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Growing up in the Catholic Church I was familiar with the poster of the liturgical calendar. You know the one: its circular design reflects the changing colors and seasons in the Church calendar. I always found this poster to be fascinating, even as a very young person: What did it mean? How did the The Church decide these things? Why do the colors change? As a young adult I asked myself questions about the saints on the calendar, the nuances of Holy Days of Obligation, and more. The practical and historical contexts of our Church calendar have always fascinated me.
Which brings me to our episode today. I recently came across Fr. Paul Turner’s new book, Sacred Times, which is described as “A Guide to the General Roman Calendar and the Table of Liturgical Days.” The book reads like a story you’d find at a sacred bookstore, but is so full of information it’s as indespensible as an encyclopedia at times. I reached out to Fr. Paul and asked to interview him for the podcast, of which he obliged, thankfully. In preparation for my interview I read the book. I quickly realized that this could be a series of episodes, simply to capture the full breadth and depth of the book. And so consider the following interview as an introductory course on the book, Sacred Times, published by Liturgical Press. Our chat addresses many questions about the Church’s observances, such as: What is the Proper of Time versus the Proper of Saints? Why does Easter move each year, versus being on one set date? How are Holy Days of Obligation chosen? and more.
SHOW NOTES
Bio: Fr. 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.
For more information about his newest book, Sacred Times, click here.
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