Paul Turner

Q: Do first time Holy Communicants need to receive from a priest or ordinary minster of the sacrament? Thank you. […]

Q: My pastor isn’t available for two of the masses this weekend, and he asked me to lead a communion

Q: Is my 1970  lectionary Current? == A: No. The Vatican promulgated a second edition of the lectionary in 1981

Q: Just a question out of curiosity inspired by a student proposal for an assignment: can Confirmation (just confirmation) be

Q: Could one have a liturgy where people brought their own unleavened bread to church that would be consecrated by

Q: A quick question.  It states in the reception of candidates (RCIA #492, 586) that the priest uses the given

Q: Thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom.  It means a lot to us. With this pandemic and so

Q: I just saw a product posted by a Catholic Religious Store–it’s a “No Contact Communion Host Dispenser”. Is this

Q: After communion ministers receive communion, may a deacon pick up the vessels from the altar and hand them to

Q: I am trying to identify the feast day for St. Dominic Savio who is the namesake for one of

Q: A deacon was asked to be sponsor at Baptism. I wonder if he can do so if he is

Q: Would you comment, please, on some of the “activities” which have gone on in the course of the current

Q: Thank you for your availability to us. Normally, parishes read the names of  the confirmandi aloud as part of

Q: A confrere asked if it’s possible to use one of the Sunday’s prefaces on an ordinary weekday.  Another question – this

Q: My parish is planning for the initiation of our catechumens and candidates on a Sunday in Ordinary Time. Are

Q: We will finally have First Communion on Sat. morning June 27. Are vestments white or green?? == A: On

Q: I so appreciate being able to receive a GF host where I attend mass.  Prior to the pandemic I

Q: Dear Fr. Paul, I refer to your book Celebrating Initiation all year and am grateful for your resource.  I

Q: You are a musician, not just a priest and a liturgist. I think you should share some of your

Q: A friend of mine is on retreat at a monastery right now. Going to mass yesterday, he witnessed the

Q: If willing godparents cannot attend the baptism, do we still find someone to stand in? == A: Yes. The

Q: When doing the Litany of the Saints, is it required to do the “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy,

Q:  Good afternoon Fr. Paul! I don’t want to disturb you… just I would like to know if there are

Q: Our bishop has given all pastors the faculty to confirm because of the pandemic etc.    Should the assembly join

Q: I have read several of your articles and reflections. I need a copy of the article ‘Formation for Eucharist:

Q: Should certain prayers from the missal replace those in the RCIA? In particular…conclusion of Litany before baptism; blessing of

Q: A musician commented that the Church has a long history of liturgical music and commented that we have been

This is not a question but an observation from a 60 year old cradle Catholic who has sung Gregorian Chant,

Q: When you don’t do the combine rites at the Easter Vigil, when would you typically schedule it in relation

Q: We plan 2 baptism the weekend of Pentecost:  an infant Baptism outside of Mass, and Baptism of a child

Q:  We are all learning from you!!! A question — I was reading some material from Fr. Robert Taft, S.J.

Q: How can I subscribe to Paul Turner’s Bulletin inserts? == A: Thanks for asking. I have four sets of

Q: I hope this is my last email to you about the Extended Vigil of Pentecost! This question pertains to

Q: Is it possible to bless the Oil of Catechumens and the Oil of the Sick and consecrate the Holy

Q: I used to make a living playing music. Then for about twenty years I was a cantor, choir member,

Q: My parochial vicar and I have been talking about where it is appropriate to do the purification of vessels.

Q: It is with great enthusiasm and joy that I am writing to you to ask where can I find

Q: We are initiating our elect and candidates for reception into full communion at the Vigil of Pentecost. In reading

Q: At the request of the pastor, I am looking to “trim” the weekend liturgies to 45 minutes. I don’t

Q: What is the cloth covering the monstrance in public during the delivery of a sermon, called? == A: It

Q: Is it correct that the ordinary sign of veneration of the altar (by the laity) is a profound bow?

Q: Does the rule about fasting for an hour before receiving Communion apply to those receiving spiritual Communion during a

Q: Bishop would like to begin rescheduling Youth Confirmations as soon as we have protocols in place.  The current thorn

Q: Once again thank you for being such an invaluable resource!  Our diocese suspended public worship after the 3rd Sunday

Q: Given all the information about the dangers of congregational singing and the spoken word spreading aerosol droplets so dramatically,

Q: My pastor and I wanted to seek your wisdom/guidance regarding the ‘how-to’s’ of Initiation during these unprecedented times &

Q: Could you outline for us how we would initiate candidates and the elect at the Pentecost Vigil or on

Q: Do we need any license or permission to sing the English Chant for the Ordinary Parts of the Mass

Q: Now that the lockdown measures are easing and soon Masses will resume. And thus with social distancing continuing, what

Q: Thank you for being a great resource! The staff at our parish follows your blog raptly. Often the questions

Q: With social distancing, how do you envision the lavabo at the preparation of the gifts? We are thinking an

Q: I am hoping I might trouble you for a brief question on liturgical practices pertaining to Catholic weddings. My

Q: Given the current situation with shelter in place and churches being closed, with only one live streamed Mass per

Q: Now that the stay at home order has begun to be lifted and we plan to return to Mass,

One of our parishioners has a question about this: 41. Holy Communion under the form of bread is offered to

Q: During the pandemic, are baptismal fonts with pumps and filtration able to stay full? Or would we only fill when a

Q: This weekend is Mother’s Day and it is typical that there is a blessing for mothers at Mass at

Q: I am helping my bishop draft some new liturgical guidelines for the diocese and was hoping you would be

I have been watching some of the Sunday Mass live streams from churches in my area.  Since I am involved

Q:  Curious to know: At a Sunday liturgy, is it permitted for the deacon or lector to say each petition,

Q: I have been trying to recall whether the Rite for Baptism includes an option of placing salt in the

Q: We are working with a young couple who have chosen to marry during the pandemic. While there will only

Q: Hope all is well! Reaching out since I made great use of your book, Inseparable Love, to choose the

Q: Since we had no Easter fire this year, how do you suggest we dispose of last year’s holy oils?

Q: GIRM 254 directs that when, for a just and reasonable cause, Mass is celebrated without a minister, the greetings,

Q: I’ve been stumped by one of my RCIA candidates. Can you give me an answer to share? Here’s her

Q: Before the Exsultet, if sung by a cantor, who incenses the text? The priest or deacon? or can the

Q: So, we are sitting quietly by ourselves, and important, long-unanswered questions arise. I would like some direction to reading

Q: I am saying Easter Sunday Mass for a religious community that has no Easter Vigil tonight. They asked about

Q: This is a follow up question to the one on body and blood. If consecrated hosts remain, yes typically,

Q: Thank you for all your helpful posts! I have learned so much from you. We are anticipating that happy

Q: What the world needs is a pocket Paul Turner.   I just wanted to email you a thanks and gratitude

Q: Some of the questions that seem to crop up on your blog frequently really bother me. They seem to

Q: Yet another question: typically for the Triduum, we have kept thetabernacle empty. It also makes logical sense given the

Q: For Easter Vigil, since the lighting of the fire is omitted, the candle will be lit at the stand.1. 

Q: Please also remind me of the current position regarding a priest offering a private mass and whether given the

Q: Can a child have more than one Godmother and Godfather ? Or two Godmother”s and one Godfather? Thank you

Q: Thank you for your guidance on many questions.  I always learn so much!   My question is about the handling

Q: One of our priests is posting the Vigil on-line (as are many) and he is doing the minimum of

Q: In watching the Pope’s daily Mass, after Communion there is Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for several minutes with

Q: After reading your recent post about exposition, I was interested in any reference you may give me to read

Q: Are the celebrant and concelebrants required to consume -at  least by intinction -the consecrated wine?  Right now that seems

Q: Is there a minimum number of worshipers required before adoration can proceed? == A: It can be as few

Q: Good afternoon! I had a question/favor to ask. I was wondering if you could offer a suggestion or solution

Q: Since the Transfer of the Blessed Sacrament to the place of repose is omitted on Holy Thursday and the

Q: I have two questions I hope you can answer. On Palm Sunday, following the Third Form, it seems that

Q: Why do we read the Passion on Palm Sunday and on Good Friday? == A: There’s evidence for proclaiming

Q: The deacon will bless the palms and have them outside at the doors where they can be picked up

Q: Is Eucharistic Prayer I required for Holy Thursday? == A: No. I usually use it each year, but you

Q: Is the Easter Vigil required? Just asking! I would assume it is. == A: Actually, it’s not. If not

Q: There are seven Old Testament readings for the Easter Vigil with option to narrow the selection to three. With

Q: Will it be possible to celebrate Holy Week after the masses resume in May or so? == A: No.

Q: Since there is no Easter fire, does anyone know IF it is possible to being the vigil earlier in

Q: I pray you and yours are well during this crisis. A quick question about Mass on TV. In this

Q: Well, I see that Rome has now also weighed in on providing an extra petition for Good Friday 2020.(https://www.cbcew.org.uk/vatican-decree-on-easter-celebrations/)……any

Q: Do you think it would be appropriate for a Bishop to add a special intention in light of the

Q: Please comment on whether in current Covid -19 Caronavirus times the Sacrament of Reconciliation can be conferred by video

Q: We will not be having a baptism at the Easter Vigil. But many still want to have the Litany

Q: My question is about the Rite of Election. We recently celebrated the Rite of Election with the Bishop. The

Q: Hope you are staying well! In light of the coronavirus and the reality of a lack of Masses, a