Turned Around: Replying to Common Objections Against the Traditional Latin Mass

The book begins with a supremely fitting quotation from Isaiah 45: “And I will give thee hidden treasures, and the concealed riches of secret places: that thou mayest know that I am the Lord who call thee by the name, the God of Israel.” In Turned Around, Dr. Kwasniewski goes a long way toward helping us understand and appreciate what the Lord extends to us through liturgical providence. By humbly and confidently receiving the Roman Rite’s treasures, we are led to deeper knowledge and love of God, as I was by reading this book. Each chapter begins by summarizing objections to the traditional Roman Rite, such as: “The priest has his back to me. I can’t engage with him”; “There’s so much repetition. Do we have to say things three times or more?”; “We read a lot more of the Bible in the Novus Ordo, so it’s clearly better.”; “The Mass is in a foreign language. I can’t follow it.” While some of his other books take a more polemical and confrontational approach (which certainly has its place), here Kwasniewski maintains a gentle tone throughout. Like St. Thomas Aquinas, he sympathizes with well-meaning objectors, conceding whatever truth their assertions contain before “turning around” their arguments. With irrefutable logic, often supplemented by quotations from saints, popes, and other traditional sources, he explains that—contrary to belief of the 1960s reformers—the Church knew what she was doing in carefully developing, then zealously maintaining, the Vetus Ordo (traditional Latin Mass). Between Kwasniewski’s many published works, I have read thousands of pages of his writings, and I can confidently say that this is some of his absolute best. Much of it is drawn from lectures he has given around the world, but they have been refined to preserve only the most potent arguments in defense of tradition, the most compelling analyses of the modern mentality hidden behind common objections, and the most enriching spiritual meditations on the beauty and goodness of sacred liturgy. The latter is seamlessly woven into his arguments and is indeed essential to it. For instance, in response to the claim that the traditional lectionary is stingy on Scripture, he says that “the novelty of the multi-year cycles and the monumental fact of ‘more Scripture’ distracted attention from the subtler question of what was lost in the transition” (153). What was lost includes “the function of Scripture in the Eucharistic sacrifice, the internal cohesion of the Mass as an ecosystem, the psychology of memory, the natural unit of the year, the due place of the sanctoral cycle, the spiritual role of difficult passages” (157), and more, each of which he treats in turn, with various and specific examples. I was especially struck by his reflection on the liturgical role of Scripture in pointing us to Christ and preparing us to unite ourselves with His sacrifice. While Scripture leads us deeper into liturgy, the traditional liturgy likewise opens up Scripture to us in new ways: “The very language of liturgy in all its dimensions is a continual exegesis of Scripture, a living and penetrating presentation of the mysteries of faith to the eyes of the soul” (240). Again and again, Kwasniewski writes in a way that not only concisely and engagingly convinces one of his claims but offers an abundance of material for meditation in the process. If you currently subscribe to any content-based objections against the old Mass, this book is for you; you will surely learn something about the Roman Rite, and you might just come away agreeing with Kwasniewski’s conclusions. If you already agree with the distinctive characteristics of the old Mass, this book is for you, too; Turned Around will give you a newfound appreciation for the treasures hidden in the Mass and equip you with new ways to fruitfully assist at it. Then, buy a few copies for your less-than-convinced friends or relatives. This is, hands down, the best book for naysayers or skeptics of the Vetus Ordo. As Kwasniewski reminds us, “The sacred liturgy is the gateway to the mystery of Christ, the best and most perfect way He has left for drawing near to Him in our pilgrimage. The liturgy is the pinnacle, the exemplar, of all human activity, and at the same time, the home where men open their souls to God’s divinizing action” (238). Hence, it behooves us to read books like this one and apply its lessons to our lives, the fruits of which we will reap in eternity.

The book begins with a supremely fitting quotation from Isaiah 45: “And I will give thee hidden treasures, and the concealed riches of secret places: that thou mayest know that I am the Lord who call thee by the name, the God of Israel.” In Turned Around, Dr. Kwasniewski goes a long way toward helping us understand and appreciate what the Lord extends to us through liturgical providence. By humbly and confidently receiving the Roman Rite’s treasures, we are led to deeper knowledge and love of God, as I was by reading this book. Each chapter begins by summarizing objections to the traditional Roman Rite, such as: “The priest has his back to me. I can’t engage with him”; “There’s so much repetition. Do we have to say things three times or more?”; “We read a lot more of the Bible in the Novus Ordo, so it’s clearly better.”; “The Mass is in a foreign language. I can’t follow it.” While some of his other books take a more polemical and confrontational approach (which certainly has its place), here Kwasniewski maintains a gentle tone throughout. Like St. Thomas Aquinas, he sympathizes with well-meaning objectors, conceding whatever truth their assertions contain before “turning around” their arguments. With irrefutable logic, often supplemented by quotations from saints, popes, and other traditional sources, he explains that—contrary to belief of the 1960s reformers—the Church knew what she was doing in carefully developing, then zealously maintaining, the Vetus Ordo (traditional Latin Mass). Between Kwasniewski’s many published works, I have read thousands of pages of his writings, and I can confidently say that this is some of his absolute best. Much of it is drawn from lectures he has given around the world, but they have been refined to preserve only the most potent arguments in defense of tradition, the most compelling analyses of the modern mentality hidden behind common objections, and the most enriching spiritual meditations on the beauty and goodness of sacred liturgy. The latter is seamlessly woven into his arguments and is indeed essential to it. For instance, in response to the claim that the traditional lectionary is stingy on Scripture, he says that “the novelty of the multi-year cycles and the monumental fact of ‘more Scripture’ distracted attention from the subtler question of what was lost in the transition” (153). What was lost includes “the function of Scripture in the Eucharistic sacrifice, the internal cohesion of the Mass as an ecosystem, the psychology of memory, the natural unit of the year, the due place of the sanctoral cycle, the spiritual role of difficult passages” (157), and more, each of which he treats in turn, with various and specific examples. I was especially struck by his reflection on the liturgical role of Scripture in pointing us to Christ and preparing us to unite ourselves with His sacrifice. While Scripture leads us deeper into liturgy, the traditional liturgy likewise opens up Scripture to us in new ways: “The very language of liturgy in all its dimensions is a continual exegesis of Scripture, a living and penetrating presentation of the mysteries of faith to the eyes of the soul” (240). Again and again, Kwasniewski writes in a way that not only concisely and engagingly convinces one of his claims but offers an abundance of material for meditation in the process. If you currently subscribe to any content-based objections against the old Mass, this book is for you; you will surely learn something about the Roman Rite, and you might just come away agreeing with Kwasniewski’s conclusions. If you already agree with the distinctive characteristics of the old Mass, this book is for you, too; Turned Around will give you a newfound appreciation for the treasures hidden in the Mass and equip you with new ways to fruitfully assist at it. Then, buy a few copies for your less-than-convinced friends or relatives. This is, hands down, the best book for naysayers or skeptics of the Vetus Ordo. As Kwasniewski reminds us, “The sacred liturgy is the gateway to the mystery of Christ, the best and most perfect way He has left for drawing near to Him in our pilgrimage. The liturgy is the pinnacle, the exemplar, of all human activity, and at the same time, the home where men open their souls to God’s divinizing action” (238). Hence, it behooves us to read books like this one and apply its lessons to our lives, the fruits of which we will reap in eternity.

This is a work of absolute perfection, showing why Professor Kwasniewski is the greatest Catholic apologist/scholar in this our time in salvation history. If I may extrapolate the title of chapter 10, throughout the work he most thoroughly explains why the Traditional Latin Mass is the Faith and the Faith is the Traditional Latin Mass. Particularly in this time of the horrific smoke of Satan infiltrating the Vatican with heretic apostacy, this book precisely shows the only way Holy Mother Church can return to her true mission. Each and every soul calling himself Catholic would do well to read, study, and, in fact, pray this holy work given to us by a holy scholar. Bruce Teich, MD 01/14/2025

As a Catholic mom passionate about sharing the richness of our faith with my kids, I found Turned Around to be a compelling and thought-provoking read. The author tackles common objections to the Traditional Latin Mass with clarity and charity, offering insights rooted in Church teaching and tradition. What I appreciated most was the respectful tone! It’s not about creating division but fostering understanding. The book provides a solid foundation for anyone trying to explain or deepen their appreciation for the Latin Mass, whether you’re a seasoned attendee or just starting to explore it. For me, it was a reminder of how beauty and reverence in worship can draw us closer to God. I even found myself thinking of ways to incorporate some of these themes into how I introduce the Mass to my kids in our homeschooling. If you’re looking to deepen your knowledge or address questions about the Latin Mass with confidence, this is an excellent resource. I highly recommend it!

As prodigious a writer as Peter Kwasniewski is, with many fine works, this one is perhaps the best. He elegantly explains the background for the traditional Latin mass as well as a liturgy in general. His writing is pure delight and the book is exquisitely researched and footnoted.

The book begins with a supremely fitting quotation from Isaiah 45: “And I will give thee hidden treasures, and the concealed riches of secret places: that thou mayest know that I am the Lord who call thee by the name, the God of Israel.” While Kwasniewski is not the origin of the Roman Rite’s treasures, in Turned Around he goes a long way toward helping us understand and appreciate what the Lord extends to us through liturgical providence. By humbly and confidently receiving these treasures, we are led to deeper knowledge and love of God, as I was by reading this book. Each chapter begins by summarizing objections to the traditional Roman Rite, such as: “The priest has his back to me. I can’t engage with him”; “There’s so much repetition. Do we have to say things three times or more?”; “We read a lot more of the Bible in the Novus Ordo, so it’s clearly better.”; “The Mass is in a foreign language. I can’t follow it.” While some of his other books take a more polemical and confrontational approach (which certainly has its place), here Kwasniewski maintains a gentle tone throughout. Like St. Thomas Aquinas, he sympathizes with well-meaning objectors, conceding whatever truth their assertions contain before “turning around” their arguments. With irrefutable logic, often supplemented by quotations from saints, popes, and other traditional sources, he explains that—contrary to belief of the 1960s reformers—the Church knew what she was doing in carefully developing, then zealously maintaining, the Vetus Ordo (traditional Latin Mass). Between Kwasniewsi’s many published works, I have read thousands of pages of his writings, and I can confidently say that this is some of his absolute best. Much of it is drawn from lectures he has given around the world, but they have been refined to preserve only the most potent arguments in defense of tradition, the most compelling analyses of the modern mentality hidden behind common objections, and the most enriching spiritual meditations on the beauty and goodness of sacred liturgy. The latter is seamlessly woven into his arguments and is indeed essential to it. For instance, in response to the claim that the traditional lectionary is stingy on Scripture, he says that “the novelty of the multi-year cycles and the monumental fact of ‘more Scripture’ distracted attention from the subtler question of what was lost in the transition” (153). What was lost includes “the function of Scripture in the Eucharistic sacrifice, the internal cohesion of the Mass as an ecosystem, the psychology of memory, the natural unit of the year, the due place of the sanctoral cycle, the spiritual role of difficult passages” (157), and more, each of which he treats in turn, with various and specific examples. I was especially struck by his reflection on the liturgical role of Scripture in pointing us to Christ and preparing us to unite ourselves with His sacrifice. While Scripture leads us deeper into liturgy, the traditional liturgy likewise opens up Scripture to us in new ways: “The very language of liturgy in all its dimensions is a continual exegesis of Scripture, a living and penetrating presentation of the mysteries of faith of the eyes of the soul” (240). Again and again, Kwasniewski writes in a way that not only concisely and engagingly convinces one of his claims but offers an abundance of material for mediation in the process. If you currently subscribe to any content-based objections against the old Mass, this book is for you; you will surely learn something about the Roman Rite, and you might just come away agreeing with Kwasniewski’s conclusions. If you already agree with the distinctive characteristics of the old Mass, this book is for you, too; Turned Around will give you a newfound appreciation for the treasures hidden in the Mass and equip you with new ways to fruitfully assist at it. Then, buy a few copies for your less-than-convinced friends or relatives. This is, hands down, the best book for naysayers or skeptics of the Vetus Ordo. As Kwasniewski reminds us, “The sacred liturgy is the gateway to the mystery of Christ, the best and most perfect way He has left for drawing near to Him in our pilgrimage. The liturgy is the pinnacle, the exemplar, of all human activity, and at the same time, the home where men open their souls to God’s divinizing action” (238). Hence, it behooves us to read books like this one and apply its lessons to our lives, the fruits of which we will reap in eternity.

Better than I expected.

Haven't yet read it--it's in my queue. The rating is for my expectations-- both for the topic and the author.

Absolutely loving the “Q&A” style of this book! It covers common questions such as “Why is the priest separated from the people?” and explains everything in such an easy-to-understand way.