Q: I’ve been working on the local roll-out of USCCB’s “Eucharistic Revival” and have dome some research on various questions that continue to arise. I was grateful for your response to the question about whether or not the Rite of Penance could be celebrated during Adoration and appreciate your clarification. I was also able to confirm the prohibition of doing the Stations of the Cross during Adoration (via the posting on the USCCB website). However, what about administering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick during a Holy Hour and/or period of Adoration? I thank you in advance …
Vatican Baptisms
Q: Watched the YouTube video of Pope Francis baptizing 16 babies in the Sistine Chapel on the Baptism of the Lord and couldn’t help but notice a few things: 1) Pope only poured water once for each kid, not three times. What gives? 2) Each kid got a ‘white garment’ even though all the kids were wearing white anyway. Should we be dropping one symbol on top of another? (Granted, the garments were attractive but why do it if it seems superfluous?) I refer to these items as lobster bibs and I don’t use them if the baby is already …
Eastern Catholic Church
Q: I had an RCIA question that has come up and thought of you and your vast knowledge. In my 30 years of parish ministry, I have not had this situation come up. I am hoping you can give us some guidance. We have two people who wish to join our faith from the Russian Orthodox Church. Do they need to do anything other than a profession of faith? Do they take part in the Rite Of Welcome and Acceptance? == A: They need nothing more than a profession of faith, and it is to be done without ceremony. See RCIA …
Workshops – 2014
Title Where and When Stories of Faith in Daily Ministry: Care for All, Care for the Least Among Us (with Tom Turner) For parish staffs of the Diocese of Kansas City St. Joseph given at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in St. Joseph MO on November 6, 2014 Liturgical Ministry as Evangelization Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa, Kansas on November 1, 2014. Dying and Rising: Paschal Mystery as Expressed in the Rites of the Catholic Church For the Dioceses of Shreveport, September 22-23, 2014. RCIA: Celebrating Initiation For the Archdiocese of Perth, Australia on August 26, 2014. The …
Workshops – 2017
Title Where and When The Funnel: Meditating on the Scriptures of Advent Our Lady of the Presentation, Lee’s Summit, MO – 6 December 2017. Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass Deacon Formation Program 2200 – 2 December 2017. A Long Look at the Lectionary for Mass Diocese of Tucson – 28 November 2017. My Sacrifice and Yours Diocese of Tucson – 28 November 2017. Deacons at Mass Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph – 18 November 2017. Preparing for Advent NPM Boards of the Kansas City Area – 16 November 2017. Preparing for Advent Diocese …
Workshops – 2021
Title Where and When The Liturgy of Advent Seminarian Liturgy Practicum at Conception Seminary College – 16 November 2021. Catholic Funerals Deacon Formation Program at Conception Abbey – 6 November 2021. Book of Blessings Deacon Formation Program at Conception Abbey – 6 November 2021. Reignite the Fire of Your Ministry Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph at St. Patrick’s Parish – 16 October 2021. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to the Sick and Homebound Training session, Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph at Nativity Church – 14 October 2021. Postures and Gestures at Mass Seminarian Liturgy Practicum at …
Pastoral discretion
Q: I enjoy your catechesis and comments and continue to learn so much. Thank you! I sent the below two years ago, and although the practice continues, I have at least gotten my pastor to hear me, but obviously he’s not listening yet. I am trying to wear him down, but I’ve still not been successful. https://paulturner.org/baptism-and-confirmation/ In our last conversation, I bluntly asked how he can go against canon law by not completing initiation of these children. I commented that I wasn’t aware that he had the choice to choose which canons he can follow or not follow. He paused …
Children entering the Catholic Church
Q: In my parish I have two boys, ages 12 and 10. The 10 year old has never been baptized. The 12 year old has been baptized in a Baptist church. They have been learning the Catholic Faith very well. I have interviewed the 10 year old twice, and he is certainly ready on the knowledge base to enter the Church. I just interviewed the 12 year old and he is even more ready than the 10 year old to enter the Catholic Church. I do not see a need for these boys to go through any form of RCIA for …
Bishop’s permission
Q: A recent case brought to mind something I did in the past. I brought a lady into the Church, not at the Easter Vigil because COVID delayed everything for her RCIA classes. She entered the Church on a Sunday Mass. She was validly baptized in another Christian denomination, so she made a Profession of Faith with Renunciation of Sin, received Confirmation and First Holy Communion. It was done around last October. Did I need my bishop’s permission for that? I assumed I didn’t need any permission, but now I’m questioning if I needed it. If I did need the …
Initiation prior to Vatican II – Updated
Q: Regarding your post on the initiation of adults before Vatican, II (see post below), the previously baptized, after a period of private instruction with the priest would be conditionally rebaptized (most often) after a profession of faith — usually done in a private small ceremony. First Communion would be given the next time the person went to Mass. Confirmation was delayed until the Bishop would come ’round for the adolescent teen Confirmation experience.For those coming to the church unbaptized, ritually — similar. The person would be subjected to the entire ritual of infant baptism — which was simpler than …