The Dicastery for Divine Worship has confirmed the receipt of a formal appeal against the Bishop of Charlotte, Michael Martin, for his refusal to respond to requests regarding liturgical matters, thereby opening a process that could review his actions in one of the dioceses most tense due to the implementation of Traditionis Custodes.
Rome will examine the case following the complaint against Bishop Martin
According to an official letter dated February 16, 2026, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has received a “hierarchical appeal” filed on February 9 against the Bishop of Charlotte.
The complaint refers to the prelate’s “apparent refusal” to respond to requests related to liturgical matters.
Although the letter does not delve into the substance of the matter, it does represent a significant step: Rome formally acknowledges the existence of the conflict and opens the way to a possible review of the decisions made in the diocese.
A conflict marked by restrictions on the traditional Mass
The appeal is framed within a context of growing tension in Charlotte, where Bishop Michael Martin has strictly applied the provisions of Traditionis Custodes, the motu proprio promulgated in 2021.
Bishop Martin himself has recently defended his decisions as not responding to personal criteria, but to obedience to Vatican norms.
In that vein, he has insisted that the faithful linked to the traditional liturgy cannot determine diocesan policy, although he has acknowledged “goodness and holiness” in them.
However, his measures have provoked widespread rejection among sectors of the faithful who consider it a particularly restrictive - and in some cases creative - application of Roman norms.
Charlotte, epicenter of liturgical tension
Since his arrival in 2024, Bishop Martin has been the protagonist of several controversial episodes.
The most significant took place in May 2025, when he reduced from four to one the authorized locations for the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass, limiting it to a single chapel.
This decision was later followed by new provisions that affected not only the traditional liturgy but also practices widespread in sacramental life.
Among them, the prohibition of altar rails, kneelers, and prie-dieus for the reception of Communion, in effect since January 2026.
The bishop justified these measures by appealing to the norms of the episcopal conference and to a conception of Communion as a processional act, explicitly ruling out other traditional forms.
Uncertainty about Rome’s response
The Dicastery’s admission of the appeal introduces a new element into this scenario.
Although it does not necessarily imply a correction in the short term, it does open the possibility that the Holy See will evaluate the bishop’s actions.
Until now, Bishop Martin himself has downplayed the possibility of changes from Rome, going so far as to state that he saw “relatively few” options for the pontificate of Leo XIV to introduce substantial modifications in this area.