A young family at a parish in the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina went to the Communion rail to receive Holy Communion and were not given Holy Communion by the pastorally sensitive Bishop of Charlotte. He was offended that someone had the nerve to protest his unjust policies about Communion Rails and receiving Holy Communion at these that he simply ignored them.
What a witness to arrogance.
But let me confess. I was just as arrogant as the Bishop of Charlotte when I was first ordained in 1980.. In my first assignment at St. Teresa Church in Albany, Georgia, in 1980, we had a gentleman and his wife who would go to our Communion Rail and kneel there waiting for me to give them Holy Communion. Everyone else, most obedient to the Bugnini rules about Holy Communion formed the chow line and received dutifully standing on the run, in a variety of illicit hand reception. None ever denied by yours truly.
But I denied those damn pre-Vatican II Catholics, the worst name one could call someone in 1980, –pre-Vatican II. They did not get Holy Communion as they waited at the altar railing for me to show them some pastoral sensitivity.
Arrogance? You are damn right and it was mine not theirs. And what the Bishop of Charlotte did to this young family is exactly the same, arrogance and it needs repentance, not theirs, his and publicly.
You can’t see it in this Facebook video, but the Bishop of Charlotte is sitting at his pontifical throne and looking at them with contempt:
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CE8b15wSW/?mibextid=wwXIfr
6 comments:
I suppose I should be outraged. Im not, really. The framework for this sort of thing was laid years ago.
Not novel, the Roman hierarchy will sit on those who desire tradition that's permissible, accept blessings from "clerics" who, per our tradition aren't entitled to provide them, then are gearing up to excommunicate SSPX ordinance and their consecrated, yet will "for the good of souls", engage in ecumenical dialogue with a "church" lacking valid orders under the same premise. What a dichotomy!
Leo, after 1 year, a major renovation, and a few teases at traditional attire should, perhaps, engage in some introspection as in totality, this is challenging to follow.
It is difficult to see what this has achieved - it is not a good 'look'.
This is an eye witness account from someone who was present:
"I was there.
The bishop sat with his eyes closed during communion, the other priests distributed communion.
I know the other priests wanted to use the rail, but their hands are tied.
I wondered why he was closing his eyes the whole time during communion. Now I know why.
Fr.Coleman the pastor of OLG (a good holy priest) begged for the TLM not to be taken from them. Bp.Martin ignored him and his brother priests. I truly feel for Fr.Coleman and all the holy priests in Charlotte diocese who are under this bishops thumb. Fr.Coleman even gave a very nice gift with explanation to the bishop at the end of this mass, and instead of a thank you, the bishop gave a snarky “that was the long way to say etc etc”.
After mass there was a dinner/reception. The bishop was gone within minutes after it began.
The disdain this bishop has for the priests who wrote to Rome and advocated for their flock is palpable."
Sounds like the bishop has a personality disorder of some kind.
Thank you for the account. Bishop Martin needs our prayers, as do all who are affected by his imprudent actions. It may take a significant crisis to provoke in the Bishop a change of heart or at least a change of practice.
Bp Martin is soooo Christlike, isn’t he?! 🙄
Sedevacantist Novus Ordo Watch has posted the following:
Sensus Fidelium
@Sensus_Fidelium
Correction Update
Ok, the original link about this event was click bait. The Bishop didn't refuse communion as he never even distributed.
He sat there. (& I'm no fan of Bishop Martin's ideas, but we have to be honest).
The priests said they didn't see the family. I know of one of the priests and he's legit.
If he said he didn't see them I believe him. Others told me the exact same thing.
Before Easter lots of people were going to the rail.
It was just recent that an announcement was made to not use it and even then there were people using the rail. So even in this situation others wanted to do it but didn't.
The family in the video go to the rail every week. Again, others said this too.
Nothing was stagged. Just usually more than one family is at the rail.
6:27 PM · Apr 29, 2026
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Post a Comment