Paul Turner’s Blog

Q:  How do you have Triduum services without any persons to baptize? A:  There’s no change to Holy Thursday or […]

Q:  When you receive the question about number of times a lay person/deacon can receive Communion on a given day,

Q:  It has always been my understanding the the three celebrations – Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil

I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful overview of the Spanish Missals in the Worship November 2015 edition.

Q:  You do not usually go to movies, but you did last week. What did you see? A:  Concussion. I

Q:  I attended one of your workshop last year. A point you made close the end of your talk.  If

Q:  I have a question for you regarding something you wrote in an article about the Sprinkling Rite for Pastoral

Q:  At various times I have heard people–many quite reputable–mention that the elect should not have candles at the Vigil

Q:  Can you provide directions in regards to the actual plumbing of a sacrarium?  How does it drain directly into

Visit the Paul Turner YouTube Channel to watch the latest video about the baptismal themes of Priest, Prophet and King from

Q:  Does anyone else think it odd that we went from hearing “In the beginning was the Word” at every

I haven’t figured out how to put this on my YouTube channel, but here’s a talk I gave to an

Q:  In the United States, in the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens, i.e. RCIA 51, do we

Q:  We are debating about the communion at Good Friday. It would indeed seem that the Missal assumes that it

Q:   I have been reading your book, In These or Similar Words, and have found it very helpful. I have

Q:  Can a deacon be the presider at the Good Friday Service or must a priest be the presider? A:

Q:  People don’t know when to say “Amen” during a solemn blessing. How could this be made clearer? A:  Each

Q:  I’ve worked for priests who call the Prayer after Communion the Closing Prayer… Does it matter? A:  Yes, it

Q:  “Lord I am not worthy” seems like another penitential rite. We’ve already done that. At the beginning. A:  At

Q:  Our priest celebrates mass with a second cross on the altar. I wonder why there is the duplication of

Q:  Some people insist that 6 candles should be used on the altar at Sunday Masses because it is a

Q:  GIRM 54 gives 3 options for the end of the collect. Can you explain how these came about? In

Q:  I understand why we pray for the pope and the local bishop. But why the separation of the clergy

Q:  If there are no baptisms to be celebrated at the Easter Vigil, do we omit the litany? A:  There

Q:  The word ‘sacrifice’ in ordinary American English means to ‘give up.’  It is ALWAYS difficult to explain how the

The following were added to www.paulturner.org: Homilies in both English and Spanish for the Sundays in ordinary time. Five new Workshops were given.

Q:  The Roman Canon refers to “Abel the just,” which is quoting Jesus in Matthew 23:35. But is Matthew 23:35

Q:  Why does the priest say in a low voice, “Blessed are you…” A:  These prayers may be said out

Q:  Why does the gospel-reader say quietly “Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away?” Why is

Q:  Do we need the Gloria at every mass in Ordinary Time? A:  If you mean Sunday mass, yes, the

Q:  The anniversary of the dedication of our cathedral is on February 22, the Chair of St. Peter. As a

Paul, I read your blog response no. 28 regarding foot washing on Holy Thursday and if the person who sent that

Q:  #372 lists the days when a ritual Mass is not permitted. The Saturday after Easter is one and the

Q:  I just started in a new parish as liturgy director. I’ve been told by parishioners that it has been

Q:  A friend from the parish is sharing some of your blog posts with me. The most recent Cross and Crucifix post

Q:  As we begin to prepare for the Lenten Season and Sacred Triduum in our parish the question concerning the

Q:  Can you comment on infant baptisms during a Lenten Sunday liturgy? A:  Baptisms may take place on any day

Q:  Someone to be confirmed asked about the Chrism.  I replied saying it is Olive Oil and perfume (balsam) that

Q:  The parish where I am now pastor has for the last few years celebrated a hybrid Tenebrae/Office of Readings

Q:  We are planning a Diocesan retreat that we will be offering to catechumens, candidates and members of the various

The following were added to www.paulturner.org: Homilies in both English and Spanish for Christmas, Mary Mother of God, and Epiphany. An Article and

Q:  Are you able to clarify for me the variation in the Renewal of Baptismal Promises as to be used

The following were added to www.paulturner.org: Homilies in English and Spanish for the second Sunday in Advent. Workshop  for the diocese of

Q:  I have a question regarding Conditional Baptism.  With the terms “immersion” and “pouring” how might one justify “sprinkling” that

  Q:  I went to a visitation this afternoon for the father of a friend.  The plan was to have

Q:  The GIRM does not give specific directions regarding the direction the priest faces in the Novus Ordo liturgy. I

The following were added to www.paulturner.org: Homilies in English and Spanish for the first Sunday in Advent. 8 Workshops  for the diocese

Q:  I had a woman and she said she was a member of the Nazarene church.  She asked me if

The following were added to www.paulturner.org: Homilies in English and Spanish for November 15 and 22. 6 Workshops  in Richmond, Virginia on November

Q:  I have a question about when the Eucharistic Ministers should approach the altar. The rubic from the GIRM states

Q:  I’m interested in accessing your bulletin inserts because we a re renovating our cathedral and want to being a

The following were added to www.paulturner.org: Homilies in English and Spanish for November 8. Workshops  on the RCIA in New Jersey and

Q:  I have begun service as a deacon at a different parish that has the tabernacle centered on the wall

Q. A newly ordained priest here uses a biretta for mass, much as a bishop does with the miter. I

The following were added to www.paulturner.org: Homilies in English and Spanish for All Saints, November 1. Workshop  on the lectionary in

Q:  Two women (one who will be getting married and the other someone who wants to become active again in

The following were added lately to www.paulturner.org: Homilies in English and Spanish for October 18. Workshops  in Nebraska on October 12 and 13. Blog Post

Q. We recently had a Mass on Sunday at our parish for catholic education or for religious education, I can’t

The following were added lately to www.paulturner.org: Homilies in English and Spanish for October 4 and 11. Workshops  for the 2015 Convocation of Priests

The following were added this past week to www.paulturner.org: Homily in English and Spanish for the Blue Mass on September 27,

Q:  Is use of the 1614 Roman Ritual of Pius V permitted? Didn’t Benedict’s moto proprio only permit the use

Q:  EP II includes, “… to be in your presence and minister to you.”  I am looking for a resource(s) that

The following were added this past week to www.paulturner.org: Homily for September 20, 2015 Blog entries about altar location, priests facing the congregation,

Q:  If  the order of the Mass presumes that the priest has his back to the congregation, then why, for

Q:  What can you tell me about your upcoming talks in Richmond, Virginia? A:  You can learn all about them

Q:  My little hometown parish is about to dedicate their new church, and there has been a bit of a

The following were added to www.paulturner.org Homilies, in English and Spanish, for September 13, 2015  Blog entry about the Gloria

Q:  Is the Gloria required to be sung at weddings?  Does the rubric assume that the Mass to be celebrated will

The following were added to www.paulturner.org Homilies, in English and Spanish, for September 6, 2015 Workshops on the Funeral Rite for

The following were added to www.paulturner.org A new post to Paul’s Blog. Rework and reformat of  the Diocesan Liturgical Calendar. A Workshop for

Q. I know a set of Catholic parents who are trying to understand why the non-Catholic groom cannot receive communion

The following were added to www.paulturner.org Four new posts to Paul’s Blog. The homilies for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time in both

Q:  Our bishop has told us that when the Assumption (August 15) falls on a Saturday, and the parish has

Q:  I struggle to maintain in my mind the meaning of the word “fería.”  It shows up all the time, as

Q:  Is there a style manual that the Church uses when preparing official documents?  I am familiar with literary styles

Q:  Some inquirers come in as candidates who have a good theological understanding of the Eucharist and the Real Presence,

Last week the following was added to www.paulturner.org Two blog posts. A wedding homily as well as the homilies for

Q:  Can a Protestant service (i.e., wedding) be held in a Catholic Church without a priest being present? A:  A

Q:  I have a new pastor who has suggested that we have two tabernacles. One is already in the church

Last week the following was added to www.paulturner.org The homily given at the Funeral Mass of Alice Turner, his Mother

Last week the following was added to www.paulturner.org A new blog post on the Eucharistic Prayer Workshops for “Language, Culture & Church

Q.   The second edition of the English missal includes the following rubric: “In all Masses, the priest may say the

Last week the following was added to www.paulturner.org Two new blog posts. The homilies for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary

Q:  I am planning a Mass on August 5 for my best friend before he leaves the country for mission

Q:  Greetings from Australia! I hope you don’t mind me contacting you with a thorny pastoral issue. I’m seeing two

The following have been added during the past week to www.paulturner.org. A blog post on Deacon responsibilities The homilies for a Quinceañera as well

Q:  We have a little “debate” going on — friendly — about whether a deacon can receive a person into

The following have been added to www.paulturner.org. Three blog posts A Workshop for the Christian Initiation Gathering,  St. Julie Billiart, Tinley Park, IL

Q:  When a church is dedicated, candles are lighted near the places where the walls were anointed. If these candles

Q:  Did anything come out of the FDLC meeting on the RCIA last fall?  Anything us “little people” should expect

Q:  Our parish has once again decided to celebrate baptisms during Sunday mass.  We have 10 deacons here and at

Last week the following was added to www.paulturner.org Two new blog posts including a recent update on the Deacon Postures post. The

Q:  When there are more than two deacons at a Mass at the cathedral, what postures do they take during

Q:  For the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) there are three books/registers that our diocese requires parishes to

Last week the following was added to www.paulturner.org Two new blog posts. A new book was added to the books

Q:  I am interested in printing copies of your article from Catholic Practice 1997 entitled- The Death of the Last

Q:  In places where the Ascension is celebrated on a Thursday, the first reading on the Seventh Sunday of Easter

The following was added this week to www.paulturner.org: “My Sacrifice and Yours” – a workshop for National Association of Pastoral Musicians,

Q:  At our parish, cantors and lectors bow to the altar on their way to the ambo, but not on