Q: Should certain prayers from the missal replace those in the RCIA? In particular…conclusion of Litany before baptism; blessing of water; baptismal promises? Should the prayer for confirmation in the RCIA be replaced with the prayer from the Rite of Confirmation? Can you use all of the prayer directly from the RCIA or replace the prayers that have been re-translated in other liturgical books? Thanks for all your great posts!! == A: The way I understand it, you may continue to use the liturgical books that are in force until they are replaced. But you may replace the parts that …

Q: A musician commented that the Church has a long history of liturgical music and commented that we have been stuck for the past 50 years with “tunes” that were commissioned in the 1970’s. What I see today is more and more badly done chant. I think that the problem with the really great classical liturgical music is that it is what I would call “performance” music rather than participatory music. The Second Vatican Council called us to full, conscious, active participation in the liturgy. To me, that means we should be singing. There are some very skilled liturgical musicians …

This is not a question but an observation from a 60 year old cradle Catholic who has sung Gregorian Chant, Benjamin Britten, Dave Brubeck, Vaughn Williams, Michael Joncas, David Haas, Rory Cooney, and so many others in 100 member choirs at Notre Dame, scholas at cathedrals, and folk choirs in many places. I often find myself caught up in this discussion. The transcendentals (the true, the beautiful, and the good) should always be held in service to the One. Many people were attracted/are attracted to the communal component of folk music. They want to be full and active participants in …

Q: When you don’t do the combine rites at the Easter Vigil, when would you typically schedule it in relation to the Easter Vigil? I gather that one of the benefits of combining the rites is that everyone celebrates the sacraments together as a RCIA class. How do you keep that “togetherness” when splitting it up?  == A: We do not treat the whole group as a single class. We see the group as permeable from the get-go. So, individuals may join at any time, and may celebrate sacraments at different times. In our culture, where we have more candidates …

Q: We plan 2 baptism the weekend of Pentecost:  an infant Baptism outside of Mass, and Baptism of a child of Catechetical age that participates in RCIA. I realize that anointing with Oil of Catechumens may be omitted.   My understanding is that the anointing with Chrism can not be omitted.  May the celebrant wear a glove or use a cotton  swab when anointing? Certainly we will sanitized hands prior to baptism and anointing.   I ask because of other information I have seen that indicates that the minister of Confirmation must use a bare thumb when anointing. == A: I haven’t …

Q:  We are all learning from you!!! A question — I was reading some material from Fr. Robert Taft, S.J. who passed away almost two years ago. He, like you, seems to have the ability to make a deep understanding and appreciation of liturgy accessible to “pew people” and so deepen our love of good liturgy and community prayer.  Though his focus is certainly on the Byzantine liturgy, there are “bits of wisdom” that help me long the way. Did you know Fr. Taft?  Do you have any anecdotal recollection about him that you would share with me? Thanks and …

Q: How can I subscribe to Paul Turner’s Bulletin inserts? == A: Thanks for asking. I have four sets of inserts. One for general liturgical topics, and three for each year of the lectionary’s complete Sunday cycle. Those include individual reflections on the first and second readings. I kind of went overboard with these. If you get them all, you can put a different one of my inserts in your weekly bulletin for something like the next 17 years. https://www.ltp.org/products/details/ILPP/bulletin-inserts-for-the-liturgical-life-of-the-parish?fbclid=IwAR1Gs-uurZL-mcCKkbwvoZMdPAGo6e-n5OzJ8BK8ph2DFd2k9h_cdtM6Iu4 https://www.ltp.org/products/details/LIRA/lectionary-bulletin-inserts https://www.ltp.org/products/details/LIRB/lectionary-bulletin-inserts https://www.ltp.org/products/details/LIRC/lectionary-bulletin-inserts

Q: I hope this is my last email to you about the Extended Vigil of Pentecost! This question pertains to the actual Extended Vigil of Pentecost and not the RCIA. In the extended form, 3b, it seems to say that you would do the Kyrie (which we are omitting because of the Reception of a Child to be baptized during the same Mass) and then it seems to have the priest move to one of the options for a  Collect for the Vigil: Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the splendor…  Then, after the Fourth reading and prayer said by …

Q: Is it possible to bless the Oil of Catechumens and the Oil of the Sick and consecrate the Holy Chrism at a Mass other than at a diocesan Chrism Mass with all the priests attending? == A: Whenever a bishop blesses and consecrates the oils, he does it at a ceremony called the Chrism Mass, using the appropriate prayers and rubrics from the Roman Missal and the Roman Pontifical. In 2020, amid the pandemic, Pope Francis allowed bishops to postpone the chrism mass. All the priests do not need to attend. In my diocese, the bishop celebrated the chrism …

Q: I used to make a living playing music. Then for about twenty years I was a cantor, choir member, and musician at several Catholic parishes. So I have great respect for your skills and education as a classical organist. Which leads me to my question. The Church’ has an illustrious 2,000 year history of liturgical music, from plainsong thru the medieval, baroque, and classical eras, even to the mid 19th century, So how come observant anglophile Catholics around the world for the past 50 years or so have been stuck with a forgettable collection of tunes (I just can’t …