North Carolina bishop calls for routine use of extraordinary ministers, bans altar rails

December 18, 2025

In a pastoral letter released yesterday, the bishop of Charlotte, North Carolina, called for the routine distribution of Holy Communion by extraordinary ministers and banned the use of “altar rails, kneelers, and prie-dieus” during the distribution of Holy Communion.

Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv, also wrote that Holy Communion should not be distributed by intinction, even though it is one of the forms of the administration of the Precious Blood envisioned by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (n. 245).

“The role of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion is to be welcomed and used in our parishes, churches, missions, and schools,” said Bishop Martin. “To facilitate the timely distribution of Holy Communion and the inherent limitations of how much a communion chalice may hold, those overseeing the ministers who assist with the celebration of Holy Mass are to ensure that there is one minister for roughly 75 communicants.”

The bishop’s directive appears to contradict one of the most authoritative postconciliar liturgical documents, Ecclesiae de mysterio, the 1997 instruction promulgated by Pope St. John Paul II and jointly issued by eight Vatican dicasteries. According to the instruction, “certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated where such have emerged in particular Churches,” including “the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass” (Article 8).

Citing Ecclesiae de mysterio, the 2004 instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum explained that “the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged. This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is not at all a sufficient reason” (n. 158).

In banning altar rails, kneelers, and prie-dieus, effective January 16, Bishop Martin wrote:

According to liturgical norms, regional episcopal conferences are entrusted with establishing more precise norms for the reception of Holy Communion. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), with the approval of Rome, has established “[t]he norm … that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling” and that a bow is the act of reverence made by those receiving. The normative posture for all the faithful in the United States is standing, it is nonetheless the free choice of an individual member of the faithful to kneel, and Communion cannot be denied this individual solely based on their posture (Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 91).

A normative posture is not only given so that we may be united in how we receive Holy Communion, but also as an aide to direct our catechesis and sacramental preparation. While it is the right of an individual member of the faithful to kneel, pastors should not direct their faithful to do so as something that is “better.” It is the responsibility of those in a pastoral or teaching role to instruct those in his/her care the episcopal conference norms for reception without prejudice. Doing otherwise disrupts the harmony and unity that the Bishops have legitimately set forth for the mlanner of distribution of Holy Communion in the United States. The faithful who feel compelled to kneel to receive the Eucharist as is their individual right should also prayerfully consider the blessing of communal witness that is realized when we share a common posture.

The episcopal conference norms logically do not envision the use of altar rails, kneelers, or prie-dieus for the reception of communion. Doing so is a visible contradiction to the normative posture of Holy Communion established by our episcopal conference.

“Temporary or movable fixtures used for kneeling for the reception of communion are to be removed by January 16, 2026,” he added.

Bishop Martin’s pastoral letter follows a September 26 letter restricting the traditional Latin Mass to one chapel in the diocese, whose land area is larger than that of nine of the nation’s states. A draft of a pastoral letter on the liturgy by Bishop Martin was leaked in May.

 

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Further information:

• Bishop Martin issues pastoral letter on norms for Holy Communion (Diocese of Charlotte)
• General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Chapter IV (USCCB)
• INSTRUCTION ON CERTAIN QUESTIONS REGARDING THE COLLABORATION OF THE NON-ORDAINED FAITHFUL IN THE SACRED MINISTRY OF PRIEST (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 8/15/97)
• INSTRUCTION Redemptionis Sacramentum On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist (CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS, 3/25/04)