Review: The Mass, A Guided Tour

When I chose The Mass A Guided Tour by Thomas Richstatter from The Catholic Company to review, my initial thought was that it might be a good reference as we steer Nate toward his First Communion late this Spring.  While the boys attend Religious Education through our parish church, we also do quite a bit of supplementing at home.

When I began reading this book, I realized that it was probably too much for Nate or Colin, but it was a wonderful book about the Mass for me! I'm a cradle Catholic, but it seems that the last decade have found me at church out of a family obligation to take my children and hope that I could manage to find something for myself while there.  I truly believe in the majesty and awe of our Mass, but the distraction of young children have made it hard to recognize that each Sunday.

This lovely guided tour of the rich history and meaning behind each piece of Mass was inspiring and informative. Ancient history, as well as modern changes were written about in easy to understand terms, with no judgment.

The book helped me connect with the process on a deeper level than I think I ever had.  I especially loved how Richstatter compared the service to a symphony in four movements, and carried that imagery through the chapters.

The Mass A Guided Tour is just over 120 pages and each page is full of information and food for thought.  I highly recommend the book for adults who wish to know more about our Catholic Mass.  And, I believe that even if you are a cradle Catholic, there's always more to learn!

You can purchase it from The Catholic Company's website for $12.95.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from The Catholic Company to facilitate my complete and honest review.  No other compensation was provided.