See Original Letter Here: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2025/05/rorate-exclusive-anti-traditional-and.html

A pastoral letter drafted by the Diocese of Charlotte details a comprehensive plan that would systematically remove numerous, long-standing liturgical traditions from all Masses celebrated in its parishes. The document, authored by Bishop Michael Martin, presents these directives as a means to achieve liturgical uniformity. The scope of the proposals is notable, as it would directly prohibit many practices that have been part of the Church’s patrimony for centuries.

The letter outlines a clear departure from liturgical expressions often cherished for their connection to the history of the Roman Rite. An examination of the specific proposals reveals the extent of the changes.

The very orientation of Catholic worship is addressed, with a mandate that Mass “must be celebrated facing the people.” This would forbid the ancient practice of celebrating Mass ad orientem, where the priest and the congregation face the altar together in a common direction of prayer.

The document also seeks to eliminate the use of altar rails, a traditional architectural feature that delineates the sanctuary and provides a place for the faithful to kneel for the reception of Holy Communion. The letter directs that moveable rails be removed, permanent ones no longer be used, and that they not be permitted in any new construction. This effectively ends the practice of receiving Communion while kneeling at the rail.

Furthermore, the sacred language of the Church would be restricted. The norms state that “the vernacular is to be retained for all parts of the Mass” in public worship. This would disallow the use of Latin for Mass parts such as the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, which are frequently sung or recited in Latin even within the context of the Novus Ordo Missae.

The letter also targets specific customs of piety and reverence. It explicitly forbids priests from wearing traditional vestments such as the maniple and biretta, and it strongly discourages the use of the classic Roman chasuble, often called the “fiddleback.” Prayers with a long history of use, including the preparatory Prayers at the Foot of the Altar and the communal recitation of the St. Michael Prayer after Mass, are also marked for discontinuation.

Taken as a whole, the proposed directives represent a significant and deliberate effort to curtail the presence of historic liturgical traditions within the diocese. Should these norms be implemented, they would enforce a singular mode of worship that excludes many of the sights, sounds, and postures that have defined Catholic liturgy for generations.