Paul Turner’s Blog

Q: I have another question regarding Mass intentions. Can a Mass be offered for a cause or issue? For instance, […]

Q: I have a parish music director in the diocese who will be hosting and leading The Festival of 9

Q: I was at a conference recently where communion was distributed under both kinds. However, at the time of the

Q: Greetings from Down Under! I am sure that you cringed as I did when one of your enquirers used

Q: I need your advice: We have a young woman here at the parish who was in the RCIA class.

Q: Our Knights of Columbus would like me to celebrate a mass for their deceased members. Where do I find

Q: Can a godparent be changed on a parish register if godparent turns out to be mean spirited and estranged

Q:  Please help me answer this question. A parishioner asked me today a question on the Liturgy: why does the

Q: Our pastor recently purchased a number of new candle holders so that he can have six candles on the

Q:  I’ve just got engaged! They tell me you have books to help couples plan their wedding. Where do I

Q: Do we light the paschal candle for confirmations? Or just for baptisms and funerals outside Easter Time? == A:

Q: People at my Church want to have the tabernacle open for them to pray without exposing the Eucharist on

Q: I’d like to use lay people to expose and repose the Blessed Sacrament for adoration when no priest or

Q: We have a local “Servant of God” who has connections to our parish.  We would like to have a

Q: This year the Immaculate Conception is transferred to Monday, December 9. One calendar I consulted stated it is not

Q:  I was asked a question from a nursing home resident who uses a wheelchair. For the past several weeks

Q: I would like to know if the wine is opened and not kept in a refrigerator and left out

Q: Yesterday, I was deacon at mass. I placed the pall over the chalice prior to the celebrant washing his

Q: I have always enjoyed reading the responses in your blog and I come to you today eager to hear

Q: Is there precedent for conserving left over precious blood in a sealed decanter in the tabernacle if the guesstimate

Q: A couple asked me if they could write their own vows for their wedding. Does the Catholic Church allow

Q: I can’t find anything in the GIRM or Canon law that addresses applause during the Mass. I know many

Q: Our parish celebrates its patronal feast on a Sunday in Ordinary Time this month. What readings do we use?

Q:  I have an RCIA question. We have a parishioner who was baptized and raised Greek Orthodox. She also attended

Q: What is the church’s current position on the Sacrament of Marriage taking place outdoors between two Catholic people. I

Q:  Recently I read a review of Matthew Tennant from University of Oxford of your book When Other Christian Become Catholic, and

Q:  I would like to know how ministers are to treat those who don’t receive communion in the communion line.

Where can I find some scholarly research on liturgical colors? == I’ve consulted a colleague at Catholic University, who suggests

Q:  I have noticed a “trend” at a number of churches where mostly younger adults, even children, are receiving communion

Q: After the proclamation of the Gospel, we sing an “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia” reprise of the Gospel acclamation. Permitted? Thank

Q: When I prayed the Liturgy of the Hours on August 13 this year, I noticed that the optional collect

Q:  Thank you for your blog which I receive and refer to regularly. I’m just seeking your clarification on the

Q: Is there a fancy name for the heading you see at the top of the readings in the lectionary?

Q: Please excuse a Fool’s question – Is this coming All Saints’ Day a holyday of obligation? The Ordo says

Q:  Why are priests adding the Memorare and/or the Prayer to St. Michael to the Mass? If it is added,

Q:  Are priests required to chant the Eucharistic Prayer at every Sunday Liturgy? == A:  Priests are not required to

Q:  Our diocese is planning a special mass for the day of prayer for creation on Sunday, September 1, 2019.

Q: Here at Holy Cross parish, how do we get permission to transfer our feast day (Sept 14) to a

Q:  I think the frequent phrase “facing the people” in the GIRM and the Order of Mass indicates that the

Q: I thoroughly enjoy all you blogs.  Thank you for all you do for the Church. In the book,  Pastoral Care of

Q: When I get married this weekend, I’d like to process in from the sacristy instead of up the aisle.

Q: Now that I have subscribed to your blogs for some time, I wanted to tell you how much I

Q:  Our parish patronal feast falls within a few weeks of the anniversary of the dedication of our parish church.

Q: A question has arisen about the proper Mass to use on the evening of Saturday, November 2, 2019 as

Q: Can laymen and women wear choir dress? Can they wear cassock and surplice at mass? == A: There is

Q: Thanks for providing this service!  I learned tonight that “the” Mr. Rogers, a Presbyterian minister, received last rites from

Q: Recently this question was posed to us re the anointing of the sick. The anointing both strengthens the sick

Q: I know only priests, deacons, and instituted acolytes may purify the sacred vessels used at Mass. At my church,

Q: Once the altar has been prepared by the Deacon and the gifts are brought to the altar the Deacon

Q: Our Pastor is working with us Deacon’s to try to standardize our movements at Mass so we have uniformity. 

Q: For Mass, if the Alleluia is not sung, can it just be said?  Someone told me this week that

Q:  I have a question on the bride and groom ‘s consent. It seems that all of the American priests

Q: I wondered if you might be able to share with me any resources you may have on bilingual Masses.

Q: For a Baptism – If it is a Grandparent/Guardian of a child who is wanting the Baptism, do we

Q: A question about the drop of water that is added to the wine: is this water “blessed”? I have

Q: Your thoughts, please, on baptizing the child of a civilly married couple, during the Mass celebrating their Convalidation. And,

Q: Is the bride required to kneel at a wedding? What if her dress makes it difficult? == A: There’s

Q: I was recently discussing imposition of incense in the Novus Ordo with a few different priests. GIRM 277 makes

Q: The Collect for Corpus Christi began, “O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament have left us a memorial of

Q: In the revised Catholic wedding ceremony, can the father of the bride give her away at the procession? Or

Q: I have difficulty in searching for prayers for exhumation of body. Is there a service at the grave site?

Q: Why would a deacon baptize an adult? If confirmation and first communion should normally immediately follow baptism of an

Q: I have always understood that sacred space is to be respected, but I have seen talks and  concerts(instrumental) or

Q: The tabernacle in our church is located  to the left of the Sanctuary in a separate space.  We have

Q: Is there a place we can send our old paschal candles for recycling? I think other parishes besides mine

Continuing thanks for your attentive and thoughtful responses to the wide variety of questions!  I learn from and enjoy them

Q: The episcopal conference where I work is considering raising the status of one of our patronal feasts to a

Q: Can you clarify or explain having the mass intentions announced at the beginning of the liturgy vs. during the

Q:  Our pastor has a wedding on Corpus Christi, and he spoke with you about readings since it is a solemnity.

Q:  I have a question: is it right that the church is going to use the new edition of Order

Q: I am wondering about the Sacrament of Baptism. I am aware of a church who does the Reception of

Q: Does the priest pray (say-sing) the Great Amen at the conclusion of the eucharistic prayer? Prayerful best wishes == A:

Q:  I had a question about the response:  “and with your spirit.” I listened to your 13 minutes Youtube –

Q: I’m hoping you can clear up some confusion. During a discussion of the importance of the Divine Office, a

Q:  I received this question from a friend in religious life. Can you help me answer it for her? “I

Q: Is there a guideline or advisory on priest assisting in giving communion at Mass, besides the presence of extraordinary

Q: There seems to be two interpretations of GIRM #162 which states, “ministers should not approach the altar before the

Q: Thank you for sharing your knowledge on liturgy, Father Turner.  You are so helpful! Should the Penitential Act be

Q:  I have a question for the Rite of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction. When do we say the The Divine

Q: Could you point me in a direction as to documents/teachings relating to where in the church the tabernacle should

Q: I have a question about the readings for the 6th Sunday of Easter in a diocese that celebrates Ascension

Q: Sometimes I hear or find even in the internet the two words; installation and commissioning loosely used for altar

Q: Your response to the question on the fractured Candle piqued my curiosity.  I very much like the idea of

Q: I am the Ministry Head of the Liturgical Environment. However, in my present parish during weekly mass , when

Q: Should the people bringing up the gifts receive a blessing from the presider? Thank you!  == A: No. But

Q: OCM #62  has the bridegroom declare his consent before the bride declares hers. Is there a reason for this? 

Q: I am an Eucharistic Minister and often visit homebound as do many others.  I had someone tell me that

Q: I recently learned that there is a Lavabo ritual, i.e. the washing of hands before the Eucharistic Prayer. Is

Q: I know this seems like a strange  question, but a member of my extended family has died, and the

Q: Hello Paul, I hope you are well. We are very pleased that you are coming to Australia (Sydney) next

Q: Please clarify why a concelebrating priest kisses/reverences the altar as part of the processional but not before recessing? Thanks

Q: It seems that the tradition here at my new parish is to use the Sprinkling Rite during the Easter

Q: On the second Monday of Easter, while lighting the paschal candle for morning Mass, it was dropped and split

Q: I have some questions about two upcoming weddings. 1–This one is on June 22 in the evening which is

Q: Is it possible for two youth to serve as godmothers for a baby? One is 15 and the other

Q: One thing I’m looking for is from an educational perspective: How to make the sign of the cross. How

Q:  do you use any special Rite of First Communion when you have mass of First Communion for children? ==

Q: I have an 18 year old senior who is scheduled to be confirmed with her class soon. I just

Q: Do you know of any bulletin announcements that I could use to educate the assembly about the Mass in

Q: Can you give some comments on the way people usually write the petitions of the Universal Prayer? == A: