Invitation to reconciliation
Q: Could the priest change the invitation to reconciliation ‘Brothers and Sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves
Invitation to reconciliation Read Post »
Q: Could the priest change the invitation to reconciliation ‘Brothers and Sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves
Invitation to reconciliation Read Post »
Q: I read your article on funerals and find it very interesting. One question: you mention 9:45 reflections, 10:00 funeral
Funeral reflections Read Post »
Q: If one blesses a chapel and altar using the rite in Dedication of a Church and Altar–so the altar
Blessing a chapel and altar Read Post »
Q: Our parish does a “fast track” RCIA program. So if you attend Mass with you Catholic spouse, you can
Q: One of the candidates in our RCIA has been baptized Catholic, but was not raised as Catholic because her
Uncatechized Catholics Read Post »
Q: If a catechumen wants to receive baptism before finishing RCIA, is that decision up to the pastor? The diocese
Baptism before finishing RCIA Read Post »
Q: I was surprised to see that the memorial of John XXIII is only designated as an optional memorial. Based
Q: A former colleague of mine had the practice of burying a ciborium’s worth of hosts in the ground at
Q: Regarding your post on the number of swings of the thurible,https://paulturner.org/swings-of-the-thurible/, in this video of Holy Thursday with Pope
Swings of the thurible – Updated Read Post »
Q: After the Confiteor in the Introductory Rite of the Mass, should we make the sign of the Cross while
Q: I understand that the ritual calls for the Gloria to be sung or said at weddings with mass, but
Creed at a wedding Read Post »
Q: I know that a lay person who is an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist is permitted to conduct a
Q: Hi Father, thanks for your valuable insights. I recently saw a video of an adult baptism by immersion (not
Q: I recently participated in Sunday Eucharist in another diocese. They have begun to cluster parishes with one priest serving
Homily before the readings Read Post »
Q: Thank you for all you do! Your service to the church is deeply appreciated. My parish plans on having
Incensing the altar Read Post »
Q: A man in my religious community has elected to celebrate his final vows Mass on the Feast of Ss.
Q: I have another question regarding the distribution of Holy Communion. I’m familiar with a local parish whose priest does
Communion ministers Read Post »
Q: In your book, When Other Christians Become Catholic, you clearly address the circumstances under which conditional baptism is recommended. May
Conditional baptism Read Post »
Q: I attend a suburban Catholic Church on Saturdays for the Vigil Mass where the Sacristan lights the altar candles
Q: Earlier this year I became a lector, “reader”, I believe is the more correct term for a lay person,
Q: What are the rules around – for lack of a better term – a blessing ceremony? When is it
Q: I believe I remember there was a directive from a few years ago indicating that only priests or deacons
Purifying the vessels Read Post »
Q: Regarding your post on the number of swings of the thurible https://paulturner.org/swings-of-the-thurifer/, I ran across this article online https://dcgb7f.wordpress.com/tag/incensation/ and wonder what
Swings of the thurible Read Post »
Q: First, thank you for all your valuable insight on the Liturgy! Your blog is truly a blessing for us
Q: Thank you Father Paul. I love your blog and all of your advice. I hope God continues to bless
Q: Hi, Fr. Paul! Thank you for all you do to help us grow in liturgical knowledge. Recently, a friend
Biretta and maniple Read Post »
Q: What is the support for the practice of priests coming only to distribute Communion during Mass? Is this written
Distributing Communion Read Post »
Q: Couple of questions if you please. I take Communion to a hospital twice a month. Not knowing how many patients
Communion to a hospital Read Post »
Q: My parish has opted to transfer the parish feast day (an optional memorial on the General Roman Calendar) to
Parish feast day on Sunday Read Post »
Q: Lately, I have attended Mass at a couple of places where they did not have kneelers installed. I won’t
Q: A number of people have recently asked me about teaching Masses. Do you see a place for them? == A:
Q: We see God in all creation. Can this turn into worshipping nature on the same level as God? eg.
Worshipping nature Read Post »
Q: My daughter is getting married in another state and the priest there is requiring that the couple exchange coins
Order of Celebrating Matrimony Read Post »
I’ve been reading with interest the recent discussion on your blog concerning the proper way to refer to the sending/invitation/dismissal
Children’s Liturgy of the Word – Updated Again Read Post »
Q: The first reading for Saturday of the 31st week in OT (Yr 1) begins with Rom 16:3. Do you know
Q: Regarding your post on the U.S. flag at Mass https://paulturner.org/u-s-flag-at-mass/ , as a Brit, I do find the presence of the American
More on flags at Mass Read Post »
Q: Currently our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) stand directly behind the alter and in front of the tabernacle
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Read Post »
Q: I searched the archives, but did not find an answer to this question: Are (con)celebrants and deacons the only
Celebrant’s chalice Read Post »
Q: Section III of the Order of Celebrating Matrimony denotes “If a Marriage takes place between a Catholic and a
Mariage between a Catholic and non-Christian Read Post »
Q: This may be too personal a question, can you offer any advice on how to handle celebrations of Mass
Following the rubics Read Post »
Q: I am following up to your recent answer to the Children’s Liturgy of the Word. I wish I could
Children’s Liturgy of the Word – Updated Read Post »
Q: I was taught in formation, because the Mass is offered by the whole assembly, things that separated out the
Q: How did the word “brethren” come to be in this translation of the Roman Missal? I had the impression
Q: Question for you. We will be celebration the Rite of Acceptance in a couple weeks and I always struggle
Gloria at Rite of Acceptance Read Post »
Q: Thank you for this blog and for all your good work writing and teaching. On the recent holy day
Q: When non-communicants present themselves in line, what can a lay minister of holy communion do? They shouldn’t bless, right?
Blessing non-communicants Read Post »
Q: I am new to Children’s liturgy of the word (CLOW). I am asked to give a blessing when I
Children’s liturgy of the word Read Post »
Q: Formed.org has a series called ‘The Elements of the Mass’. In the episode on Vestments I, the priest mentions the
Q: Since I do not have the benefit of praying the Liturgy of the Hours with a stable community I
Liturgy of the Hours Read Post »
Q: A caller asked whether baptized non-Catholic adults becoming Catholic have to go to Confession before becoming Catholic. I would
Baptized non-Catholic Read Post »
Q: It is my understanding you should genuflect to the Tabernacle as you are entering and leaving the church. However,
Bows and genuflections Read Post »
Q: Thank you so much for your informative blog. In our parish, the U.S. Flag is included in the Entrance
Q: In response to your recent blog post about ordinary vs. extraordinary ministers, could you clarify – it was my
Priests in residence Read Post »
Q: Recently some celebrants at daily Mass omit the General Intercessions/Prayers of the Faithful completely and simply state the Mass
Omitting Prayers of the Faithful Read Post »
Q: I work at a Catholic senior living institution. Someone here prefers to listen to a TV Mass and comes
Arriving late for Mass Read Post »
Q: I work at a Catholic senior living institution. A lady here volunteers to work at the front desk during our
Bringing Communion Read Post »
Q: Father Turner, thank you for your excellent blog and service to the Church and its liturgy. I could not
Mass with a deacon Read Post »
Q: If a Deacon is present should he always be the one to read the prayers of the faithful? Would
Q: I was under the impression that a priest celebrant could choose to offer a votive Mass on a ferial
Q: I have several questions about Ordinary Ministers and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. We have two men in our
Ordinary Ministers Read Post »
Q: Our bishop prays the collect, prayer over the gifts, and the final prayer in both languages represented by the
Multi-language liturgies Read Post »
Q: Does Canon Law in anyway restrict when there can and can not be/have Mass Intentions? What role does Pro
Pro Populo Mass intentions Read Post »
Q: I was told to lead a Holy Hour service this week. I was given the 1976 “Holy Communion and
Q: Once again thank you for sharing your great liturgical knowledge with us, especially here in Australia. Just a comment
To keep the topic short, please comment on the situation where a lay missionary comes to make an appeal for
Q. The recent post about the validity of using Holy Ghost in place of Holy Spirit when celebrating a baptism
More on “Holy Ghost” Read Post »
Q: Both the Order of Celebrating Matrimony (221) and the Book of Blessings (198) state that the Blessing of an
Blessing of an engaged couple Read Post »
Q: Someone wants to replace the first reading for Sunday Mass with a non-biblical reading (words of the founder of
Replacing the first reading Read Post »
Q: Is a priest allowed to concelebrate in a language he does not know? == A: Go here: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_2004042_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html and scroll
Q: Can one mix languages in the Eucharistic Prayer, e.g. Spanish and English? == A: Go here https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/frequently-asked-questions/guidelines-for-a-multilingual-celebration-of-mass, and scroll to
Q: Regarding your post on soap in the sacrarium https://paulturner.org/17332-2/, I recall hearing at some point in my training that soap can
Soap in the sacrarium Read Post »
Q: Is there any indication on which draft translations ICEL is currently working on? == A: The commission spent most
Q: HI there, Fr. Paul, I hope that you are well today. I was asked an interesting question this morning,
Q: Your prior comment on the forthcoming translation of Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist made me do a
Progress of ICEL translations Read Post »
Q: Thank you for this blog! My Pastor “required” me to subscribe to your blog when I started working for
Memorial Acclamation Read Post »
Q: I just started as pastor of a parish. In checking out the sacristy, I discovered in a back cabinet
Q: When my dad died back in 2016, we had an evening Visitation with the Vigil Service, then the Mass
Rosary at the Visitation Read Post »
Q: Is it acceptable to wash the communion vessels in the sacrarium sink and therefore allow soapy water to go
Washing communion vessels Read Post »
Q: I’m puzzled by what appears to be a new regulation about how one places the Book of the Gospels
Book of the Gospels on the altar Read Post »
Q: There seems to be some confusion regarding the proper terminology regarding the emHC distributing the precious blood. They were
Q: Hi, Father Paul! Thanks for all that you do. I’ve noticed in my parish that Extraordinary Ministers who visit
Consuming the extra hosts Read Post »
Q: Father, thank you for helping us all knit together the liturgical books. You are a valuable resource. I am
Q: When my professor introduced us to the Jerusalem Bible in the early sixties, he said it was good enough
Book of Wisdom translation Read Post »
Q: Regarding this post on lay-led communion services, https://paulturner.org/lay-communion-service/, I presume that a deacon would use “Sunday Celebrations in the
Deacon led communion service Read Post »
Q: We have a Funeral Outside of Mass at our parish this week and are unclear about whether the candles
Candles at the altar Read Post »
Q: A dear friend of my wife and mine passed the other day and we were invited to a “celebration
Celebration of life Read Post »
Q: What is the proper vesture for a priest celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation? I can’t find anything written in
Vesture for Reconciliation Read Post »
Q: We know that the Oil of Catechumens is used immediately prior to Infant Baptism (a vestigial catechumenate?), and that
Oil of Catechumens Read Post »
Q: Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of liturgical expertise. It’s a great blessing to have you as
Q: The parish where I’m newly assigned as pastor has lay communion services while I’m away and typically on my
Lay communion service Read Post »
Q: Fr. Paul, is there any rubric that you are aware of that maintains that only a priest or deacon
Touching the altar Read Post »
Q: I have a question about something you address in your book, When Other Christians Become Catholic: On page 141,
Profession of faith Read Post »
Q: We recently received a lovely wooden, movable altar; it had been in storage with a community for some time,
Blessing of an altar Read Post »
Q: Fr. Paul, I’m looking for the liturgical guidelines, and any rites that are available, for the dismissal during Mass
Q: I have someone who would like to join the Catholic Church. She received Baptism and Confirmation in the Syrian
https://paulturner.org/cardinals-concelebrating/ It’s an interesting conversation, and there really isn’t consistent practice in its regard – some cardinals will concelebrate, vested
Follow up to “Cardinals concelebrating” Read Post »
Q: Regarding your post on the revised lectionary, https://paulturner.org/new-translation-of-the-lectionary/, that applies to the US. The conference of bishops of England
Q: It has been suggested by our Worship Committee that the Presider or Cantor deliver the weekly announcements after the