New Church, New Altar: A Commentary on the Order of Dedication of a Church and an Altar($24.95Value)

Description

2022 Catholic Media Association honorable mention in liturgy The dedication of a new church or altar is a rare event that too few Catholic faithful and clergy are privileged to experience. When it happens, people have questions about the history, spirituality, and practical aspects of this amazing liturgy. This book by pastor and liturgical scholar, Fr. Paul Turner, will especially aid parish leadership in celebrating this rite with greater understanding. In addition to the dedication of a new parish church, this book covers all of the other instances from this part of the Roman Pontifical: Laying the foundation stone, dedicating a church already in use, dedicating a new altar inside an older church, blessing a church to be used as a chapel or oratory, blessing an altar for a similar purpose, and the blessing of a chalice and paten. Essential for any serious student of the liturgy and helpful to those planning any of these celebrations, New Church, New Altar will expand the reader’s appreciation of these unusual liturgies so beautifully reformed after the Second Vatican "Equal parts commentary on the rites and ecclesiology, Paul Turner’s latest book,  New Church, New Altar: A Commentary on the Order of Dedication of a Church and an Altar,  is essential reading for anyone building a church. It seamlessly weaves together the various rites, their history and meaning, and the applicable liturgical law to reveal that building a church is never just a construction project: it is also for and about 'building up spiritually the people of God into a dwelling place for God with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone' (Ephesians 2:21). And if you’re not building a church, don’t ignore this gem: use it to guide your community into a mystagogical reflection on how your church building and the rites that dedicate it reveal what it means to be church–living stones, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood."  Bernadette Gasslein, Editor,  Worship   “Fr. Paul Turner has produced a wonderful commentary including rich historical references for a ritual that few people ever get to experience in person. Vicariously we can experience it through his writing.” Michael S. Driscoll, Professor Emeritus of Theology, University of Notre Dame Paul Turner is pastor of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Missouri, and director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Diocese of Kansas City––St. Joseph. He holds a doctorate in sacred theology from Sant’ Anselmo in Rome. He is a former president of the North American Academy of Liturgy and a member of Societas Liturgica and the Catholic Academy of Liturgy. He is the author of numerous books published by Liturgical Press and a contributor to  Give Us This Day . Most recently, he is the recipient of four awards from the 2025 Catholic Media Association Book Awards, including First Place for Author of the Year. Visit his website at https://paulturner.org/ .