Paul Turner’s Blog

Q:  We have a new rector at our parish who allows the sacristans to purify the vessels after Mass. He […]

Q:  As the liturgist of a large parish we often receive requests for a Pulpit Talk that is given after

Q:  I was at a meeting today of Adult Faith Formation/RCIA Leaders and we were talking about the talk that

Q:  Question regarding Eucharistic adoration in a different location immediately following daily mass: After mass in the nave, Eucharistic Adoration

A:  Just a question of terms and capitalization because our publication follows a newspaper style and AP style. In an

Q:  In my previous parish, in the entrance procession the pastor wanted the Book of Gospels carried just before the

Q:  Is there a guide/translation for doing children’s liturgies that I could find somewhere? Having a hard time sifting through

Q:  I am a permanent deacon.  I really enjoyed your talk last February. My question is about the deacon’s role

Q: Is a wedding service – not Mass on the solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul allowed to be conducted? And

Q:  May the Extraordinary Ministers place the consecrated hosts not consumed at Mass in the Tabernacle? == A:  I treated

Q:  I have a friend from another state. His daughter married a military man, and they have a baby. They

Q:  Are there any other times during the year (besides Dedication anniversary and titular saints annuversary) that the Dedication candles

Q:  Father, liturgically, is it ok to have adoration with benediction before mass? Or do we do it rightly after

Q:  After communion, the vessels are purified either at the altar, the credence table, or the sacristy. Is there a

Q:  At an ordination Mass, where you really have only three deacons performing some of the actions of the liturgy,

Q:  Is it still permissible for the priest to wear a maniple? === A:  Here’s a bulletin insert I wrote

Q:  May I use some of the gestures and procedures from the pre-Vatican II missal while celebrating the post-Vatican II

NOTE:  This is a follow-up to the blog post from yesterday. Q:  Thank you. It’s still confusing to me, as

Q:  Part of GIRM #274 says, “A genuflection…is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament,” and goes on to note that

Q:  We are only having one mass on Aug 15th at 6pm. We have a Communion Service  at 8am on

Q:  When should the national anthem be sung? My country will be celebrating its National Day soon and there is

Do we need a permission from the bishop for those who serve as regular extraordinary lay ministers, who  bring communion

Should I baptize for a child of a homosexual couple ? And if I do, how can I put their

Q:  When a parish is celebrating their feast day in Ordinary Time, they may transfer it to Sunday, but can

Q:  A couple wants to be married on December 8th of this year. They are nearly 30, first time marriages,

Q:  Must EVERY Mass celebrated on any given day that has an obligatory celebration attached to it be the Mass

Q:  I am creating a music list for quinceañeras, but I am having a difficulty in selecting the Psalm. Do

Q:  Greetings from Down Under. There appears to be an increasing tendency by the hierarchy and others to intimate that

Q:  In my culture we have 4 sets of godparents (total 8).  Is there an exception to two? == A:

Q:  I recently attended mass where the presider was an abbot. One server was wearing a shoulder veil to hold

Q:  Is is OK for a priest to make jokes or repeat prayers to get a louder response after the

In preparation for celebrating the 15th anniversary of our parish, we posted this video to help our members understand the

Q:  In our parish we have a person who was baptized a Catholic as an infant, became a Mormon, and

Q:  Greetings from Australia. Please advise. When using multiple chalices do I put a drop of water in each chalice

Q:  Thank you for your recent and timely answer on the Prayer of the Faithful. This question came up at

Q:  Can a parent sponsor their child who is making a profession of faith? == A:  I’d say no. The

Q:  Your bio says that you are the pastor of the cathedral. But aren’t you the rector? Isn’t the bishop

Q:  Can a Catholic wedding take place on All Saints Day, November 1? == A:  Yes, they are permitted. But

Q:  During weekday Masses, does the priest have the option of omitting the Prayer of the Faithful? That is happening

Q:  December 8 is a Saturday this year. Will it be a holyday of obligation? == A:  In the United

My Question:  During Lent for the Scrutinies, the catechumens are blessed, prayed over, and then dismissed with the Catechists to

Q:  Is there a guide to the Rite of Funeral without a priest? What part of the funeral rite can

Q:  Is it permitted to do First Communion during Lent? I can’t remember ever seeing one during Lent but that

Q:  What is your view/church position on a non-Catholic Christian couple, belonging to a Pentecostal church, wanting to marry with

Q:  Is it permissible to bake bread for Eucharist; if so, do you have an acceptable recipe. === A:  Yes,

Q:  Please advise options for celebrating a Mass with creation (World Environment Day – Seasons of Creation) as its focus,

Q:  During the most recent Easter Season my parish I feel went overboard on the use of Crosses and Crucifixes.

Q:  Many thanks for the opportunity to ask questions on your blog.  Our parish gathers children after the collect and

Q:  Do you have anything from previous research on this recent Q&A from the BCDW Newsletter? Good Friday adoration of

Q:  Recently I was embarrassed to discover at communion time that the liquid in the chalice tasted more water like

Q:  Why is there a choice as to the second reading on the Feast of the Ascension between the first

Q:  I recently heard a recording of someone singing the exsultet in Spanish and the thought came to mind. At

Q:  I minister to a Catholic Primary school, 5-12 year old, 125 in total.  The school comes to a weekday

Q:  In the past we have had the candidates each light a candle from the Easter candle as they make

Q:  In our diocese, the number of catechumens who participate in the ROE is significantly smaller than the number of

Q: I continue to enjoy and learn from your posts,  articles and your books. Thank you! We have a question

Q:  Our local pastor told me that some liturgist told him that the double alleluia at the dismissal is optional

Q:  Question concerning funerals. My pastor said he heard that there are specific reading to be done at a funeral

Q:  To celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as “Mother of the Church” every year on the Monday

Q:  We have recently watched a marvelous recreation of “Mass” by Leonard Bernstein. History records Jacqueline Kennedy abruptly left during

Q:  Please offer some counsel on liturgy as ‘performance’ and as part of the arts. I have been criticized for

Q:  A parishioner wants the pastor to ask the assembly to all raise their arms in an outstretched position at

I attended LA Congress 2017 and your session on Catholic Weddings, but not attend the session on the Priest in the RCIA.

Q:  Is there any other document besides Musica Sacram that gives advice on the appropriate music and hymns for Mass?

Q:  I’m writing to learn more about your perspective and interpretation of a particular rubric (Roman Missal, Easter Vigil, #17)

What is the appropriate Liturgical environment for Evening Prayer?  Paschal Candle or no? == The rubrics for the Easter Vigil

Q:  I feel uncomfortable with charging admission to an event held in the church. There are now Catholic speakers/groups that

Q:  From a fiscal standpoint – could it be appropriate for a parish who might not have a strong financial

Q:  I recently attended a Funeral Mass.  There were two priest concelebrants and a deacon.  The priest presider, using the

Q:  I am a pastor. I read your response to a question about confirming baptized Catholics at the Easter Vigil.

Q:  I hope you will consider answering my inquiries even though I generally root for the Chicago White Sox. I

We have several Paschal candles from many years back in the day.  What is the best way to discreetly and

Q: I had my deacon do the baptisms at the Easter Vigil, assisted by an acolyte, after I had received the

Q:  Thank you for your insightful interpretation and sharing of liturgical norms.  I learn a great deal from your blog

Q:  Is it ever OK for a lay minister to assist the priest in reading the parts of the mass

Q:  Do you have anything on thurible training? A training manual if one exists would be great. Thank you Father.

Q:  During Lent we have only two candles on either side of the altar. The question has been raised as

Q:  Can a dying person receive a plenary indulgence if no priest is there? == A:  Yes, if that person

Q:  Is it permissible for a priest to tell people he prefers not to give communion in the hand, or

Q:  the pastor at my parish buys wine at one of our parishioner’s liquor stores here. I told him that

Q:  Are the words of consecration supposed to be spoken loud enough for the people to hear them or can

Q:  Is it permissible for the priest to ban female altar servers? == A:  Canon 230 §2 permits all lay persons

Q:  What is the teaching on intinction?  Is it permissible for a priest to do intinction for the congregation?  I

Q:  Thank you Paul for your helpful comments, yet again.  A couple of questions please: There is a growing tendency I

Q:  I was told that a Mass is being offered this Saturday (Holy Sat.) at a local hospital by a

Q:  At the Easter Vigil, does tabernacle remain empty and doors open until after communion or are doors shut beforehand? 

Q:  I was taught that in order to have Mass, a Crucifix has to be showing. Now I was told

Q:  I am wondering what is the most appropriate form of Morning Prayer that should be used when we replace

 Q:  On Good Friday the Missal directs that the priest “proceeds to distribute Communion to the faithful” (#28).  Is this

Q:   When there is full immersion baptism does the presider still anoint the people at the font as they do

Q:  Aaack! I made a terrible mistake. In trying to manage Holy Week liturgies at my two places, I stupidly

Q:  Greetings from Down Under.  Thanks again for your most helpful blog/posts.   Our Palm Sunday this year coincides with our monthly parish

Q: Father Paul, I’m writing to you because I was in a workshop on my way to becoming a extraordinary

Q:  Hope you are well. I have a couple of Holy Week questions for you.  First, let me tell you

Q:  Does a priest only ask for permission from the Bishop to confirm already baptized Catholics at the Easter Vigil;

Q:  At Mass ( the Lectionary) are we still reading from the NAB rather than the revised version? == A: 

Q:  Further to your great insight on the relic of the true cross I have been asked the following… “On

Q:  Is it permissible for us to read Year A readings even at Masses where the scrutiny is not taking

Q:  In a post from early March, you mentioned that you though that the Rite of Election should be celebrated

Q:  I am curious if you have ever used more than one reader for a Reading?  I know that the