What makes Praying the Mass: The Prayers of the People different from other guides to the Mass already in existence? There are a number of features in the presentation and content in Praying the Mass that clearly set it apart from books like it. I will update this list as additional features come to mind.
- It provides the new English translation of the texts of the Mass. Praying the Mass is, to my knowledge, the first catechetical guide using the new translation. Others will follow, for certain, but I hope the quality and content of my book sets a high bar for future publications.
- It highlights the changed texts. In the left margin of the text, changes to the current translation are marked with a clear visual cue (»).
- It provides the Latin text along with the English text. Faithful to the Church's call for the preservation of Latin in the Latin (Roman) Rite, the book includes the normative Latin text (with accents marks for assistance in pronunciation) above the English translation. This is also helpful because it shows how accurately the new translation renders the Latin.
- It provides an abundance of Scripture annotations. Virtually every prayer of the Mass is supplemented with interlinear Scripture annotations, more than are found in the USCCB's study copy of the Ordinary of the Mass and every other resource I have come across. A lot of the annotations are the work of my personal Scriptural research.
- A catechesis on the Nicene Creed. Every catechism I've read deals with the Apostles' Creed. In my research for Praying the Mass, I sought out explanations for some of the phrases found in the Nicene Creed that are "overlooked" in catechisms, such as "Light from Light."
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