North Carolina bishop demands liturgical unity in pastoral letter

‘Throughout the ages and within our rich liturgical traditions, our unity as believers in Holy Communion is expressed through our gestures that reflect our mystical communion and unity.’

Bishop Michael Martin of Charlotte, North Carolina issued a pastoral letter on liturgical norms following months of controversy in the diocese.

The letter on 17 December aims to unite the local church and to bring it into conformity with universal norms.

The bishop, a Conventual Franciscan, mandated that no altar rails or prie-dieus be used for the distribution of Holy Communion and that the faithful be instructed that reception of the Eucharist while standing is normative throughout the United States. He also encouraged parishes to offer Communion under both species and to use extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist.

“Throughout the ages and within the context of our rich liturgical traditions from the East to the West, our unity as believers in Holy Communion is expressed through our postures and gestures that reflect our mystical communion and unity as fellow believers,” Martin wrote.

He quoted Pope Leo: “[t]oday … there is a supper to prepare. It is not only a matter of the liturgy, but of our readiness to enter into a gesture that transcends us. The Eucharist is not celebrated only at the altar, but also in daily life, where it is possible to experience everything as offering and giving of thanks.”

Bishop Martin, who was installed on 29 May 2024, has found himself embroiled in controversy about the liturgy since his arrival. His predecessor, Bishop Peter Jugis, had received permission from the Vatican in 2023 for a two-year delay the implementation of Traditionis custodes, Pope Francis’ 2021 mandate restricting the celebration of the old rite.

When that deadline approached, Bishop Martin required the four parishes that had been hosting pre-conciliar liturgies to stop and established one shrine in the diocese to host the old rite. Disgruntled parishioners voiced their anger at the restrictions in conservative outlets.

Martin joins several other recently-appointed bishops in the US who face situations where their predecessors were reluctant to confront opposition to Pope Francis, especially in relation to restrictions on the old rite which has become popular among a small but vocal group of Catholics.

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