A Bishop Missing The Obvious Signs Obviously?

Air Martin

It seems that God’s signs are going unnoticed by those whom the lay faithful rely on for guidance.

What signs, you ask? Let’s give credit to writers who are capturing what should by now be the most obvious sign—or collection of signs—of God speaking to His people, His Church.

Brian Williams @LiturgyGuy

Yesterday Charlotte ordained 10 men to the priesthood, a record high in the diocese’s 54 year history. Interestingly, 8 of the 10 ordained came from parishes directly impacted by Bishop Martin’s restrictions against the TLM and/or altar rail ban. Meanwhile, two of the mega parishes in Charlotte, both of which fit the liturgical style +Martin favors—including one with over 12,000 registered families—haven’t produced a priestly vocation since well before COVID. Will this vocations boom continue in the coming years under Bishop Martin?

Also interesting to note that one of the twelve ordained this past week by the FSSP also grew up here in Charlotte serving at St. Ann’s TLM. Bishop Martin frequently speaks of the Holy Spirit and our need to cooperate, but the Spirit already HAS been visibly at work in the diocese for years; one just needs humility and docility to see that. 

Overlooking the reasons that drive many to pursue the priesthood can signal a lack of awareness or an unwillingness to consider that one’s perspective might be off track, unfocused, or shaped by a confused state of mind.

• https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/record-number-of-priests-ordained-in-diocese-of-charlotte-north-carolina

“There is always a desire to explain a moment such as ours,” (Bishop) Martin said, noting that there are “factors unique to each man in our seminary formation program” that explain the record number of ordinations and that there is “no one set formula.”

With all due respect to his Excellency, the bishop appears to be missing the point. His strawman, a generalization, attempts to shift the focus toward his own viewpoint rather than on real motivations. A better approach to understanding the number of ordinations would be to ask: what do the men responding to God’s call have in common?

“God uses whatever he chooses to invite and foster a faith-filled response from these men,” he said.

God is using reverent liturgy, liturgy that puts God first, that comports with all good and true and beautiful aspects of Catholic worship of the Almighty.

He credited families, who are “responsible as they are placing faith in Christ in its rightful place at the center of daily life,” as well as the diocese’s priests, who “are more regularly inviting young men to consider the priesthood.”

Those families, those who worship God in Tradition-minded parishes that encourage vocations, are the ones who kneel to receive Holy Communion on the tongue. They confidently meet the Lord Jesus in a Mass that is beautifully, reverently, and properly celebrated, and they share that experience with others for the salvation of souls. And yet - the record is clear regarding Bishop Martin's disdain for those who acknowledge and adore God in ways that are loved by God.

He also said the diocese has promoted a culture of vocations” for years and it “is clearly making a difference.”

Why, then, is Bishop Martin messing with a good thing? Why is he fixing a wheel that ain't broke?

Consider the following note, which suggests a situation that could make a reasonable person conclude that a certain kind of narrow-mindedness is involved.

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. 

• https://infovaticana.com/en/2026/04/28/the-vatican-examines-the-decisions-of-martin-bishop-of-charlotte-regarding-traditional-liturgy/

Of course, Bishop Martin isn’t the only Catholic promoting misguided agendas. Any bishop stubbornly holding onto artificial ideas about liturgy (and vocations and...) risks ending up as just another skull paving the road to hell. Our bishops need our prayers.

Eyes to see? Ears to hear? St Matthew 13:14-16

Empty, inauthentic “worship” is little more than sterile entertainment. In contrast, when there’s genuine reverence for God—shown by kneeling to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, embracing a beautiful ars celebrandi (and perhaps ad orientem worship), and celebrating the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament—it often yields an abundant spiritual harvest.