15 Reasons Why Every Catholic Church Should Have an Altar Rail

15 Reasons Why Every Catholic Church Should Have an Altar Rail

I recently read the article from the National Catholic Register, “Communion Rails Return as Churches Embrace Beauty and Reverence." I am very interested in articles about this topic because I greatly appreciate the possibility of kneeling to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion in a way that does not interrupt the flow of communicants. I am always grateful when I attend a Novus Ordo Mass at a parish where there is a kneeler placed at the front of the Communion line and the priest stands behind it to distribute Holy Communion, giving the parishioners an obvious choice to receive the Eucharist standing or kneeling, on the tongue or in the hand. While the kneelers are wonderful, to me and a growing number of Catholics, an altar rail is even better!

Most people may be surprised to learn that the documents of Vatican II and the "General Instruction of the Roman Missal" have never called for removal of altar rails. “But since people could receive Communion standing up, in a misguided and imprudent move, the altar rails became part of the sacred architecture that was done away with in many churches and left out of new ones being built — all to fit mistakenly into what was regarded as renovations for the reform of the times” (Fr. Tomeny). The bad fruit from this has been devastating and far-reaching! Research from Pew in recent years indicates the sad fact that only 26% of US Catholics under the age of 40 believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Even more troubling is that this study suggests that close to 70% of Catholics across the spectrum don't believe in this most fundamental teaching. This decline in belief directly correlates with several significant changes in the Mass; one of which is the way we receive Holy Communion and the removal of the altar rails. 

Unfortunately, according to the "General Instruction of the Roman Missal" (160), the “norm established for the dioceses of the United States of America is that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling...The consecrated Host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant.”  Sadly, the communicants who kneel on the hard ground to receive the Eucharist on the tongue are made to feel like an eccentric in many parishes while there is no effort to make it easier for them to do this. I believe this reflects a lack of charity (see #15 below). 

Even though it is the norm to receive Holy Communion standing, I believe it is a much better idea to receive kneeling and on the tongue, preferably at an altar rail because the altar rail has a very deep, necessary and important significance that has been almost totally lost today. 

The following are 15 reasons why I believe every Catholic Church should have an altar rail (also called communion rail):

1. THE ALTAR RAIL IS THE PEOPLE’S ALTAR 

This is the most important reason to me and one that deeply touched my heart when I learned about it last year. It has stuck with me and positively influences my reception of Holy Communion each and every time I attend Mass.

The altar rail is not just a physical barrier but a profound symbol of the laity’s participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It represents the culmination of the layperson’s sacrifice. In the New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism, Lesson 28, in speaking of receiving Holy Communion at the altar rail,  we read “‘At Holy Communion, when we go up to the Banquet Table (the altar rail), Our Lord comes to us.’ I had always thought of the Banquet Table as the main altar where the priest makes present Christ’s sacrifice. It had never occurred to me that the altar rail was something more than a divider from the sanctuary, but that it is actually an extension of the altar—the people’s altar. It is the place where we bring our own sacrifices as we wait to be united in Communion with Our Lord and with each other, the Church” (Susanna Spencer).

For the lay faithful, the Mass is an invitation to a profound participation in the Eucharistic sacrifice. Through their responses, prayers, and singing, they unite their offerings with the priest’s oblation of the bread and wine. However, it is at the altar rail where this participation reaches its zenith. Approaching the altar rail to receive Holy Communion, the faithful are not mere observers but active participants in the divine mystery unfolding before them.

Fr. Chad Ripperger stated in video on the Worthy Reception of Holy Communion:

"Most people are not aware of the fact that the communion rail is actually an altar. It’s not just a dividing line between the sacred and the profane. It is actually the altar upon which the people complete their sacrifice. In other words, the priest offers the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ in reparation and atonement for our sins at the high altar; that’s his sacrifice. But the lay people also offer sacrifice. So their sacrifices become efficacious when they join their sacrifices - when they offer up their prayer, suffering and good works in union with the sacrifice of the priest which is the sacrifice of calvary - because none of our sacrifices have any efficacy unless joined to Christ’s sacrifice. So, if they join it to the priest who acts in Persona Christi, they do that during Mass, so that is their offertory  - joining it to them, sacrificing themselves in relationship to it - and then when the priest comes down to them - the completion of their sacrifice is done at the communion rail which is an altar where the sacrifice is completed as they receive Holy Communion." This is so important to understand!

We call it an altar rail becasuse the name has reference to the altar. As stated above this rail can be seen as an extension of the altar. Christ becomes present on the altar and invites us to be fed at His altar via the rail. Very often the appearance of the rail matches the appearance or imitates the appearance of the altar with an altar cloth on both. 

2. THE ALTAR RAIL IS A VIVID REMINDER THAT THE MASS IS THE SACRIFICE OF THE ENTIRE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST (THE CHURCH) - HEAD (CHRIST) AND MEMBERS (US)

Christ’s perfect sacrifice is made present on the altar at every Mass as He offers himself through the priest, and we are the very witnesses of this sacrifice when we assist at the Sacrifice of the Mass. Christ desires us to come close to him and to actively participate in the Sacrifice of the Mass by making an interior offering of our acts of reparation, our daily struggles, and our prayers for others - our whole selves. We can make our prayers at the Offertory and during the Eucharistic prayer, but also when we present ourselves for Communion. Therefore, going up to the altar rail and receiving our sacrificed Lord at the people’s altar is the appropriate and beautiful consummation of our own individual offerings united with that of Christ on the Cross. As stated above, it the place where we complete the offering of our sacrifice - our entire self and life - by receving Holy Communion from the hands of the priest who is in Persona Christi - acting in the Person of Christ. 

Receiving Holy Communion at the altar rail is the most intimate moment of union with Christ for the lay faithful. It is here that they receive the Body and Blood of the Lord, entering into a deep communion with Him. This act of reception is not just a personal moment of grace; it is the fulfillment of the lay person’s liturgical role, their own spiritual oblation united with the sacrificial offering of Christ on the altar.

Christ takes our offerings and our sorrow for our sins and in return gives us mercy and grace. The more reverently we approach his presence in the Sacrament - the more fully we participate through the exterior act of kneeling before the extension of the altar and the interior act of offering ourselves to him - the greater the graces we receive will be.

The altar rail is meant to be an extension of the altar of sacrifice for the laity to kneel before, to consummate the sacrifice. We cannot receive at the main altar as priests do, but we can receive at the altar of the laity, the altar rail (Susanna Spencer).

3. THE ALTAR RAIL IS A BEAUTIFUL SYMBOL OF OUR ELEVATED CALLING TO JOIN OUR SUFFERINGS WITH CHRIST FOR THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD.

As stated above, it helps us to remember that Mass is a sacrifice, that Christ’s one sacrifice is made present at every single Mass. The altar rail is a reminder for us that we can unite all of our sufferings, joys, and sacrifices with Christ for the sake of the Church and the whole world.

In Colossians St. Paul talks about his own sacrifices in this way:

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. (Col 1:24)

Our participation in the Sacrifice of the Mass - our own offerings - are important for the salvation of our fellow Christians. We are called to join our sufferings with Christ, to complete His sacrifice. The altar rail is a beautiful symbol of this offering. I have a friend who goes up to and kisses the altar rail whenever he is in a church with one. He makes his offering at the people’s altar (Susanna Spencer). 

4. ALTAR RAILS CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE SACRED SPACE.

5. ALTAR RAILS LEAD TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH

“I have seen such spiritual growth in my people, not simply regarding reverence at Mass but in their understanding of the meaning and profundity of the Eucharist and the Real Presence” (Father De Celles).

“Kneeling undoubtedly brings positive change. I noticed an incredible difference, I see the expression on their faces being much more emotional kneeling, excited about Communion, more than receiving standing” (Father Capoverdi). 

In June 2008, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI began distributing Holy Communion only to people kneeling and on the tongue. “The form adopted by Benedict XVI is meant to highlight the force of this valid norm for the whole Church,” the master of pontifical liturgical celebrations, Msgr. Guido Marini, said in L’Osservatore Romano June 28, 2008.Msgr. Marini, who wrote Liturgical Reflections of a Papal Master of Ceremonies, explained “the [Pope’s] preference for such form of distribution [kneeling and on the tongue], which, without taking anything away from the other one, better highlights the truth of the real presence in the Eucharist, helps the devotion of the faithful, and introduces more easily to the sense of mystery: aspects which, in our times, pastorally speaking, it is urgent to highlight and recover.”

6. ALTAR RAILS DECREASE POTENTIAL DISTRACTIONS

“It is an incredible experience to kneel in reverence and anticipate Jesus in the Eucharist coming toward me. When Father approaches, the only thing you see is the Eucharist,” she said. “You’re not in line looking around, or distracted by anything. It is just you and Jesus. It is such a sacred moment” (Renee LeBoeuf). 

7. ALTAR RAILS ALLOW FOR MORE TIME TO PREPARE ON BENDED KNEE TO RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST

“Using the altar rails at Communion “allows us to prepare ourselves, on bended knee, to receive our Lord and Savior” (Renee LeBoeuf). “You have a chance to focus, make an act of contrition, make an offering, and think about what’s going on. It contributes to making this a much more holy occasion” (Laurie Biszko).

“You have that opportunity to prepare as the priest approaches; and then as he goes on to the next person, you have an opportunity to recollect, make a brief thanksgiving and then move on. Being able to kneel there for a few minutes and get yourself prepared means so much more to me … to get everything else out of my mind, be quiet and reflect on the Body of Christ. ” (Sharon Burges).

8. ALTAR RAILS DEEPEN UNDERSTANDING AND LOVE OF JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST

“The altar railings have deepened my understanding and love of our Lord in the Holy Eucharist” (Renee LeBoeuf). “Kneeling makes me recognize the level of importance that we should be placing on this particular sacrament. Just by having to kneel — your posture, your body manner — it’s impossible to deny the importance of the sacrament and the truth to be found in the sacrament when you’re receiving the Eucharist” (Paul Servideo).

9. ALTAR RAILS FOSTER A GREATER SENSE OF REVERENCE

This is definitely needed for the majority of the people receiving Holy Communion in the hand and standing without the kneelers. A bishop lamented:  “It’s hard to believe that some people actually believe that that’s the Body of Christ the way they handle it. You’d think it was an M&M.”

Receiving Jesus kneeling at the altar rail “brings so much reverence back into our church. People realize we’re before God, before Our Lord, because we’re on our knees receiving him” (Barb Kohout).

“I’m kneeling now because here is Someone who is greater than I, even this little Host, and so I open my mouth like a little child to receive the Kingdom of God like a child — even more than the Kingdom of God, the Lord of the Kingdom of God” (Auxiliary Bishop Schneider). 

Kneeling before Our Lord is the greatest physical expression of reverence and adoration we can make toward him, short of falling on our faces, as Scripture tells us they do in heaven. And what we do with our bodily signs of reverence, especially such a different and striking action, affects the way we interiorly understand the Eucharist and ourselves in relation to the Eucharist. The body expresses the worship and awe of the soul, and the body draws our soul to worship” (Father De Celles). 

The customary practice of kneeling at the altar rail further enriches the moment. of receiving Our Lord in Holy Communion. This posture of humility and adoration is a physical expression of the inner disposition of the faithful, a sign of reverence for the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Kneeling before the Lord, the faithful offer themselves wholly to God, echoing the total self-gift of Christ on the Cross.

10. ALTAR RAILS FOSTER A DEEPER AWARENESS OF THE SUPERNATURAL 

It’s that threshold between heaven and earth, heaven being the sanctuary and earth being the nave where the people are gathered,” the rector said. “It’s a beautiful symbol of the priest, the spiritual father, representing Christ, reaching from heaven over the threshold of that altar rail to give Communion to the spiritual children” (Father Tomeny).

The altar rail, therefore, is more than a mere architectural feature; it is a threshold to the divine, a place where heaven and earth meet. It symbolizes the lay faithful’s journey towards God, culminating in the reception of the Eucharist. In this sacred exchange, the faithful are not only nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ but are also drawn into the Paschal Mystery of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

11. ALTAR RAILS CONTRIBUTE TO A DEEPER SENSE OF PEACE

“It’s more peaceful for the people because they can either kneel or stand waiting without feeling rushed to move on” (Father Tomeny).

12. ALTAR RAILS ARE MORE EFFICIENT

“It’s an efficient way of distributing Communion, and Father Kwiatkowski finds no need for extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion”  (Father Tomeny).

13. ALTAR RAILS PROVE THAT GREATER REVERENCE IS CONTAGIOUS

The results of returning the Communion rail have been fruitful, according to Father Finelli. “The vast majority of the parish receives on their knees, whether on the tongue or in the hand,” he reported. “And I noticed more also now receiving on the tongue.”

“Though the option remains to receive Communion standing and/or in the hand, the pastor said the overwhelming majority — 98% — kneel. Some of the elderly faithful want to kneel but can’t, understandably”(Father Capoverdi). This was not even close to the case before returning the altar rails.

14. ALTAR RAILS GREATLY HELP THE FAITHFUL TO PERCEIVE THE IMPORTANT CONNECTION BETWEEN POSTURES AT MASS AND RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION

“We kneel frequently throughout the Liturgy of the Eucharist and [are] expected to kneel to show that reverence. It seems to follow that level of reverence when we’re actually receiving the Eucharist.” (Servideo).

“We as a Church kneel for the epiclesis, when the priest invokes the Holy Spirit, as well as for the consecration, the ‘Behold the Lamb of God’, and when the Blessed Sacrament is consumed. Why not kneel for Communion? They’re kneeling all these other times when in the presence of the Eucharist” (Father Capoverdi).

15. RESTORING THE ALTAR RAIL IS AN ACT OF CHARITY

After considering all of the previous reasons, it is clear that it is an act of Charity to have altar rails in the Church (or, at the very least, a kneeler at the front of the Communion line) because the priest is honoring and respecting the discernment of each person, and making it easier for those who feel called by God to receive on their knees. As stated above, sadly, the communicants who kneel on the hard ground to receive the Eucharist on the tongue are made to feel like an eccentric in many parishes while there is no effort to make it easier for them to do this. 

But even more importantly, he is also honoring and respecting Jesus Christ who is present in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the small, white Host. “Kneeling before Our Lord is the greatest physical expression of reverence and adoration we can make toward him, short of falling on our faces, as Scripture tells us they do in heaven. And what we do with our bodily signs of reverence, especially such a different and striking action, affects the way we interiorly understand the Eucharist and ourselves in relation to the Eucharist. The body expresses the worship and awe of the soul, and the body draws our soul to worship” (Father De Celles).

In conclusion, an altar rail invites the faithful to a profound encounter with the Divine and plays a pivotal role in the liturgical celebration, marking the place where the lay faithful’s participation in the sacrifice of the Mass is completed. If we are fortunate enough to be able to attend a Mass where there is an altar rail, as we approach it, let us do so with hearts full of reverence and love, ready to receive the Lord and to offer ourselves in union with His eternal sacrifice. In this sacred moment, we are reminded of the beauty and depth of our Catholic faith, a treasure to be cherished and lived with devotion.