Catholics across the Diocese of Charlotte gathered on Thursday, January 15, to publicly pray the Rosary in response to new diocesan directives restricting traditional liturgical practices, including the use of altar rails and kneelers for Holy Communion.
According to LifeSiteNews, the public prayer took place at noon outside the Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center and was organized as an act of reparation following recent decisions made by Bishop Martin, who was installed as bishop in 2024.
An event flyer shared with LifeSiteNews explained the purpose of the gathering, stating, “We ask that you join us to pray the Rosary in reparation for Bishop Martin’s directives to dismantle much that has borne fruit for the faithful of our diocese, and that it would shepherd us with mercy and charity.” The flyer also encouraged Catholics across the country to unite in prayer “even from a distance.”
The Rosary followed a series of changes affecting traditional Catholic worship within the diocese. LifeSiteNews reported that in 2025, Bishop Martin consolidated the diocese’s four Traditional Latin Masses into a single location at a small chapel located approximately 40 miles from downtown Charlotte. Despite the limited capacity, attendance has remained high, with combined Sunday attendance in October reported to be between 600 and 625 faithful, many of whom traveled long distances to attend.
LifeSiteNews also reported that in mid-December, Bishop Martin formally ordered that altar rails and kneelers no longer be used for the reception of Holy Communion at all Novus Ordo Masses by January 16, 2026. The directive additionally required churches to remove any “temporary or movable fixtures used for kneeling” during Communion.
In response to these measures, concerns were raised by clergy within the diocese. According to LifeSiteNews, thirty-one priests—approximately one quarter of the Diocese of Charlotte’s clergy—submitted dubia to the Vatican seeking clarification regarding the bishop’s authority to restrict traditional liturgical practices.
Observers have also noted a connection between traditional Eucharistic practices and priestly vocations within the diocese. As cited by LifeSiteNews, The Liturgy Guy observed that “75% of those young men” currently studying for the priesthood in the diocese came from parishes where altar rails or Communion kneelers were commonly used. He pointed to studies suggesting that reverent Eucharistic practices are linked to increased belief in the Real Presence, while also acknowledging that vocations may have been influenced by formation initiatives established under Bishop Martin’s predecessor.
The January 15 Rosary marked a public expression of prayerful concern by the faithful, as Catholics in the Diocese of Charlotte continue to seek clarity, unity, and fidelity amid ongoing liturgical changes.
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