Explore Alto
Use code TCMS10 to get 10% off Alto.
The Catholic Man Show
The Short Version
Alto is a monthly prayer book from Ascension, the publisher behind The Bible in a Year and The Catechism in a Year podcasts. Each issue holds the daily Mass readings, official Morning and Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, a daily saint and reflection, a monthly novena, and a short Bible study. It arrives in your mailbox once a month, fits in one hand, and has no screen.
Ascension built it around one line: “Just open Alto and pray.” This guide covers what’s inside, what it costs, when your first issue arrives, and how to decide if it fits the way you pray.
What Is Alto?
Alto is a print periodical, published monthly, for Catholics who want a daily habit of prayer tied to the liturgical life of the Church. The name comes from the motto of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, “verso l’alto,” which means “to the heights.”
According to Ascension, Alto is the only Catholic periodical that contains both the daily Mass readings and the official text of the Liturgy of the Hours. Each issue goes through four reviews before it prints:
A general review by the USCCB
A liturgical text review by the Secretariat of Divine Worship
A rights and usage review by ICEL
An imprimatur review through the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
What’s Inside Each Issue
Every day of the month has its own pages, laid out in the order you’ll use them:
Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours
The daily Mass readings, with the Order of the Mass printed for reference
A daily saint feature
A daily reflection from saints and trusted authors, including Fr. Mike Schmitz
Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours
Each month also includes:
A monthly novena
A mini Bible study
Liturgical living essays from Kendra Tierney Norton on feasts, seasons, and family traditions
Articles, book excerpts, and extra prayers
[ADAM: one or two sentences on your October copy. What page do you use most, and where does the book live in your house?]
Monthly Themes
Each issue is built around a theme, so the reflections, novena, and study all point the same direction.
October 2026: The Parables
November 2026: The Last Things (death, judgment, heaven, hell, and purgatory, in step with the month of the faithful departed)
December 2026: Joy to the World, including printed adaptations of Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Advent reflections for November 29 through Christmas Day
Ascension publishes later themes as each issue approaches. We’ll add them here as they’re announced.
Size, Format, and Print
Alto is a 5 by 7 inch paperback, about three quarters of an inch to an inch thick depending on the month. The prayers and readings are set in 10 point type. It’s print only. Ascension does not offer a digital edition, though some features are available to premium Ascension app subscribers.
That last point is the whole idea for a lot of us. A book does one thing. When it’s in your hands, you’re praying, and the phone stays in the other room. We wrote more about that in A Daily Prayer Companion for the Man Who Wants to Put Down His Phone.
Price and Discounts
Standard: $109.99 a year (about $9.17 a month, billed annually)
With an annual Ascension app subscription: $75 a year (about $6.25 a month). This applies to paid annual app subscribers only. Free premium access does not qualify.
Our code: TCMS10 takes an extra 10% off your first year.
Parishes, schools, and ministries: bulk orders get a discount and combined shipping, starting with the November 2026 edition.
We break down the numbers in Is Alto Worth It? Price, App Discount, and Who It’s For.
When Your First Issue Arrives
Alto is printed ahead of time, so a new subscription takes 4 to 8 weeks to start. Issues mail around the 25th of the month before the month they cover. Each edition also has a final sale date. Current dates from Ascension, subject to change:
December 2026 edition: subscribe by November 3, 2026
January 2027 edition: subscribe by December 6, 2026
If you want the December issue with Fr. Mike’s Advent reflections, November 3 is the date to watch. Alto ships to U.S. addresses only.
Who Alto Is For
Alto fits you if:
You want to pray every day and keep losing the thread
You’ve wanted to try the Liturgy of the Hours but the ribbons and the four-week psalter scared you off
You pray better without a screen in your hand
You want the Mass readings in your pocket for daily Mass or a lunch break
It may not be the right fit if you already pray from a full breviary and daily missal, if you need a digital edition, or if you live outside the United States.
How to Start
Go to our Alto link and choose your plan.
Enter code TCMS10 for 10% off your first year.
Pick a time and a chair. Before the coffee finishes works for most men.
When the book arrives, open to today’s date and pray Morning Prayer. That’s day one.
If you’ve never prayed the Hours, start with Morning and Night Prayer for Beginners, No Breviary Needed. For the habit itself, see How to Build a Daily Prayer Habit Without Overcomplicating It.
Our Alto Guides
Alto vs. Magnificat: Which Catholic Prayer Companion Is Right for You?
Alto Review: What’s Inside Ascension’s New Prayer Companion
Is Alto Worth It? Price, App Discount, and Who It’s For
Morning and Night Prayer for Beginners, No Breviary Needed
A Printed Advent Prayer Companion for the Whole Season
A Prayerful Way to Enter November and Remember the Faithful Departed
A Catholic Gift That Encourages Daily Prayer After the Holidays
How to Build a Daily Prayer Habit Without Overcomplicating It
A Daily Prayer Companion for the Man Who Wants to Put Down His Phone
Frequently Asked Questions
Who publishes Alto?
Ascension, the Catholic publisher behind The Bible in a Year and The Catechism in a Year podcasts.
Does Alto include the Liturgy of the Hours?
Yes. Each day includes the official Morning Prayer and Night Prayer. It does not include Evening Prayer or the Office of Readings.
Is there a digital version of Alto?
No. Alto is print only. Some features are available to premium Ascension app subscribers.
How much does Alto cost?
$109.99 a year, or $75 a year for paid annual Ascension app subscribers. Code TCMS10 takes 10% off your first year.
How long until my first issue arrives?
Plan on 4 to 8 weeks. Issues mail around the 25th of the month before the month they cover.
Can I order Alto outside the United States?
Not right now. Ascension’s ecclesiastical permissions currently cover the U.S. only.
Can my parish or men’s group order in bulk?
Yes. Bulk orders for parishes, schools, ministries, and events get a discount and combined shipping, starting with the November 2026 edition.
Just Open Alto and Pray
Most of us don’t need another plan for prayer. We need a book that’s already open to today. Explore Alto through our link, use code TCMS10, and subscribe by November 3 if you want the December edition with Fr. Mike’s Advent reflections.
