A Biblical Way of Praying the Mass: The Eucharistic Wisdom of Venerable Bruno Lanteri

by Fr. Timothy Gallagher

How many times have you attended Mass and desired that it more fully touched your heart? You find that everyday worries and to-do lists distract from its prayers, the readings vanish from memory, and even the consecration and Communion pass by in a moment. Too often, the Mass feels like a missed opportunity for grace.

To help you fully tap into the abundance of grace offered at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Fr. Timothy Gallagher resurrects here the teachings of Venerable Bruno Lanteri. A holy priest seeking to root himself in prayer during the turbulence of war and persecution in northern Italy, Venerable Bruno developed a biblical way of praying the Mass that transforms it into a true prayer of the heart.

Fr. Gallagher discovered this method of praying the Mass forty-five years ago, and it has been a blessing for him ever since. He now shares this method with you. Through a selection of biblical figures, he invites you live each part of the Mass with these figure’s sentiments and hearts.

Genres: Catholic

150 pages, Paperback

Published January 21, 2021

Reviews

[C.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST. BOOK. EVER.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book’s final pages conclude with a beautiful excerpt from St. Thérèse of Lisieux, written to her friend (who is married and a mother):

“They have passed away, for us both the blessed days of our childhood. We are at the serious stage of life; the road we are following is difficult; however, the goal is the same. Both of us have only one same purpose: to live holy in the way God has …. out for us.”

It’s true. As a young woman, I have entered the serious stage of life where I no longer can hold onto childish ambitions or thought. But what’s so comforting is that my purpose as a woman, as a person really, remains the same: to live a holy life. It is a joy to know that my friends, whether discerning religious life or marriage, and I share this same purpose, uniting us on our individual journeys.

Overall, this is a such a great read to start off my 2025. Definitely recommend.

[Rose Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Venerable Bruno Lanteri explains the parts of the mass through people in the Bible. He suggests we try to understand the hearts of these people in order to better participate in the mass. To begin he says to think of Simeon who waited so many years for the Messiah on our way to mass. Be one with the angels during the Santus. The author gives good concrete advice on how to concentrate during mass. This book has already become a help to me in not becoming distracted during Mass. It is one of those books that can be read many times.

[Stacey Modrusan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fulfilling read. This gives me some different ways to go about how I approach and participate in the Mass. Short book, but will take a little while to go through as there are different exercises to pray, and you’ll want to go back and reread parts.

[Justin Kortuem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent way to approach Mass and fully engage.

[Luke Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly excellent. I will be recommending this book often.

[Joanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I think this book offered some wonderful ideas for how someone like me can get more out of praying the Mass, much of this book felt a bit simplistic to me.