The Mass Book for Children

Book cover: The Mass Book for Children
Author(s): 
Rosemarie Gortler
Donna Piscitelli
Illustrator(s): 
Mimi Sternhagen
Number of pages: 
48 pages
Copyright: 
2004
ISBN: 
9781592760756
Publisher: 
Our Sunday Visitor
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 

This little booklet is a colorfully illustrated and simply written explanation of what happens during the Mass and why. It is broken up into seven main sections: "The Mass Begins!", "The Introductory Rite", "The Penitential Rite", "The Liturgy of the Word", "The Profession of Faith", "The Liturgy of the Eucharist", and "The Concluding Rite". Rather than a missal for children, this is intended to be used outside of Church in preparation to understand the Mass better. (It would be particularly effective when used with the Miniature Mass Kit. Each page of text is highlighted with an appropriate quote from the Bible.

Here is a little sample:

Everyone, get on your knees!

The consecration is about to happen!

This is the most solemn part of the Mass, so we pay close attention.

Father prays over the bread and wine and asks all the angels and saints to join us in our prayer to God.

Father asks the Holy Spirit to come and change this bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus!

Watch carefully. Father takes the bread in his hands and, lifting it up to God, he uses Jesus' own words:

Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you."

Father holds the bread become Jesus up very high, showing it to all of us.

At that moment, all the angels in heaven are rejoicing! We bow our heads and offer a prayer to our great God.

(pg. 30, emphasis in original) This is a very child-friendly, orthodox introduction to the Holy Mass for young children - especially preschool through second grade.
Perspective: 
Catholic
Additional notes: 

Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
4-5-05