Book Review: Catholic Mass for Dummies

One of the things that struck me about Catholic Mass for Dummies is its versatility.  Whether you are a cradle Catholic, a recent convert, or just someone who is curious about the Catholic Mass, you are bound to learn something from this book.  Just as with any For Dummies book, you can open this book having minimal knowledge on the topic at hand and come away from it knowing enough to carry on a conversation.

In this book readers will learn about the structure of the Mass.  You'll get a good explanation of why Catholics do what they do during Mass.  You'll also learn about the different Catholic rites, the different forms of the Mass and much more.

I teach religious education at my parish and I liked that this book doesn't just cover the order of the Mass.  It covers the reasons for the liturgical colors, it discusses the objects used during Mass, and the things you'll see when you enter a Catholic church.  It's great as a primer for someone who's new to the Catholic faith or as a refresher for someone who either can't remember what he was taught in CCD or was never taught about it at all.

I was happy to see that this book covers the upcoming changes to the Mass responses.  A sufficient explanation is given for the changes.  Since a vast majority of Catholics are unaware that these changes are coming in November, this book could serve as a as good resource and a nice jumping off point for gaining a better understanding of the Mass.

While this isn't the best book I have read on the Mass, it is a decent book that offers plenty of information on both the Mass and Catholicism.

This review was written as part of the Amazon Vine review program.  I was provided with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  To learn more about this book or to read excerpts please visit the Catholic Mass for Dummies product page.