Getting to Ash Wednesday Mass Late

[mellowcalico]

I originally wasn’t going to go to Mass tonight because I just can’t make it the times my Church has scheduled. they had two Masses this morning (when I was at work) and one this evening (which I will be late to if I go… I mean about 10-15 minutes late to probably an hour+ Mass (our typical Mass runs about an hour… so I figure Ash Wednesday would be longer since there will be more people).

Then I started to wonder, can you still go to Mass, even if you are going to be late? Usually if I am going to be late, I just go to the next Mass (actually, most times I plan to get to Mass early). But it really isn’t an option today.

I am just wondering. Can I go late? If I go late, should I do or not do anything? And would I need to later confess it (even though it’s not a Holy Day of Obligation?)

Thanks!

PS- In the past, Churches seemed to offer both a Mass on Ash Wednesday, and just ashes. But this new Diocese I moved to only seems to offer Mass. Is the idea of just ash distribution fading away? Was it improper? Or is it a regional thing? My mom was confused too when I asked her because she said I should just go for ash distribution if I couldn’t make time for the Mass. She was surprised when I told her I couldn’t find a Catholic Church in the area that did that.

 

[curlycool89]

I originally wasn’t going to go to Mass tonight because I just can’t make it the times my church has scheduled. they had two Masses this morning (when I was at work) and one this evening (which I will be late to if I go… I mean about 10-15 minutes late to probably an hour+ Mass (our typical Mass runs about an hour… so I figure Ash Wednesday would be longer since there will be more people).

Then I started to wonder, can you still go to Mass, even if you are going to be late? Usually if I am going to be late, I just go to the next Mass (actually, most times I plan to get to Mass early). But it really isn’t an option today.

I am just wondering. Can I go late? If I go late, should I do or not do anything? And would I need to later confess it (even though it’s not a Holy Day of Obligation?)

Thanks!

If you are going to be late and it’s unavoidable, then you’re going to be late. Even if you were unavoidably late for a day of Obligation and there’s no other Masses you can make it to, you have not sinned.

As you said, Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, so you have no obligation to go. You don’t have to go at all, so being late has no moral meaning. You can’t be late for a non-existent obligation (the same would apply to daily Masses). It’s like saying you were late to a personal shopping trip to the mall (I know, not the same thing) So no confession is needed.

The only thing I would add is to not make it a habit to the point where you’re missing the point of the Mass (for example, if you only go to daily Masses after the homily even though you could go to the whole thing). The Mass is a whole ritual; it’s not meant to be taken in pieces. From what you’ve said, I don’t think that’s a problem for you though.

 

[CatholicZ09]

If you are going to be late unintentionally, then there is nothing you can do about it. It’s not a sin. It’s better that you go to Mass 10-15 minutes late than not go at all.

My parish does “prayer services” two times during the day and one Mass in the evening. The prayer services are just ashes themselves and the Mass is the ashes and the Eucharist, obviously.

I don’t know why your diocese doesn’t just distribute ashes at certain times because it is hard for a lot of people during the work day to attend Mass and get ashes because of timing. Many can only go during their lunch break or right before work. I know that my mother was going during her lunch break to a prayer service to get ashes. I guess it’s just the discretion of the bishop or pastor.

 

[Leon_Bloy]

It is never a sin or problem to come to a mass late unless it’s a matter of not fulfilling your Sunday or holy day of obligation (see below regarding communion).

Ash Weds. is not a holy day of obligation.

The only issue is whether or not you are prayerfully prepared to go to holy communion.

It sounds like you are doing your best, so under the circumstances you described, I would definitely go!

 

[mellowcalico]

Thank you everyone! I am going to make it to Mass as soon as I can.

 

[cradlecatholic5]

My co-worker & I were late for noon Mass today … we drove around and around looking for a parking place … I was sooooo happy to see all the people!

 

[grasscutter]

My co-worker & I were late for noon Mass today … we drove around and around looking for a parking place … I was sooooo happy to see all the people!

I was happily surprised that my church was packed, too! However, that did make me late for an obligation that I had after Mass…

 

[promethius]

Thank you everyone! I am going to make it to Mass as soon as I can.

I’ll only add one take away for you… not that you necessarily need it, but for all who might find themselves in the pews when someone walks in late.

Remember the moment you walked in late, and the fact that it was unavoidable. Remember how it feels to walk in late when you’re only trying to make it to mass and did all you could to be there on time. And especially remember it before passing judgement when you are in the pews and others walk into mass late…

 

[AmyMCGS]

I always think it’s better to go a bit late rather than not at all.

I
Remember the moment you walked in late, and the fact that it was unavoidable. Remember how it feels to walk in late when you’re only trying to make it to mass and did all you could to be there on time. And especially remember it before passing judgement when you are in the pews and others walk into mass late…

Yes! Having been late on occasion myself (for good reason) and caught some dirty looks from older parishioners at the back of the church, I wish everyone would remember this.

 

[mom2em]

PS- In the past, Churches seemed to offer both a Mass on Ash Wednesday, and just ashes. But this new Diocese I moved to only seems to offer Mass. Is the idea of just ash distribution fading away? Was it improper? Or is it a regional thing? My mom was confused too when I asked her because she said I should just go for ash distribution if I couldn’t make time for the Mass. She was surprised when I told her I couldn’t find a Catholic Church in the area that did that.

I’ve only been back a year, but I’ve not known here, to have just ashes. We intended to go to the early mass this morning, but accidentally slept in. This evening I knew would be hectic, as it was calling for snow and ice, and my daughter had ballet. And supper had to be dealt with. But we made it. Ten minutes to spare. I was surprised and happy at all the cars and people! It was mass and ashes and then afterward, the ashes were left for those who needed to take them to people who could not make it.

I don’t know if it’s fading away. Or if its just like everything else … I was saddened today to read posts on Facebook about people who knew today was Ash Wednesday yet out of spite, or as one poster said “rebellion” to eat meat. It’s not my place to judge, and I tried my best, but at the same time, I had to comment with what the Canadian Catholic Conference of Bishops had to said about Lent, Ash Wednesday and Fridays.

hehe all the same, after mass tonight, we needed to get some milk and some coffee for my mother, so we popped into the corner store. It was full and very busy oddly enough. In we walk and my daughter was QUITE proud to have her shes on her forehead.

… what is it … “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

 

[TheRealJuliane]

No, we had many Liturgy/Ashes ceremonies, and also many Masses. One parish offered ONLY Masses; the other, mainly the Liturgy/Ashes combo (only about 35 minutes total). So between the two of them, one had many, many choices of times to receive at least ashes. I do not think that receiving ashes without a Mass is fading away at all. In fact, the Ashes/Liturgy option is the more appropriate for non-Catholics.

The idea that it is NOT a Holy Day of Obligation, yet it IS required to fast and abstain, seems to confuse a lot of Catholics. It did confuse me, when I first returned. Such a serious day would seem to need to be a Day of Obligation. And so many people participate, why NOT have an Obligation day?

Oh well, last time I checked, I am NOT part of the Holy See…

 

[mellowcalico]

I’ll only add one take away for you… not that you necessarily need it, but for all who might find themselves in the pews when someone walks in late.

Remember the moment you walked in late, and the fact that it was unavoidable. Remember how it feels to walk in late when you’re only trying to make it to mass and did all you could to be there on time. And especially remember it before passing judgment when you are in the pews and others walk into mass late…

I don’t usually think about it when others are late. I am a single mom with a small child, so trust me, I understand the crazy things that can pop up as you are on the way out the door. Plus, I live in a very densely populated area… if someone sneezes in their car, there is a traffic tie up (lol… well, it’s not really that bad, but it literally just takes a little bit to make traffic horrible here). I just hate being late myself (it stresses me out to be late to anything–not just Church). I don’t care if others are late.

That said, this is a good reminder Prometheus. We never know another person’s situation. For all we know, they could have stopped to help someone who was in an accident, had to care for a sick family member, or just over slept a little after staying up with a crying baby all night. No body is perfect.

Speaking of all that, I wasn’t actually able to get to Church/Mass. I would have been 35 minutes late and I figured that was just too late (and my daughter was already getting tired/cranky). I did fast and all that though. I just wish I could have gone. Maybe next year I will be able to take the time off from work. After three years, I get extra days off.

 

[jreilly]

Just have to share my mishap re:mass times. This past fall our parish changed the times of masses by .5 an hour in order to add another 2 masses; which is great, especially if one pays attention to the times of the masses that one doesn’t usually attend.

Well, no doubt, you can see where this is headed. I ended up missing the mass on Saturday, so I was going to go to 9 AM mass. I arrive, whistling up the walkway to the church thinking “isn’t it great that the parking lot is packed?!” I was in my own little world. I luckily always go in one of the back doors of the church and I hear our priest talking, and still I think, “hmmm…odd, but Father must have something he’s talking to everyone about.” And then I see all of the servers, and lector, and…oh dear. Mortification - pure mortification.

I grab a bulletin and head outside to talk to God for awhile in the good old outdoors and read the bulletin - ahhh, I see, I’m at the 8:30 mass - great. So I had plenty of time to help others that arrived even a little later than I, and saved them the sad fate that I had. I waited and went to the 9:30 Polish mass; not that I speak the language - I was happy to be able to have another opportunity to go to mass.

Eeegads! Must pay more attention I guess!