A Devotional Journey Into the Mass (Sophia Institute Press)

With Lent here, it is not only a good time to give things up, but also a time to take things up. Maybe you could pray the Rosary more, or go to Mass more, or read the Bible/spiritual works more. All of these are good options, and perhaps you could combine some of the three or find some other spiritual pursuit that helps you grow closer to God. Recently, I received a book in the mail that while it is not specifically for Lent is definitely worth reading during Lent. It is called A Devotional Journey Into the Mass. The book is divided into nine chapters with the first eight giving you concrete ways to actively participate in Mass and the ninth a summation chapter. The eight active participation chapters are as follows:

1. How to Enter the Church Building
2. How to Make the Sign of the Cross
3. How to Pray the Opening Prayer
4. How to Listen to the Readings
5. How to Prepare the Heart at the Offertory
6. How to Participate in the Eucharistic Prayer
7. How to Receive Communion to the Fullest
8. How to Respond to the Dismissal

Each chapter begins with a verse to set the frame of reference. The material is presented in a straightforward tone, calling upon Scripture, Catechism, and personal reflections of the author. The advice giving in each section is concrete and simple to execute, if only a little effort is exerted on the part of the reader. For example, when entering the Church building, enter from the main entrance and not the side. Make the Sign of the Cross thoughtfully, recalling our Creation. For the Sunday Reading, use lectio divina and meditate throughout the week on the upcoming readings for Sunday. When we leave Mass, remember that we are not just leaving until next Sunday, but instead are given a mission to sanctify the world. A perfect way to remember this is with St. Francis of Assisi's "Peace Prayer," which starts off "Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace."

Reading through this book was quick and insightful and something you could probably do in an afternoon or an evening. However, even if you can read it this quickly, I encourage you to slow down and read it more thoughtfully, because within it you will find simple but profound wisdom. I encourage you to pick up this book and read through it during Lent, so that you may grow closer to God and actively participate in the Mass more fully, not only during Lent but always.

A review copy of this book was provided by Sophia Institute Press.

Requiem (De Montfort Music)

There is an international community of young priests called The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (or The Fraternity for short) is a traditionalist Catholic society of apostolic life, which is composed of both priests and seminarians. They are headquartered in Switzerland and maintain two international seminaries. The Fraternity has been made famous by the Requiem chants that people have heard at Funeral Masses over the years. Knowing how universal the experience of death is, they decided to make their major-label debut with De Montfort Music/Sony Classical an album simply titled Requiem. It is entitled such, because it contains the music for the Requiem Mass, which was one of the most frequently celebrated Masses of the Medieval Period.

In this album, you will find twenty tracks, which include the recognizable Kyrie eleison, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and some that you won't recognize unless you are well-versed in Gregorian chant. Not all are sung in the Requiem Mass. Some are sung in the Office of Dead, which is a service of prayers for the dead that happen beside the coffin, before burial. For example, you you will here several different antiphons, responsories, and sequences, which relate to various aspects/subjects of death and dying. The chants speak on Lazarus, our sinful nature, judgment, and delivering us from eternal death into His eternal rest in Paradise.

The chant performed on this album is hauntingly beautiful. Listening to the music makes you completely stop what you are doing, as it is not the type of album you casually listen to while doing other things. Instead, you slow down, stop what you are doing, and begin to look deep within yourself, reflecting on your own mortality. This isn't something you want to do often, because it can be taxing, but it is something that you should do with some sort of regularity. The album is releasing May 12, 2017, but I invite you to pre-order a copy now. In the meantime, check out the video below for a little bit of background on The Fraternity, the album, and to hear a little bit of the music.

Memorize the Mass! (Enroute Books and Media)

Dr. Kevin Vost is a professor of psychology and a prolific Catholic writer. He has written over a dozen books, but the two that I first read of his were The One-Minute Aquinas and The Seven Deadly Sins. The artwork on the cover of those books makes the deep subject matter more inviting to read. I recently discovered a new Dr. Vost book called Memorize the Mass! and it had the same inviting cover art, so I knew that I had to read this book too!

The book begins with an introduction on how the Mass and the Eucharist are at the heart of the Catholic life. Next, he tells us that the four main ends/goals are adoration, thanksgiving, reparation, and prayer. He then goes on to tell us how despite having attended hundreds or even thousands of Masses, most Catholics don't know the Mass as well as they think they do. Therefore, his goal with this book is to get Catholics to better participate in Mass, and in doing so, better praise God. He concludes the introduction by explaining the "Catholic Art of Memory" and methods for memorization.

The book is then divided into two distinct parts. Part One covers the Novus Ordo Mass and Part Two covers the Traditional Latin Mass. The parts are then further divided into chapters according to large parts of the Mass (Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, Communion Rite, and Concluding Rites). Each chapter is then sub-divided into subsections. For example, the Liturgy of the Word contains First Reading, Responsorial Psalm, Second Reading, Gospel Acclamation, Gospel Dialogue, Gospel Reading, Homily, Profession of Faith, and Universal Prayer. At the end of the book are three appendices. Two of them are mnemonic tables for both Masses (Novus Ordo and Traditional Latin), and the third discusses and defends the belief of Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist.

Reading through this book was a very humbling and eye-opening experience, because it made me realize I do not know as much about the Mass as I think I do. The first part, naturally, proved the most beneficial to me, because it is the only Roman Catholic Mass I have experienced. (I have experienced other Catholic Rite Liturgies.) However, the second part proved to be the most interesting as I have never had the opportunity to attend a Traditional Latin Mass. Each subsection of the Mass contains not only the words of the prayers (where appropriate), but they also contain words of explanation and how to use his mnemonic method to memorize the Mass. I was hoping for a few more illustrations to help reinforce the mnemonic devices, but the ones that are there prove to be most useful. So no matter if you are an RCIA student, a 50 year old cradle Catholic, or a priest, you will find great value in this book, and I highly recommend it.

This book was provided to me for free by Enroute Books and Media in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass (Ascension Press)

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass is one of the shortest study programs offered by Ascension Press, weighing in at five lessons. However, don't let the length of this study fool you. It is also one of their most important and powerful study programs. The program is led by Dr. Edward Sri, who also did the study programs Mary; A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother and the upcoming Follow Me: Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John. In the beginning of the Leader's Guide, there is some background information on the course and a method on how to effectively lead people through this study. The lessons are then as follows:

Week 1 - Introduction
Week 2 - The Introductory Rites
Week 3 - The Liturgy of the Word
Week 4 - The Liturgy of the Eucharist: Preparation of the Gifts and Eucharistic Prayer
Week 5 - The Liturgy of the Eucharist: Communion Rite; The Concluding Rites

The Introduction begins with the question, "Do you ever wish you could 'get more' out of Mass?" I'm not sure if everyone has wondered this before, but I sadly have. We then are provided with what the Mass is, why it is so important, and an overview/outline of the Mass. The rest of the lessons walk us through the different parts of the Mass, including the Sign of the Cross, Opening Greeting, Act of Penance, the Kyrie, the Gloria, The Collect, the Readings, the Homily, and all the parts of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Apart from just explaining to us each part on a basic level, Dr. Sri dives deep into the Bible to show us exactly where to find each part of the Mass. There is an optional lesson, which takes place after the above mentioned five where the group goes to Mass together and then meets for a meal afterwards to discuss how their view of the Mass has changed after this program. I highly recommend getting your group to do this, because it ties a nice bow on the package.

I have read a lot of books by Dr. Sri and also taken another study of his. He is an excellent teacher, who makes difficult concepts accessible and makes you want to learn more about your faith. You walk away from a lesson not realizing how quickly the time passed and wishing that the lesson was not over. If you have never attended or even led a study program, I highly recommend this one for both the length and affordability of it. At $79, it's a steal, and with only five lessons you could cover this in just over a month. The length is just enough to get people used to the idea of a study program without feeling like they have to commit a quarter of the year to one. It also lets you see if you want to attend more studies, and if you do, Ascension Press has a lot of great ones. I highly recommend it. If you'd like to see a little sample, check out the video below.



This program was provided to me for free by Ascension Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

Meditations before Mass (Ave Maria Press)

Meditations before Mass is a classic in the Catholic realm. Written by Romano Guardini, one of the 20th centuries greatest theologians, this work as well as several others by him gained popularity in the 1990s and were translated from German to English. The Introduction of this book states that the purpose of the discourses in this book were "simply to reveal what the Mass demands of us and how those demands may be properly met." Part One aims for total concentration of mind and heart to God in the Mass, and Part Two discusses the essence of the Mass and what it means to us as Catholics.

It was interesting to learn both about aspects of the Mass such as its institution and liturgical form. However, the chapters that spoke to me the most dealt with hindrances we encounter when participating in the Mass as we should. Guardini notes three specific hindrances - 1. Habit, 2. Sentimentality, and 3. Human Nature. I learned several important points from these chapters. For starters, any boredom or monotony we experience at Mass comes from us and not the Mass. The Mass is inexhaustible. Sentimentality is a desire to be moved and can be dangerous when it comes to the Mass. To put it in simple terms, you shouldn't go into Mass looking to see what you can get out of it, but what you can put into it. Lastly, celebration of Mass depends on human people, because it is a living thing.

If you are looking to deepen your understanding and appreciation of the Mass, I highly recommend this book. It not only educates you, but it invites you to examine both the Mass and yourself. I am extremely pleased that more and more titles of Guardini are being translated into English. This man was a mentor to both Hans Urs von Balthasar and Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), so any book you can read of his I'd highly recommend. In fact, after you get done reading and reflecting on this book, check out another book by Guardini entitled Jesus Christus, which is a series of sermons on the life of Christ.

This book was provided to me for free by Ave Maria Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

Brother Francis: The Mass and The Saints (Herald Entertainment)

Today, is a two-for-one review day at Stuart's Study. This one is for the kids and isn't books, but DVDs. I am blessed by Herald Entertainment to review the latest two episodes in their Brother Francis series entitled The Mass and The Saints. These are episodes Six and Eight respectively. Other topics in this wonderful series include Prayer, Eucharist, Rosary, Confession, Baptism, and Christmas. It looks like the next one out will be called "Following in His Footsteps," which I imagine talks about being a disciple of Christ. I'm really hoping they make some for the rest of the Sacraments and Easter as well. But that's a different conversation. So without further ado, it's on to the reviews!

The Mass begins with Brother Francis vigorously ringing the Church bells and explaining that they are used to call people to Church. He then explains how the Mass is like a holiday or celebration and one that you can attend every day. Unfortunately, some of us (myself included) sometimes forget how special the Mass is and take for granted how lucky we are to be able to attend it so freely. He also tells us that "The Mass is not just about a ceremony and a celebration. The Mass is about Someone."

He then compares Jesus to a hero, for giving up Heaven and coming down here to die for us and our sins. We are then walked through the Mass from entering the door and crossing ourselves with Holy Water to the priest's Dismissal at the end, and reminding people to stay until the priest leaves, not sneaking out after Holy Communion. I particularly like that they included the Parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee in this DVD when explaining the Penitential Rite. This has always been one of my favorite parables, and is an excellent reminder that only in humility can we find true forgiveness. This is the perfect DVD for teaching your children or school children (8 and under) what happens at Mass, each part of Mass, and how to be respectful during Mass. 5 stars!

The Saints begins with Brother Francis teaching himself to roller-blade and falling down a lot. He asks the children to remember when they were learning to do something like how to ride a bike, swim, or read. I have to admit I wasn't sure where this was going at first, but once he said, "We all do better when we have encouragement and when we have someone to learn from," it clicked! We're going to talk about how the Saints are they to encourage us and serve as examples who have been there before us.

Before he starts talking about the Saints, he shows secular examples that adults and children look up to, such as musicians and athletes. Then, we dive into the Saints! Brother Francis explains that the Saints are like our family, even if we don't have a family. We see examples of children using the Saints in times of discouragement, but what I found fascinating was that we also see Mother Teresa (a future saint) also turned to the Saints, specifically St. Therese of Lisieux. One saint in particular receives special attention in this episode and that is John Bosco. Your children will learn a lot from this little boy, who grew up to become a great saint and led many people to Jesus. Also of great educational value is a step-by-step explanation on how people become Saints.

Both of these DVDs were as high quality as the previous six in the series. Whenever anyone asks me for good Catholic programs that their children can watch and will enjoy, Brother Francis are always the first two words out of my mouth. What's also great about this series is that it is more than DVDs. They have dozens of coloring books that correspond with the DVDs or focus on a particular saint. There are also kid-friendly Holy Cards modeled in the same style as the graphical style as the DVDs. Last, but not least, they have introduced a matching game that your young kids will both enjoy and learn a lot from!

These DVDs were provided to me for free by Herald Entertainment in exchange for an honest review!

Behold the Mystery (Word Among Us Press)

Each season that passes I get dozens upon dozens of books to review. Some are requested by me. Others are sent in the hope that I will review them. I generally like to request the books I review, because I know and trust the author's. Occasionally though, I am pointed toward an author I have never heard of and wish I had heard of them sooner. Mark Hart is one of those authors. Those of you who already know him, know what I am talking about. Those who don't...well, let's just say,  he's not called the Bible Geek for nothing. Today, I am pleased to be reviewing his latest book, Behold the Mystery.

Behold the Mystery is a ten chapter, 200 page book on the Mass. Using the Bible as the backbone for this work, Hart explains the significance of topics such as tradition, priesthood, and community, to name a few. At the end of each chapter are four questions for both reflection and discussion. These can be used privately or in a group study, but each question really makes you stop and think. At the end of the book are two useful appendices. One appendix contains Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), which are good for answering common questions of objections people have related to the Mass. The other appendix, "Ten Ways to Get More out of Mass," is solid gold advice, which  I hope to take to heart and apply each time I go to Mass.

Chapter Five on priesthood was hands-down my favorite as it provided both Biblical background for the priesthood and an eye-opening reality of the current priestly vocation. He writes, "The priesthood of Jesus Christ is an exercise in self-mastery and is rooted in deep mystery. It is enigmatic and often misunderstood. It has both a practical and a mystical dimension – earthly in its demands and ethereal in its directives." In this chapter, he describes the priest as a servant, as the sacrifice, and as a sinner. We too often put our priests on pedestals, but we have to remember that they our human too. This ties into his last major point of helping our priests. He says that we not only need to pray for them daily, whether we like them or not, but also assist them with other parish duties. For example if you have a finance background, offer assistance in that way. "The best way for our priests (and religious) to keep their primary vocations primary is for them to be healthy spiritually, mentally, and physically."

Behold the Mystery is a book that reflects its title so eloquently. Though it contains a step-by-step walkthrough of the Mass, this book is so much more than that. Mark Hart has poured his love of Christ and the Mass He instituted on these pages. While he hopes that the reader will grow to understand the Mass more fully, he also hopes that he will grow to love the Mass more fully as well.This is a great read for young and old, alike. I would recommend it for RCIA candidates, especially, but there is so much truth in here that will benefit cradle Catholics as well.

This book was provided to me for free by Word Among Us Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

The Mass (Image Books)

Back in May, I had the pleasure of reviewing Cardinal Wuerl's and Mike Aquilina's book The Church. (Click here if you're interested in reading the review.) In my reading of this work, I learned that it was actually a follow-up to the book The Mass. I desperately wanted to read this book, and I told myself that if the book became available to review again, I would jump at the chance. Luckily for me, Image Books recently re-released The Mass in a more affordable trade paperback format, so I saw my chance to review this book and seized the opportunity!

The Mass is the first in a series of books by Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Mike Aquilina which highlight key aspects of what make Catholics, well, Catholic. The book begins with a brief introduction on the Mass as being something we do. It is not merely some event we show up to observe but an active prayer we participate in fully. The book is divided into two parts. Part One highlights origins, history, and items used at Mass. Part Two walks us through the entire Mass part by part from the Procession to the Dismissal.

What I found the most fascinating in Part One was the history of the Mass. We all know that this Eucharistic celebration has its origins at the Last Supper. Historical aspects the normal Catholic doesn't know, e.g., the standardization during the Middle Ages, are BRIEFLY covered in this chapter. I wish there had been more pages devoted to the history of the Mass. However, I appreciate the authors acknowledging that it is impossible to cover the history in a few pages, let alone a few volumes, but I wish they would have suggested some further reading on this matter.

As opposed to picking a favorite chapter in Part Two, I picked a slew of them. To b e more specific, I really enjoyed the chapters that focused on the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which starts with the Offertory and ends with Holy Communion. This part of the Mass was one that I always wanted to understand and appreciate more, and this book definitely helped me grow in understanding. I got to read some of the prayers the priest says quietly over the chalice and when washing his hands. It was also interesting to note that when priest mixes the wine and water, it used to serve a purpose but now has several symbolic meanings, including the union of divine and human and the water and blood pouring forth from Christ's wounds.

This book is the perfect introduction to learning about the Mass and would make the perfect gift for people in RCIA or reverts looking to rediscover their Catholic faith. It is also a good read for faithful cradle Catholics just looking to deepen their love and understanding for the Mass. I believe it would also make a great gift for seminarians or new priests, though I'm sure veteran priests would enjoy it too. Basically, what I'm saying is that this book is a benefit to everyone. Once you get done reading this one, you should check out the sequel The Church. Hopefully, there will be a third book in this series in the near future.

This book was provided to me for free by Image Books. If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!

Image Books: The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth

Today I'm reviewing a book that had a profound impact on my journey to Catholicism - The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth. Some of my regular readers might be thinking, "But you converted over 10 years ago, why review the book now?" Well, I first read this book as an ebook before ebooks took off. This was before the iPad or Kindle and when the format was a PDF tied to your computer. Unfortunately, I lost that computer and thus the book as well. Fortunately, Blogging for Books had one available copy left to review, and I knew it had to be mine! I also thought that it would be neat to re-read it (a practice I don't normally participate in) and see how the same words would speak to me ten years after my conversion.

The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth is broken into three parts - "The Gift of the Mass," "The Revelation of Heaven," and "Revelation for the Masses." In the first part, Dr. Hahn explains how the book of Revelation never made sense to him as a Protestant. He also explains that when he first attended Mass, he started connecting the dots between Scripture and everything that was going on during Mass. Since, he was well-versed in his Bible, he was able to point out the Biblical basis for many points in the Mass. This is something your average Catholic could not do, so he showed one of the advantages of having a Protestant background. His brain was starting to tell him what his heart knew all along. Chapter Four is an essential for someone considering converting as he walks through the entire Mass, part-by-part.

In the second part, Dr. Hahn walks you through the book of Revelation. It isn't a verse-by-verse study, though I would be interested in reading that if Dr. Hahn ever wrote it. Instead, it covers some of the tougher passages and more argued about points. Some of these topics covered include the woman clothed in the sun, the number 666, the beasts, etc. He also talked about covenants and how the Israelites or "old Jerusalem" broke the covenant and a new covenant was formed with the Church or "new Jerusalem." In the third part, ancient liturgies are discussed as well as the importance of the Mass. We must remember that it is not just church we are going to, but we are entering Heaven on Earth.

Ten years later, this book still offers great truth and beauty. It is written in Dr. Hahn's personal and easy-to-understand style that so many of us converts relied upon to help us comprehend the truths of the Catholic Church. I remember that I had two major reservations on my path to Catholicism - the Eucharist and Mary. I am eternally grateful that Dr. Hahn wrote a book addressing each of these topics - The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth and Hail Holy Queen, respectively. So whether you are new to the faith or a seasoned veteran, I invite you to pick up this 5 star book. You won't be disappointed, and you will definitely learn something you didn't know before. I certainly did, both ten years ago and presently.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. If you'd like to know more about the book itself or Dr. Hahn, click the links below. As always, if you found this review helpful, click this link and hit Yes!

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Gingerbread House Publishing: The Weight of a Mass

When I originally started this blog, I thought the greatest joy I would receive was from reading books of a higher theology and further educating myself on the Catholic faith. I looked at it as an alternative to the Theology Degree I can't afford. Several months into my reviews though, I started receiving children's books to review and they have brought me more joy than I ever imagined they would. Today, I have a VERY special children's book to review courtesy of Gingerbread House Publishing.

The Weight of a Mass: A Tale of Faith is a gorgeous book written by Josephine Nobisso and illustrated by Katalin Szegedi. It reads like a fairy tale, but is based on a true story that happened in Luxembourg, which can be found in the back of the book. This tale focuses on a simple request from a poor widow to a stingy baker. In exchange for her Mass intention that night, all she wants is just one stale piece of bread. To no surprise, the baker refuses, and the rest of the book is spent with the baker trying to show the worth of one Mass compared to his baked goods. I won't spoil the ending for you, but it I will say that it doesn't disappoint.

In this book, your children will learn lessons on faith, generosity, and kindness. Most importantly though, they will learn that the Mass is something which has value that can never be equaled, let alone outweighed, by human means. Whether the author intended it or not, this tale is also a tale of vocation, and that can be used to at least put the idea in your young children's heads that being a priest or other religious is a beautiful vocation in life. In today's world, we tend to want our kids to be rich and successful when they grow up, but this reinforces the fact that true riches and success come from God. Let us never let our children lose sight of this fact.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, because I can't give it 10 out of 5 stars. The illustrations are beautiful, but the story is gorgeous! I also appreciate that she explains the allegory of each part of the story on the inside flaps. It illuminated illustrations of the story that I didn't even consider. This is a book that every Catholic family should have in their home. In fact, I'm tempted to buy a copy for every child that I have. As a bonus, if you order directly from the website, the author will autograph the book and personalize it to your child. I love that, and it's amazing to me when authors do these little personal things. Tune in next month for my review of the companion volume, Take it to the Queen: A Tale of Hope.

As always, if you found this review helpful, let me know by clicking the link and hitting Yes!