Do I need to attend another mass?

[Roses192837]

Today I was late to mass by about 8 minutes, but I walked in during the second reading, so I missed a good chunk of the introduction. It wasn’t my fault, it was a complete accident that I showed up late.
Normally it wouldn’t be a big deal, I’m back home and there’s an evening mass close by, but it’s father’s day and my family expects me to be home to celebrate since I was gone for the entire morning. So I need to know if it’s absolutely necessary, you know?

 

[1ke]

Can you explain why you are unable to judge this for yourself? Are you a new Catholic?

 

[Antegin]

I was told that if you got there for the Gospel, you could stay and read the missed readings/psalms and you can confess the venial sin of being late for mass.

 

[Jennifoo]

Hello there. If you can honestly say that it was a complete accident then why worry? Hope you were able to get your mind off being late and really pray the Mass. God bless you.

 

[GoGoDiego]

I am really strict when I come for Mass. When I come to Mass late, and when I mean by late the Mass has already started, I wait for the next Mass. So if you are really a puritan when it comes to that, do attend Mass later in the evening.

 

[coachkfan1]

Just to weigh in on this if u were truly late by accident this one time I wouldn’t worry about it. But I tell u that it truly bothers me when people are perpetually let late to Mass! It is distracting during the readings for everybody to have to move over while the Scriptures are being read. I find it extremely disrespectful and to those people I ask, are late to your job on a regular basis? I seriously doubt it because u know that u would be fired. So then I ask, do u love God or mammon?

 

[mdgspencer]

Normally, after missing the first part of the mass, I would go to another mass. However, if there is a good reason for not being able to go to the later mass like yours, I wouldn’t worry about it.
I wouldn’t think that not knowing about this involves a strange lack of knowledge. I have been a Catholic for more than 50 years and priest’s haven’t spoken about Catholics being late for mass for decades. More than 50 years ago Catholics were told it is sinful to miss a good part of the mass (if it is your fault), but this isn’t being explained since then.

 

[1ke]

I was told that if you got there for the Gospel, you could stay and read the missed readings/psalms and you can confess the venial sin of being late for mass.

There is no such “there for the Gospel” rule. There are many “guidelines” helpful priest and others try to give to people, but the fact is there simply is NOTHING in canon law, mass rubrics, or anywhere else that defines when one is “too late” for mass.

Whether being late is something that needs to be confessed or not depends entirely upon the circumstances of the lateness.

This is simply something only the OP can judge for herself, or if unable to do so should take to her priest in confession.

 

[Jennifoo]

There is no such “there for the Gospel” rule. There are many “guidelines” helpful priest and others try to give to people, but the fact is there simply is NOTHING in canon law, mass rubrics, or anywhere else that defines when one is “too late” for mass.

Whether being late is something that needs to be confessed or not depends entirely upon the circumstances of the lateness.

This is simply something only the OP can judge for herself, or if unable to do so should take to her priest in confession.

I’ve never heard any hard and fast rules as to how late is yoo late and I’ve been Catholic for 18 years

What I have heard is that Catholics must examine themselves as to WHY they were late as that would determine if there was any sin. That is what I tried to convey in my post, based on what the OP stated. If it was truly an accident there may be no sin involved.

 

[Angel_Bradford]

There is no such “there for the Gospel” rule. There are many “guidelines” helpful priest and others try to give to people, but the fact is there simply is NOTHING in canon law, mass rubrics, or anywhere else that defines when one is “too late” for mass.

Whether being late is something that needs to be confessed or not depends entirely upon the circumstances of the lateness.

This is simply something only the OP can judge for herself, or if unable to do so should take to her priest in confession.