Divine Worship warns of liturgical «extremism» over kneeling Communion and veils

The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has published a readout of its 21 October 2026 meeting with the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Panama, on their ad limina Apostolorum visit.

The dialogue, the text says, "brought to light the danger of extremism in the liturgical sphere and of the instrumentalization of the Eucharistic celebration by certain groups of the faithful. These groups tend to provoke division and confusion by raising issues such as receiving Communion kneeling and in the hand, or the use of the veil by women." It was reaffirmed that "the Eucharist is the sacrament of unity and cannot become an object of contention."

The bishops also reported "incorrect practices" in Eucharistic adoration, which risks becoming "a highly individual form of worship", and a tendency to expand the celebration with gestures, prayers and responses that compromise "the sobriety proper to the Roman Rite."

Other topics: Sunday celebrations in the absence of a priest and the role of the "Delegados de la Palabra"; preparation for Marriage and Reconciliation, against "a certain commercial logic" and "psychologizing" the sacrament; formation amid parallel information from blogs and opinions; liturgical singing free of individualism, emotionalism and local folklore; Missal translations.

The text, reported by the Catholic Herald among others, has drawn reactions in traditionalist circles.

Source: Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; Catholic Herald.

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