What’s the Top Priority in the Diocese of Charlotte? Eradicate Altar Rails

Thankfully, the Church in western North Carolina has a liturgical heavyweight to guide it, a true giant of the faith.

From his episcopal letter, “on the reception of holy communion”:

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.

Instead, the instruction emphasizes that receiving Holy Communion is to be done as the members of the faithful go in procession, witnessing that the Church journeys forward and receives Holy Communion as a pilgrim people on their way. 8 The USCCB in its explanation for the norms governing reception of Holy Communion reminds us of the beauty of this procession: “In fact, each time we move forward together to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord, we join the countless ranks of all the baptized who have gone before us, our loved ones, the canonized and uncanonized saints down through the ages, who at their time in history formed a part of this mighty stream of believers.” Therefore:

Clergy, catechists, ministers of Holy Communion, and teachers are to instruct communicants according to the normative posture in the United States. They are not to teach that some other manner is better, preferred, more efficacious, etc.

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.

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