Catholic artist, designer illustrates guide to Mass

(Photos provided/”Mass Explained”)

MIAMI, Fla.—The website for “Mass Explained,” a richly-illustrated guide to the Catholic Mass, poses a question: If a picture is worth 1,000 words, how valuable are several hundred?

Valuable enough to spend 30 years delving into the Church’s inheritance of sacred art, author and designer Dan Gonzalez recounts. Those 30 years have been in pursuit of describing the beauty of the liturgy. 

In his author biography, Gonzalez writes of the Mass: “It is the holiest thing we can do on earth. The greatest mystery. The most perfect form of prayer. A most inconceivable act of love!”  

Yet many who attend want — or need — to learn more, he learned firsthand when his faith was tested in college. 

So he set out to create a detailed walk through the Mass. “Mass Explained” explores the source of its prayers, the meaning of its postures and the development of its vessels and vestments. The printed book is over 500 full-color pages split into 43 chapters, each with a chapter overview and questions. 

The book can be used as a study text in schools, parishes and homes. “Mass Explained” was granted a Nihil Obstat from Rev. Msgr. Dariusz J. Zielonka, J.C.D., Chancellor for Canonical Affairs; and received an Imprimatur from Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami. These declarations mark the book as free from doctrinal error. 

Not your average textbook (or app)

A quick visit to the project website, www.MassExplained.com, reveals a wealth of Catholic imagery and design.

The book is far from a gray, wordy textbook. Its pages are full of Catholic art from artists like Caravaggio and Michelangelo. Concise infographics make Biblical history easy to understand. The work of professional liturgical photographers illustrates points of the Mass. 

(Graphics/"Mass Explained" App)

The project’s corresponding app is designed with the same sense of care and beauty. The large app (requiring 325 MB of free space) can be run on the Apple iPad 2 and up, Android tablets and Web readers. 

Catholic artistic value

For Gonzalez, the project’s artistic quality isn’t a nicety. He sees beauty as a way to evangelize.

During his studies at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), he saw the power of art in communicating ideas. It was also there that he found his drive: the cradle Catholic joined a non-denominational Bible study group, which initially welcomed him but later rejected him for his Catholic faith.

Today he is a member of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Miami Lakes, where he lives with his wife and two children. He serves in Scripture programs and lay ministry groups. 

How to buy the book and support the project

On Feb. 1, a 30-day crowdfunding campaign began on Kickstarter to fund the book’s printing. The campaign aimed to raise $8,000. Thankfully, the campaign was a success, raising over $39,000. That success means that the book will be printed. 

To purchase copies, visit https://www.massexplained.com/ and click the round button that reads "Buy the Book" at the top of the page (pictured below). The book is softcover and its regular price is $59.99 (prices may be discounted). Shipping is within the United States only and will begin in August 2024. 

(Observer screengrab)

If you're looking for the contents of the book sooner, you can try the "Mass Explained" app, which costs $24.99 (educational discounts are available). And, as the website says, "No tablet? No problem." If you don't have an iPad, but have a computer, you can open a web browser on your computer and use the website's Web Viewer for unlimited access to the interactive online text. 

Info: www.MassExplained.com, https://massexplainedapp.com/

—“Mass Explained.” Dan Gonzalez, Agnus Press (2024). 560 pp., $59.99. Nihil Obstat from Rev. Msgr. Dariusz J. Zielonka and Imprimatur from Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski.