are to be removed by January 16, 2026.

There is no basis in law or tradition for the elimination of altar rails.

The process to Initiate Recourse against an Administrative Decree may begin immediately. As you know, there is a ten-day (business days) window at the beginning, in which you must contact the Bishop to request that he reconsider his plan (Prot. No. B 339/25). This may be done via email or by letter. January 2nd is the deadline for this phase of the process of Recourse.

In Your Letters

Please be kind but direct in your letter. Ask him to reconsider his plan and rescind this latest Protocol, leaving altar rails in place and not restricting their use in any way.

Here is the official process for Initiating Recourse against an Administrative Decree.

Here is a link with the process in more detail.

As a reminder, this process is time-sensitive. Letters must be received by the Bishop by Friday, January 2nd. Further, after the Bishop receives your letter, he has thirty days to reply. If he does, in the negative, or if thirty days pass without a reply, you must then write to the Dicastery for Divine Worship through the Nuncio within fifteen working days.

HERE IS A SAMPLE LETTER to the BISHOP

Please also remember to pray and fast often for our Diocese, that God may intervene.

Further Steps

This matter directly impacts the many good priests who are Pastors of parishes with altar rails. It is important that we let them know how we feel and that they communicate this to the Bishop. The Pastors can also initiate their own process of Recourse to the Bishop.

Letters to the Dicastery for Bishops are also warranted now, as it is clear that Bishop Martin does not intend to cease his plans to reshape the Diocese of Charlotte according to his own interpretation of the law and the liturgy. Unfortunately, there are more issues coming in the future, so we must make our voices known at every step of the way

In addition to the process of recourse, please see the top of the page for additional options, resources, and catechesis.