Warbler said:

looking forward to it.

I'm afraid I can't type up a good answer to you myself, since I've got a 2500 word essay to write, but I'll link you to some relevant Wikipedia articles. The smoke and metal thing you were talking about is incense, which is used occasionally (or often--depending on the culture and region) in Catholic worship.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_use_of_incense#Christianity

The book you were talking about is probably the Lectionary, containing all Sunday readings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lectionary

If it was on the altar rather than being carried in the procession and placed on the ambo (the pulpit), then it was the Roman Missal, containing all the prayers said in the Mass throughout the year, though those are usually red:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Missal

Feel free to ask further questions that aren't answered by the articles, but don't expect a quick answer.

Twister, I'll get back to you...eventually.