Paul Turner

Q: I hope this email finds you well. I may have previously asked you this question, so I apologize if […]

Q: What’s allowed to be prayed or used in a presider binder and what has to be said from the

Q: I was taught that the option communicated the rubric in the Sacramentary / Roman Missal that says the deacon

Q: I have noticed a wide variety of placement of hands for priests during presidential prayers at Mass. These range

Q: Thank you for this service—for your calm, reasonable voice.  In my limited exposure to the celebration of Mass outside

Q: This year the Feast of St. Ignatius (July 31) falls on a Sunday. It is deemed a Solemnity in

Q: I’m reaching out with a quick question, of which you might have already addressed on your blog. We have

Q: In visiting other parishes, I have seen a variety of ways the seating of Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of

Q: I was wondering if there are any guidelines for using Marian hymns during the liturgy in May.  Is there

Q: I have a follow-up question to an answer you recently posted.  If the guidelines allow for 4 different entrance

Q: In this morning’s Mass (Friday 5 Lent) there was an optional collect that includes the words, “imitate devoutly the

Q: What’s up with the optional prayers after Communion during Lent? Where did they come from and why are they

Q: I have a question regarding Holy Thursday and I’m hoping you might be able to share your thoughts.  I

Q: I’m assuming that alot of refugees coming from Ukraine will belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church.  At a time

Q: In your Glory in the Cross, you mention that while other marks of veneration (such as candles and incense; as well

Q: I have a question that may be a canon law question: can a diocesan bishop give a priest in

Q: Stations of the Cross as I understand usually is an altar server going around each station with the cross.

Q: Looking through the Missal and your Glory in the Cross, I came up with the this chart … does that

Q: Firstly thank you for your generosity of time and knowledge in responding to so many questions.  It is greatly

Q: Our parish is the result of two parishes that had been distinct but have been officially combined and now

 Q: I have understood the Easter duty as being the necessity of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation during the Easter

Q: Which Holy Days of Obligation lose their obligatory status, when the day falls on a Saturday or on a

Q: I have three kids who are all over the age of reason that have been delayed entering the Catholic

Q: Our parish is one that replaces the entrance antiphon with an opening processional hymn.  I think it is sad

Q: I have a couple of questions that are liturgical in nature. I was looking at my calendar, and I

Q: I love the ritual of the blessing of the Holy Oils during the Chrism Mass. I have a couple

Q: For a wedding celebrated in the morning on a Saturday during Lent, is it customary to sing the Gloria.

I am a member of a women’s religious community. We have been privileged over the past 60 years to have

Q: Thanks for providing on-going liturgical formation. In addition to the opportunity to memorialize altar flowers and sanctuary candles, a church in

Q: The second paragraph:  [intentions for the Church and the whole world are to be added to the following intentions

Q: With reference to paragraph 1390-1399 in the Book of Blessings.  The rite states water may be blessed by a

Q: We have a large church which years ago moved the baptismal font from the narthex into the church nave.

Q: The Roman missal does not say anything about the posture of hands while praying the our father in the

Q: I am sure you have answered this before, and if so, can you just point me to where you

Q: Question. Planning mass for the Easter vigil. Is it possible to replace one of the responsorial songs with a

Q: Hello Fr. Paul, always enjoy your blog and the questions submitted to it. There was a question on which

Q: The Third Edition of the Roman Missal includes, after the Epistle, the Priest solemnly intoning “the Alleluia three times,

 Q: I am intrigued.   You did not mention at all what we have been doing here in our Diocese — or

Q: Is it permissible to baptize infants at the Easter Vigil? == A: Not only is it permissible, the Order

Q: Can the Exsultet be accompanied to assist a deacon who has difficulty singing it a cappella? == A: There’s

Q: Good Afternoon Fr. Paul.   I’m not certain if this subject has been discussed, on your FB page, during Essentials

Q: Many thanks for your insights and pastoral approach to the Sacred Liturgy. As a Director of Liturgy for my

Q: I belong to a deacon page on Facebook.  The question was posted concerning the Exsultet and proper preparation.  This

Q: I have a question. I and another Deacon had two Ash Wednesday services to handle the overflow of our

Q: I suspect you’ve already treated this question, but do you have something to say about the custom (which seems

Q: Please suggest resources to assist our Parish Bible Study Group to explore the scriptural references and scriptural allusions throughout

Q: At daily Mass, is the reader supposed to introduce the responsorial psalm the same as a reading: “Today’s Responsorial

Father Paul Turner responds to NPM’s Amanda Bruce as she poses questions about the origins of the Exsultet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9rtwveUYVw

Q: I have someone who wants a funeral on Easter Monday. I said OK (to the date), then realized it

Q: Thanks for all your great work, you’re a tremendous resource to many of us! I have a question for

Q: I so appreciate your wisdom as liturgical conundrums arise! We have an odd set up in our church where

Q: One of our pastors is reading your Ars Celebrandi – and there he found your instruction that when it comes to

Q: In the Mass after the first and the second readings our lector still says “this is the Word of

Q: Can we wash the feet of women on Holy Thursday Mass? I don’t know the guideline of my diocese. I

Q: What is the answer, and where is it stated clearly about: 1.  whether or not a wedding can be

Q: Love to get your items; they are so fascinating.  Regarding the Chrism Mass, here are some suggestions re a

Q: I’m presuming that you have received  questions asking about the recent news stories about the  invalidity of a baptismal

Q: I have been wondering what is “allowed” in Catholic tradition and liturgy for distribution of ashes. There is a

Q: One of my catechumens is honestly too shy to stand up in front of everyone at 3 Sunday Masses

Q: When a  jubilee is celebrated in the Octave of Easter or Christmas, on a solemnity or on a Sunday,

Q: Can one person serve as a godparent or sponsor for more than one person being baptized or confirmed in

Q: People are asking me to preside for a “teaching Mass” when I’ll interrupt the service at times to explain

Q: I’ve been working on the local roll-out of USCCB’s “Eucharistic Revival” and have dome some research on various questions

Q: I wonder if you might help me with the interpretation of two directives that pertain to the Universal Prayer

Q: In the resources being prepared around the appointment of a new bishop to a diocese, to be put on

Q: The program we planned with our Parish School of Religion for the Blessing of Candles for the Feast of the

Q: I participated at Mass recently when you were a concelebrant. I noticed at the end, when the bishop gave

Q: Would like your comments about the practice of publicly praying the Rosary before a Sunday mass.  I’ve wondered, since

Q: I have a question about Good Friday.  In Catholic liturgy, is it permissible to have the choir singing the

Q: We use a large mounted TV screen to project the lyrics for songs during the Liturgy. We also stream

Q: I come to you with a question on liturgy. One of our deacons mentioned, in preparation for a school

Q: Thank you for the opportunity this blog provides!  Is it possible to celebrate an evening mass on Friday, March

Q: Any suggestions about a practical way to do the Blessing of Candles at a school mass for the Presentation

Q: The anniversary of the dedication of my parish church is coming up soon. My rectory is owned by the

Q: Can you provide any insight as to why the gospel readings for the 2nd Sunday in ordinary time come from

Q: Over the years as a Presider, I have really come to love praying the Communion Antiphon at Weekday Mass.

Q Over the past couple of years, the pandemic has really affected the participation of our kids at weekly School

Q: Could you provide any historical context or liturgical documents regarding the placing of two angels near the tabernacle? It

Q: Watched the YouTube video of Pope Francis baptizing 16 babies in the Sistine Chapel on the Baptism of the

Q: I teach a 30 minute religion class to 6th graders 4 days a week. What is the difference between

Q: Happy New Year! Thanks for providing us with interesting ongoing liturgical education. The covid pandemic caused some adaptations to

Q: I’m trying to track down the musical notation for the three alternative Latin dismissal texts but it has been

Q: When should the statue of the Christ child be placed in the Nativity scene?  I noticed at the 5:00

Q: I seem to recall reading somewhere that any saint in the Roman Martyrology may be celebrated liturgically, if the

Q: Yet another question concerning the liturgy. Actually, this question isn’t about the liturgy so much as a question about

Q: Thank you for your ministry to the Church with this blog.  I have a question regarding the “procession” for

Q: This is after the fact now but still would like to know for next year. As you know, there

Q: I have two questions about “The Announcement of Easter and Movable Feasts” (Appendix I) chant that is available for

Q: I’m wanting to do a blessing of the church doors this coming weekend. As an Associate Pastor the past

Q: Dear father Turner,I have a question for you. I would like to have incense blessed by a priest I

Q: Regarding your recent post about finding a public way to laicize a bishop – https://paulturner.org/laicized-bishop/, there used to be one. The

Q: Normally we have two candles to process in, but for the Epiphany of the Lord, how many candles can

Q: When I preside at Mass during the Christmas Octave, how do I add the special Communicantes to Eucharistic Prayers II and

Q: Since Jan. 1 is not a Holy day of obligation this year, if I celebrate a mass on Dec.

Q: I’ve been asked to preside as a deacon for a wedding on a Saturday during Lent. Do the readings

Q: Has there been any discussion for creating a ritual when a bishop is laicized? If we believe in the

Q: I know how much you love these random Church trivia questions, so here’s one for you: my home parish

Q: Am I supposed to change my hand positions when I lead the preface dialogue at Mass? == A: Yes.

Q: Blessed Advent! If a parish has a fixed cross with a crucifix, does the processional cross need to have

Q: I was wondering if you could comment on a question that came up in our parish. Last Easter, we