Paul Turner

Q: I am confused with #s 493-495 in the revised edition of Initiation of Adults. When a person is being […]

Q: I agree with what you wrote in your post of 21 May 2025: “The GILH never gives any instructions

Q: Just got back from a diaconate ordination and something different took place that I want to ask about.  During

Q: Sometimes the General Instruction of the Roman Missal seems to require different things in different places. Three examples are

Q:  In the case of lauds or vespers joined to Mass, since the psalmody replaces the penitential act,  is it

Q: The Missal recommends that the priest can briefly introduce the Eucharistic Prayer, before the dialogue of the preface, but

Q: In preparation for the next month celebration of Corpus Christi, I would like to ask this question earlier:Considering that

Q: In the general presentation of the Liturgy of the Hours, No. 123, it says: “The custom of concluding the

Q: One of the local high schools is looking to do the best in answering the need of both their

Q: Was reading your blog and have a question… Live in a diocese where the bishop has “mandated” a prayer

Q: Here’s a question for you.  I serve on the parish Worship Council.  Our pastor asked us to discuss ways we

Q: Is it permitted to place a cross carried in the entrance procession on the altar? I am trying to

Q: Are there any liturgical directives or rubrics that prescribe specific prayers for clergy to recite while vesting? == A:

Q: Father Paul. Thank you for the blog. I look forward to learning something new with each email from you.

Q: This is a non-urgent Liturgy of the Hours question. You may have addressed these topics, but my search terms

Q: A dilemma with bulletins is that they are often (too) distributed as people ENTER the church for Mass.; some

Q: As a newly ordained permanent deacon I had the task of planning/MC’ing the triduum liturgies at my parish this

Q: At the occasion of ordination of priests or deacons, or priests and deacons together, can other bishops who happen

Q: For the Rite of Baptism at the Easter Vigil, while the priest blesses the water, I immerse the Paschal

Q: I wonder if I might be amongst the people who have recently submitted questions that have disappeared into the

Q: Thank you, as always, for all you say and do to help us be better persons and more knowledgeable

Q: We are having Confirmation soon and want to know how the chairs should arranged on the altar . The

Q: What ideally is done if I am called to be with family and the deceased after death. == A:

Q: We are preparing for a Eucharistic Procession that will be about 6 miles in length and 2-3 hours long.

Q: Where is there in any current documentation, the rubric to kiss the stole before wearing it for a deacon,

Q: So, this is something I have always had an issue with:  if something is a rubric once, do we

Q: I just purchased a used copy of your book, Glory in the Cross after reading the reviews. I believe

Q: Where is it prescribed to add salt to the water when blessing the water in the font at the

Q: Alternate explanation for not having sign of the cross on Good Friday. I seem to remember reading somewhere that

Q: A parishioner asked last evening about why we have an Altar of Repose after the Holy Thursday liturgy. Do

Q: Since I heard you speak for the Society of St Gregory, I have followed your answers with great interest,

Q: Father, I have a question on the use of sacred art in a church setting. We are assisting in

Q: Father Paul. Love the blog.  Came to it via searching about you after reading your commentary on Adrien Nocent’s

Q: The Liturgy of the Hours rubrics and the Ordo both allow “On weekdays of the fifth week of Lent,

Q: Dear Father Paul,Sincere thanks for all that you do!Although we are past the Scrutinies for this year, I would

Q: Father, it pains me to say this, but I have seen multiple occasions in which the Precious Blood ended

Q: As we are approaching the time for the Chrism Mass, I am curious to know if there is any

Q: The entrance procession is described in General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 122, including. “As for the candlesticks,

Q: I talked with a retired bishop who says his understanding is that when the new translation of the Mass was

Q: All the faithful renew Baptismal Promises at Easter and priests renew their Priestly Promises at the Chrism Mass.   Why

Q: A priest of our diocese died. They want to have the funeral Mass in the town where he died.

Q: Hi Father: Does the Deacon receive a blessing before proclaiming the Palm Sunday Gospel before the procession? Sorry if

Q: I remember that you said that you didn’t see the last blog question that I sent and subsequently retracted.

Q: I have a random question. By chance do you know from where the final prayer for Morning Prayer on

Q: What is the origin of the congregation reading parts of the Passion Narrative and do you think it’s a

Q: I am writing to you about Exposition, Adoration, Benediction, and Reposition. Here at my parish we are offering Adoration

Q: Why do we not begin or include anywhere the sign of the cross in the Liturgy of the Lord’s

Q: Thank you for the blog and for your solid guidance,   I could not submit this question via the

Q: At all our Masses this weekend the pastor said we were skipping the 1st reading, psalm w/response, 2nd reading

Q: Hi Father, sorry to bother you on such a busy week. But, as a deacon, I have a communion

Q: I recently moved to a new diocese and a new Catholic parish. On Holy Thursday they are having a

Q: May someone whose a baptized Catholic and needs only confirmation to complete their sacraments of initiation be confirmed during

Q: Fr. Paul—I know you have a lot on your plate right now (it’s not like you have your own

Q: At a large episcopal celebration, a priest wearing a cassock & surplice, functions as the master of ceremonies. After

Q: My question has to do with OCIA and Sunday Scrutinies in a multi campus parish, where the Elect will go

Q: My bishop is in the process of allowing sacristans and extra-ordinary Minister of Holy Communion who are trained by

Q: I am aware that the Passion Narrative is proclaimed at both the Mass on Palm Sunday (from the Gospel

Q: I remember reading somewhere (GIRM?) that the priest is to share part of the host he has consecrated. Am I

Two (minor) questions regarding Holy Thursday have come up: == 1. Yeah, that’s not the CDWDS’s clearest instruction. However, I

Q: I searched your blog archive and found nothing that answered this question, but I apologize if I missed something.

Q: What should be done if a 12 year old elect was unable to make it to the first scrutiny?

Q: Hello Fr. Turner, thank you for the reliable assistance in staying faithful to the Roman Missal.  Your books and

Q: Is it correct to conclude the prayer of the faithful with the “Hail Mary”? == A: It is not

Q: Sometimes our bishop asks the deacon to introduce and conclude the prayer of the faithful. Is this practice correct

Q: What would be your reaction when, as master of ceremonies, the bishop instructs before the Mass that the Book

Q: At the bilingual Easter Vigil, the pastor would like to do only once the Renunciation of Sin and/or the

Q: Can you remind me again the teaching/expectation of OCIA 575 regarding “deacons” baptism?  This action of a “deacon” is

Q: I would like to help us in clarifying something about the reverence to the altar when the tabernacle is

Q: I have a question about the instruction in HCWEMOM to wear a white stole/cope during Exposition and Benediction, given

Q: I need some guidance concerning the role of the Deacon. Ash Wednesday, Word Liturgy with distribution of ashes. Lectors

Q: We have a large Hispanic population and several Quinceañeras each year. Due to the unavailability of Spanish speaking priests,

Q: I have a situation where a Confirmation Candidate has not received 1st Holy Communion.  What would you suggest as

Q: We are going have the Scrutinies soon.  We have only 1 unbaptized elect and about 10 candidates. A gentleman

Q: Regarding Ash Wednesday Mass w/distribution of ashes, I only know of the 2 rites for distribution – 1) In

Q: Do you have any news on when the new Office books will be out? == A: Last I’ve heard

Q: A Priest is going to the ambo to proclaim the Gospel in a Roman Rite Mass. There is no

Q: At my parish, the Pastor and parochial vicar have recently had an acolyte turning pages of the Roman Missal

Q: Say the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales wanted a lectionary as recommended in the 1981 Introduction to

Q: I noted with interest the question regarding the anointing of chalices with chrism when blessing them, especially how the

Q: Hello Fr. Paul – I was searching the Book of Blessings for a blessing of a Public Park. I

Q: At what point are OCIA candidates able to go to confession and make their first confession? We had an

Q: If during the Rite of Confirmation the celebrant (in this case a priest) forgets to use chrism, is the

Q: What does the order of baptism say about the priest’s or deacon’s hands for blessing the water at baptism?

Q: We have somebody who will be received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. They were baptised into the

Q: What are your thoughts on whether music ought to be playing while the bishop is confirming?  Typically, with the

Q: I always enjoy and appreciate your publications.  There is one correction I’d like to suggest, which shows I read the

Q: During the Penitential Rite (Scrutiny) for Baptized but Uncatechized Adults, the rubrics (464) for the Greeting and Introduction make

Q: Hello Fr. Paul, this may be a thorny issue, but I think it is important to at least offer

Q: Ceremonial of Bishops n. 1174 has instructions about celebrating an hour of the Liturgy of the Hours at a

Q: As we pray for Pope Francis and his recovery of health, I want to be prepared for when a

Q: Good Day Fr. Paul.  Thank you for your ministry to all of us, which helps us trend toward right

Q: For Vespers with exposition and benediction should the altar and people also be incensed during the Magnificat? == A:

Several times recently people have asked me why there are two versions of the Our Father.    I gave what I

Q: How do a priest and a bishop divide their roles and responsibilities in the celebration when a Missa Coram

Q: On Friday mornings after mass, we have a 30min period of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction. Our

Q: When a deacon greets the people before proclaiming the gospel, he does it with hands joined. When there is

Q: Thank you for your work! Why do we not consecrate chalices with chrism anymore but instead bless them?  ==

Q: We have a First Communion Candidate (2nd grade) who cannot do any gluten, including low-gluten, so we are offering

Q: Thank you for your untiring effort to help us to celebrate the liturgy well. Speaking of intinction, I know

Q: At what side of the altar the book of the gospels is supposed to be placed when entering in