Review from a Reader...of The How-To Book of the Mass

Amazon.com: Books: The How-To Book of the Mass: Everything You Need to Know but No One Ever Taught You:

"An Enlightened Cradle Catholic, November 14, 2003

Reviewer: Kimberly from Omaha, NE United States

As a 'cradle Catholic', I'm pleasantly surprised to find how much I learned from this book! At age 25, I obviously know the 'how' of mass, but this book also gives the 'why' - something I was (unfortunately) never taught in CCD growing up. It explains the rituals of the mass by telling of their uses in the early church and/or relevant passages in the bible. I know I will get at least twice as much out of attending mass from now on!

My mother always used to complain that my generation was not taught the 'parts of the mass' in CCD as hers was. I don't know if this is a result of changes made by Vatican II, or simply the archdiocese I grew up in. I hope CCD children today are again taught the parts of the mass; I personally purchased this book to learn more myself so I can teach my own children better. After reading it, I wish I could afford to pass out copies at my church to the other parishioners of my generation who are obviously also not getting as much from the mass as they could be!

I agree with another reviewer that it would have been nice if the text of the prayers explained were included in the book, even if just in the back. But don't let this keep you from purchasing it; if you are a cradle Catholic, you already KNOW the prayers. If you are new, they can be easily found in a missal at any Catholic church. "



And a note of explanation with regard to the last point. I would have liked to have included the actual prayers in the book too, for the most part I found ways to allude to them to the degree that I could without quoting them--although I did quote them if they were drawn from Scripture or other the early church. But as to the Mass parts they are copyrighted and you have to pay ICEL money to quote them in their entirity and because I know the translation of the prayers is changing (although it could be a few years before it happens) I didn't want to include them in this edition.