At what point does Mass actually begin?

[AngelusDomini]

I worry about being late because I want to be sure to fulfill my Sunday obligation. Since there doesn’t seem to be a clear guideline anymore on “how late is too late”, I get anxious if I’m even a minute late through my own fault (and it usually is my fault). In this case I was leaving the baby home with a family member, and he had fallen asleep on his tummy, so I tried to turn him on to his back without waking him up, and ended up leaving a couple minutes late and running into Church. I recognize that part of this is scruples, as the people I was running past made it into Mass after I did and they weren’t worried about it.

As the previous poster has mentioned the Introductory rites are a good benchmark to go by. And I don’t think it is your fault for being late at all as you’re caring for your little one. I’m certain that God would rather you be a few minutes late and attend to your child with such love as you do, than to rush things and wake him unnecessarily just to be there on the dot.

 

[John_Lilburne]

The Mass begins with the Introductory Rites and the first part of this is the Entrance.

Near the back of the Roman Missal there are four prayers under the heading “Preparation for Mass”. They are not part of it, they are preparation for it.

In the Ceremonial of Bishops, Chapter 1 it describes the Stational Mass of the Diocesan Bishop. Under the heading “Arrival and Preparation of the Bishop” it has things like the bishop washing his hands, putting on vestments, a deacon placing a miter on his head, the bishop putting incense in the censer and blessing it with the sign of the cross. Then under the heading “Introductory Rites” it has:
“128 As the entrance song is being sung, the procession moves from the vesting room (sacristy) to the sanctuary (chancel) in the following order:
– censerbearer carrying a censer with burning incense
– an acolyte carrying the cross …”.

Perhaps the blessing of the incense is a ceremony in preparation for the Mass, which begins with the Entrance, which begins with the first person in the procession leaving vesting room (sacristy).

Another approach would be posture of the congregation. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) has “43. The faithful should stand from the beginning of the Entrance Chant, or while the Priest approaches the altar, until the end of the Collect.” On this basis the Mass begins when the congregation are standing.

How do people know when to stand? In some places a bell is rung. Perhaps they see the entrance procession. Perhaps there is an announcement made like “Please stand and join in singing hymn number 44.” Perhaps this comes after a longer announcement like “Please make sure your mobile phones are on silent.”

Are these announcements part of the Mass or a preparation for the Mass? I would say a preparation. The Roman Missal does not describe the Mass as beginning with such an announcement. The GIRM has: “50. … After the greeting of the people, the Priest, or the Deacon, or a lay minister may very briefly introduce the faithful to the Mass of the day.” Obviously this introduction, at this time, is part of the Mass.

 

[Peebo]

I’ve always understood it to be at the entrance and singing of the opening hymn…another interesting point is at what precise point does the bread and wine actually become the body and blood ( transubstantiation) of our Lord…I believe it is at the exact moment when the priest holds up the wafer and says “this is my body”…the bell should ring at that precise moment also…the same applies when the priest hold up the chalise and says…“this is my blood”…again the bell will ring…I hope I’ve got that right.

 

[porthos11]

Is it at the start of the opening hymn or when the priest begins with the Sign of the Cross (for English Mass)? I have scruples about being late and missing Mass and arrived today during the opening hymn, but made it into my pew before Father spoke. Was I on time or a few minutes late? Thanks!

While there have already been good answers, perhaps we should ask instead: Let’s say you were indeed a few minutes late. What in this case concerns you?

You mentioned scruples. Maybe we shouldn’t be feeding them by answering your question outright. Maybe you should tell us why this particular case bothers you to begin with.

More than anything, your first objective is to conquer your scruples. So in your case, at the risk of sounding rude, the answers given are not really the good answers, even through they’re factually correct. A more appropriate answer, for you, might be, “So what?” or “What does it matter?”

I would not answer thusly to someone with a normal conscience. I would answer thus to the scrupulous.