About the Author

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.

Reviews

“Though originating in the postconciliar period, Adrien Nocent’s volumes remain one of the church's finest commentaries on the Lectionary and contain remarkable up-to-date insights for our times. Thanks to the emendations and annotations of Paul Turner, one of today’s finest liturgical scholars, these volumes will enrich the thoughts of parish liturgists, presiders, homilists, musicians, lectors, theology students, and participants in the church’s liturgy.“Stephen J. BinzBiblical scholarAuthor of Conversing with God in Advent and Christmas (also Conversing with God in Lent and Conversing with God in the Easter Season)

“Aggiornamento is back! Paul Turner has updated the first volume of Adrien Nocent’s The Liturgical Year in a discrete, respectful, and informed manner, enabling the author’s reflections on the feasts and seasons as well as on the Lectionary to connect effectively with the concerns and interests of present-day readers. I look forward to the next two volumes.”        Patrick Regan, OSB        Saint Joseph Abbey        Saint Benedict, Louisiana        Author of Advent to Pentecost

“In 1977 when Adrien Nocent's book appeared in English translation, I was studying the liturgical year with him at Sant’Anselmo. I remember how moved I was to read his deep reflections after having experienced the new lectionary with its three-year cycle of readings at that point only a couple of times. Now, having experienced the three-year cycle more than a dozen times, I am still moved by his writings. I am delighted that his book has been updated by Paul Turner and is coming into print again.”        Michael S. Driscoll        Associate Professor        University of Notre Dame

“Adrien Nocent was truly a remarkable scholar well ahead of his time! . . . He weaves the paschal mystery, eschatology, and living liturgy daily into a core tool for interpreting Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany in a fresh way. In this reissue, Fr. Paul Turner sensitively respects Nocent’s own voice as he bridges the time after the Council to the present age. . . . This work needs to be on every priest’s, liturgist’s, musician’s, and assembly member’s ‘go to’ shelf.”        Joyce Ann Zimmerman, CPPS        Institute for Liturgical Ministry

“This new edition of Adrien Nocent’s The Liturgical Year dappers up an old friend! . . . The virtues of Nocent’s original work . . . can again serve preachers, liturgists, and lovers of the liturgy because of Turner’s fine work. It promises to be a key resource for another forty years.”        Rev. Michael Witczak        Associate Professor of Liturgical Studies        Catholic University of America