On a recent trip to Eastern Europe I noticed that CITH isn't an option. Also, I saw NO lay distributors and NO girl altar boys.
CITH has always appeared to me as a sign of blatant disrespect, but of course after Vatican II the irreverance before, during and after mass is simply sickening.
Yes, in many countries, CITH is virtually non-existent. Under the norms established by Rome, each country’s conference of bishops is authorized to allow the practice, and, in turn, each individual bishop is likewise allowed to adopt it (or not) in his diocese. It seems that there are many countries in Eastern Europe that either do not allow the practice at all, or have catechized the faithful sufficiently that they feel no need to adopt “trendy options” just for the rush and thrill of employing them.
Attached below is a link to EWTN’s website, quoting the relevant sections from the documents that extend permission for the practice. Notice the concern about irreverence marked out in boldface by EWTN. Like, them, I wonder to what extent this concern is taken seriously by our bishops and priests.
http://www.ewtn.com/expert/expertfaqframe.asp?source=/vexperts/conference.htm