Paul Turner

Paul Turner is pastor of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Missouri and director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St Joseph. He holds a doctorate in sacred theology from Sant’ Anselmo in Rome. He is a consultor for the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

His publications include Ars Celebrandi: Celebrating and Concelebrating Mass (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2021), Words Without Alloy: A Biography of the Lectionary for Mass (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2022), and Present for God’s Call: An Overview of the Rites of Institution and Ordination (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2022), and dozens of other titles. He wrote the introduction, emendations and annotations for the reprint of The Liturgical Year by Adrien Nocent (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2013).

He is a former president of the North American Academy of Liturgy, a member of Societas Liturgica, and the Catholic Academy of Liturgy. He is the recipient of the Jubilate Deo Award from the National Association of Pastoral Musicians and the Frederick McManus Award from the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. He serves as a facilitator for the International Commission on English in the Liturgy.

As pastor of diverse parishes, he spent many years ministering in a state prison, serving a hispanic and multi-ethnic community, and providing assistance to the homeless. He plays harpsichord, piano and organ. He enjoys the Kansas City Symphony and the Kansas City Royals.

He answers questions about the liturgy daily on his blog.