About Paul Turner

Father Paul Turner

Paul Turner is pastor of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Missouri and director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St Joseph. He holds a doctorate in sacred theology from Sant’ Anselmo in Rome.  His publications include Ars Celebrandi: Celebrating and Concelebrating Mass (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2021), In These or Similar Words: Praying and Crafting the Language of the Liturgy (Franklin Park: World Library Publications (now GIA), 2014), Whose Mass Is It? Why People Care So Much about the Catholic Liturgy (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2015), and dozens of other titles. He wrote the introduction, emendations and annotations for the reprint of The Liturgical Year  by Adrien Nocent (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2013). He is a former president of the North American Academy of Liturgy, a member of Societas Liturgica since 1997, and the Catholic Academy of Liturgy. He is the recipient of the Jubilate Deo Award from the National Association of Pastoral Musicians and the Frederick McManus Award from the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. He serves as a facilitator for the International Commission on English in the Liturgy. As pastor of diverse parishes, he spent many years ministering in a state prison, serving a hispanic and multi-ethnic community, and providing assistance to the homeless. He plays harpsichord, piano and organ. He answers questions about the liturgy daily on his blog.