A Short History of the Roman Mass

A Short History of the Roman Mass by Michael Davies is a cute and quite able 50 page booklet that briefly describes the life of one of the most important aspects of Catholic life: the Mass. I surprised to discover that not only was the Roman Rite one of four rites, but it actually dates back to the days of St. Gregory the Great (590-604) and some of the integral portions, i.e. communion, consecration, and the cleaning of one's hands went back to the days of the Apostles. The Roman Rite has come a long way and Mr. Davies does an excellent job of explaining important and faithful additions to the mass over the centuries. Finally, this booklet ends with the Missal of St. Pius V and how it lasted four centuries before the Missal of Paul VI arrived.

A genuine and fun read on my behalf. I would recommend this booklet for those who live fast-paced lives and don't have time to delve deep into what additions to the mass were good or not. This is much better suited for those who yearn to understand the mass of our Christian ancestors and that the current form has been the accumulation of centuries of faithful adoration.