Author’s Note: This article was updated November 14, 2025.
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (LifeSiteNews) — The Diocese of Charlotte has stated that altar rail use will only be discontinued in St. Mark Catholic Church effective November 30, after its pastor announced that Bishop Michael Martin had requested that the change be made.
The assistant director of communications for the Diocese of Charlotte informed LifeSiteNews that Bishop Martin has “not ordered” that altar rails be discontinued in the diocese’s churches effective November 30, stating that this decision was “made by the pastor” of St. Mark Catholic Church.
Father John Putnam, who happens to be the judicial vicar of the diocese, had announced in a letter dated November 7 that Martin asked that parishes no longer use altar rails for Holy Communion.
Referring to the “norm” of receiving Holy Communion while standing, Putnam wrote, “I think it is important to be united with other parishes in the Diocese and return to the normative practice as noted above which Bishop Martin is asking to be implemented on the First Sunday of Advent, November 30.”
The Charlotte Latin Mass Community earlier reported that Martin requested that the use of altar rails be discontinued at a “contentious” presbyteral council meeting.
A recent St. Mark church bulletin has been updated to state that the discontinuing of altar rail use will be implemented at the church on November 30, erasing the previous statement that Martin had asked this change to be implemented.
LifeSiteNews has contacted the Diocese of Charlotte Communications multiple times, by phone and email, to confirm whether Martin in fact initially made a request that altar rail use be discontinued in the diocese effective November 30. The diocese has refused to answer this question, but has instead stated that “the diocese has not issued any instructions on its liturgical norms” and that the bishop has “not banned” altar rails. The Director of Communications further told LifeSiteNews:
The bishop is working with our priest council and Office for Divine Worship to reaffirm, among other things, the Church’s universal norms for the care, distribution and reception of Holy Communion, as outlined in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and the norms of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
An announcement from Fr. Putnam recently delivered at St. Mark’s suggests that Bishop Martin will later ask parishes to discontinue the use of altar rails.
“While Bishop Martin’s document on Holy Communion has not yet been promulgated, it is expected, and all parishes are expected to observe the proper norms of the US bishops regarding the reception of Holy Communion,” stated Fr. Putnam.
Fr. Putnam moreover has told the National Catholic Register that he thinks it is better to ban the rails now, “rather than wait for something later that would be required.”
The ditching of altar rails has been a priority near and dear to Martin’s heart, according to The Pillar, which previously reported, “that’s his big thing, he’s really focused on that.”
In late May, a draft was leaked of a letter from Martin detailing plans for restrictions on traditional practices within the liturgy, including a ban on altar rails and kneelers, less than a week after Martin announced sweeping bans on the traditional Mass.
Martin stipulated that “in new constructions and renovations of sacred spaces, altar rails are not permitted” and that “Moveable altar rails should be removed, and permanently fixed altar rails should no longer be used.”
“The placement of a prei dieu (a kneeler) for the reception of communion is not appropriate,” he added.
After the letter was leaked, the diocesan communications director said the highly controversial document “was an early draft that has gone through considerable change over several months” and still remains “in discussion.”
According to The Pillar, although the leaked document has reportedly been largely shelved, sources shared that Martin still had plans to prohibit the use of altar rails – something that he already enforces in churches as he travels around the diocese.