In his new book, “A Short History of the Roman Mass,” Father Michael Lang, a priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri and professor of theology, offers a detailed and accessible overview of the historical development of the Mass from its origins to the present day.
In an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Lang, who is from London, shared his motivations for writing the book and the importance of the liturgy in the life of the Catholic Church.
“I am certainly passionate about liturgy; it is my main research interest,” said Lang, who holds a doctorate in theology from the University of Oxford and is a former consultant to the Holy See. He also explained that his passion for liturgy has been a constant driving force in his academic and pastoral life.
This interest led him to explore in depth the history of Christian worship, moving away from his initial studies in patristics to focus on the Roman rite of the Mass.
“This book is really the abbreviated and more popular version of a larger monograph I published in 2022 on the history of the stable core of the rite, beginning with the origins of the Eucharist and ending at the Council of Trent in the 16th century,” he said.
The priest emphasized that the basic structure of the Mass and its evolution over time are key elements in his work: “I focus on the basic structure of the Mass. I answer [the questions], ‘Why is the structure of the Mass the way it is? How did it develop? How did the pieces come together?’”
Continuity of today’s Mass with Jesus at the Last Supper
Through his research, Lang seeks to show how, despite historical and cultural transformations, “the essential continuity ... takes us back to the time of the apostles and to Jesus at the Last Supper.”
Asked about the relevance of this topic today, Lang stressed that “the liturgy of worship is really at the heart of what the Church does: It is the worship of God from which everything else flows.”
“As Vatican II so rightly said, especially the Eucharist, the Mass, is the most important act of worship and the most important of the sacraments.”
He also said that understanding historical development is crucial to full participation in the liturgy.
“History is very important to our understanding of the faith. We believe that God revealed himself in history… and the history of the Church is important to us,” Lang explained.
According to the priest, this historical awareness also “helps you enter into the prayers of the Mass, it helps you to make these prayers your own, to make them part of your own spiritual life.”
The aim of the book, according to the author, is to provide Catholics with a tool that will enable them to better understand the liturgy and, consequently, to participate more consciously in it.
“I hope that my little book will help readers to have an idea of this and that it will make their participation in the Mass more fruitful,” Lang concluded.
The book can be purchased on Amazon.
By Diego Lopez Marina
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, Catholic News Agency's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.