I consider any book a must-read that makes someone like me who would already answer the question in the book’s title with a resounding, emphatic Yes! even more interested in participating in the Mass. As a cradle Catholic who has never wanted to miss Mass, I read this book not expecting to learn anything new. Actually, I was pitching my own book idea to one of the authors, Matthew Pinto, who also happens to be ahead of Ascension Press, so I purchased a copy of it to become more familiar with what he writes and publishes.I was pleasantly surprised when this relatively short, easy-to-read book included information about the Mass and Church history which I hadn’t come across elsewhere. I thought a book with a title including a question you’d expect to hear as a whine coming out of a teen’s mouth, a cover with an adolescent still in bed (presumably on a Sunday morning), and a question-and-answer format very much geared towards teens and young adults wouldn’t teach me anything new or make a devout Catholic even more drawn to the blessing of the Mass. Once in a while, it’s nice to be proven wrong.
Do I Have To Go? covers the basics of what’s behind the things that are said and done at Mass, but it also include quotes from Scripture and saints about the significance of the Mass in terms of life, spirituality, and growing closer to God.
I highly recommend this book for teens, young adults, and those who work with them, but I’d also give it to adults who have fallen away from the Church or who have just come into it and could use some extra info on the importance and draw of participating in Mass.
You can purchase this book here. I wrote this review of Do I Have To Go? for the Tiber River Blogger Review program. Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases. I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.
