(LifeSiteNews) — Bishop Michael Martin of the Diocese of Charlotte has banned the use of altar rails during the reception of Holy Communion, effective the first Sunday of Advent.

Father John Putnam, the pastor of St. Mark Catholic Church, announced the new rule on Friday, embracing it as the “liturgical norm” of the U.S.

In a letter to his parish, Fr. Putnam said he “personally” believes altar rails foster “reverence and devotion” but nevertheless endorsed Bishop Martin’s instruction to abandon altar rails that has not yet been officially promulgated.

“At the same time, obedience is a virtue, and I think it is important to be united with other parishes in the diocese and return to the normative practice as noted above,” wrote Fr. Putnam, citing a statement by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) that “(t)he norm … is that Holy Communion is to be received standing.”

Everyone “retains the right to kneel to receive the Eucharist,” he added, again citing the USCCB.

“I simply believe that it is better that we are faithful to the liturgical norms given to us by legitimate Church authority as outlined in the General Instruction to the Roman Missal,” Fr. Putnam wrote.

An announcement at St. Mark’s noted that the church will be “offering additional catechesis to help with the transition” to receiving Holy Communion without altar rails.

Because altar rails help the elderly and those with other physical impediments to receive Holy Communion while kneeling, the abandonment of their use will have the effect of forcing some people to receive the Eucharist while standing.

While Martin has claimed that it is “absurd” to “instruct the faithful that kneeling is more reverent than standing,” Scripture itself highlights bending of the knee as a gesture of reverence proper to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

“That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,” St. Paul wrote in a letter to the Philippians. (Philippians 2:10)

As God Himself, the Eucharist deserves nothing less than a posture of profound reverence. Whereas the posture of kneeling is proper to worship of God Himself, standing is a posture one uses when interacting with an equal. 

Accordingly, the tradition of the Catholic Church for many centuries, unbroken until after the Second Vatican Council, is that the lay faithful receive the Blessed Sacrament, administered by a priest (his hands having been consecrated for the handling of the sacred Eucharist) on the tongue while kneeling. 

Furthermore, a recent study confirmed that traditional liturgical practices surrounding the Eucharist, including the manner in which He is received, increase belief in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist.

In fact, Dr. Natalie Lindemann, the author of the study, suggested reinstalling altar rails and offering kneelers during Holy Communion at churches to increase belief in the Real Presence.

The Liturgy Guy has pointed out that the Diocese of Charlotte inherited from former Bishop Peter Jugis a relatively high number of vocations to the priesthood, suggesting that this could be related to the prevalent use of altar rails within the diocese.

Of the diocese’s current seminarians, “75% of those young men come from parishes where the use of altar rails or communion kneelers has been the norm,” the Liturgy Guy noted, pointing to the study that shows reverent Eucharistic practices increase belief in the Real Presence.

The ditching of altar rails has been a priority near and dear to Bishop 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.

The Charlotte Latin Mass Community earlier reported that the presbyteral council meeting at which Bishop Martin requested that the use of altar rails be discontinued was “contentious,” and that “canon lawyers were referenced.”

The local TLM group exhorted, “Priests & faithful: he can ask but cannot command. USE THE RAILS!”