New Church, New Altar

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/.

• ContentsList of Abbreviations ixIntroduction 1Chapter I: The Order of Laying a Foundation Stone or theCommencement of Work on the Building of a Church 9Chapter II: The Order of the Dedication of a Church 21Chapter III: The Order of the Dedication of a Church inWhich Sacred Celebrations Are Already Regularly Taking Place 103Chapter IV: The Order of the Dedication of an Altar 111Chapter V: The Order of Blessing a Church 135Chapter VI: The Order of Blessing an Altar 145Chapter VII: The Order of Blessing a Chalice and a Paten 149Conclusion 159Appendix: Two Solemnities on the Parish Calendar 161

"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