Have you ever walked out of church during Mass?

[SunnaB16]

So is this to say that Catholics should simply tolerate Liturgical abuses, and Priests who are obvious Heretics?

If a Mass is not performed in accordance with doctrine, we DO have the right to walk out and find one that is. Forcing one’s self to endure something that we’re uncomfortable with does not foster our relationship with God - it detracts from it.
We do what we believe is the best thing for that relationship, and if it means leaving Mass because something wasn’t right, so be it.
.

Amen!

A couple of years ago, i walked out three times during Mass. It was the feast of Saint Anthony who happens to br the Patron Saint of this parish. The children from the local “Catholic” school were there, and it was a circus! There was “liturgical dancing” down the aisle, accompanied by some tin pot jingle, during the Offertory: Exit #1. The post-Communion “hymn” forced exit #2. The Recessional “hymn” forced exit #3.

i had to stop going to Friday morning Mass here because of the same sorts of circus performances.

Eventually, i left the parish altogether for an FSSP-celebrated TLM Solemn High Mass every Sunday. Pay Dirt!

Its all very well for some of you posters here to say "Stick with it" or whatever else; but if that means being overcome with frustration, and exiting the church in a cranky mood, what good is that? It does nothing for our disposition! As Erin Anne has already said (in so many words). No! Some of us cant just “offer it up”; and we shouldn`t have to. We should feel calm and spiritually refreshed at the end of Mass.

The uncomfortable feeling that were condoning these abuses if we dont walk out is legit as well.

Pride has nothing to do with it.
It`s disposition.

 

[MarkThompson]

It`s all very well for some of you posters here to say “Stick with it” or whatever else; but if that means being overcome with frustration, and exiting the church in a cranky mood, what good is that? It does nothing for our disposition!

Sorry, but Mass isn’t all about what you get out of it. Do you seriously mean to ask, If I spend time in the real presence of the Lord and eat his body as he commanded, but leave church “in a cranky mood,” what good was it? That’s a question that pretty much answers itself.

 

[reff]

Let me pose this question. Say you walk out of Mass one Sunday because the Priest said something that you think is sacrilegious, and there are no other Masses being offer that day, haven’t you just committed a mortal sin by missing Mass and not receiving communion that day? If the Priest says something that offends you, does your obligation to attend Mass suddenly become null and void?

 

[Rawb]

I walked out once. I was in a different state, and my Catholic aunt said she’d give me a lift to her church for Mass.

There was no holy water font, only a fountain in the foyer. Inside I thought the layout seemed strange, until I realized they’d ripped out the pews and put chairs in a sort of semi-circle around a table that served as their altar. This ‘sanctuary’ wasn’t separated or marked as distinct in any way. No crucifix. No place for the priest to sit. When he came in, he sat in the front row with the laity. No tabernacle in the church - they had an adoration chapel in another room. Nobody genuflected. The band was where the sanctuary used to be.

I left halfway through the homily. A woman dressed in an alb got up and yelled “GOD IS GREAT!” and everyone mumbled “all the time”. She said “I CAN’T HEAR YOU! GOD IS GREAT!” and they responded. I sat waiting for father to come up. Nope, this lady was giving the ‘homily’. So halfway through I got up and left and spent the rest of the time in the adoration chapel praying.

In Confession my regular priest told me my Sunday obligation was lifted because of the obvious error, and we are not supposed to support error. Yes, I walked out once, and my only regret is I didn’t walk out the moment this woman began to preach instead of halfway through.

 

[reff]

Obviously if the abuse was so serious that it actually affected the legitimacy of the Mass, I would walk out. If the cantor broke out in a rap to soulja boy crank dat, or a woman came up to say the consecration, you better believe that my butt would be out of there in no time.

 

[Erin_Anne]

The sin of purposely committing liturgical abuse falls onto the Priest and others with said authority. Does the Church require under pain of sin that a person leave a Mass which has liturgical abuse in it, thus meaning they have to go to another Mass?

Well, knowing something is sinful and grinning and bearing it as it continues - even if you don’t personally agree with it - is as bad a committing it yourself, in my opinion…

E.A.

 

[cecilia97]

Liturgical abuse can be really bad. I’ve been tempted to walk out on several occasions because I just couldn’t stand it but managed to force myself to stay and offer it up. I normally don’t take communion in such situations because it doesn’t seem right.

Have you ever left during Mass? Can that be justified?

I have walked out more than once, for similar reasons. Can it be justified? I don’t know. Did I find another Mass to attend in order to fulfill my Sunday obligation? Yes. I’ve grown a lot since then, thanks be to God. Would I do it again? I don’t know. If clowns enter the building, I cannot be held responsible for running in abject TERROR, and I might just set something on fire.

I also find it very difficult to receive Communion at a Mass that is riddled with liturgical abuse or protestant (or secular) music. I don’t want to receive Our Lord in an angry, judgmental, or agitated state. The last time I was at a Mass that was questionably celebrated I was able to pray hard and hope that quiet reverence while receiving might make a small impression on someone who needed to see that.

 

[Erin_Anne]

Sorry, but Mass isn’t all about what you get out of it.

This is what WE get out of Mass:

The Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, and to share in his sacrifice
The word of the Gospel
The inspiration of the Holy Spirit
Community prayer, which can gain indulgences for us all
Time to adore the Eucharist

So yeah, I think it definitely IS about what we get out of it… unless of course these things are considered minor in relation to dancing, and goofing off, and all the other **** that can happen at the whim of heretics.

E.A.

 

[reff]

I’m still wondering. If one were to walk out of Mass because of something the priest said, do they still have to fulfill their Sunday obligation. I can understand if it were a serious liturgical abuse, such as a lay person giving the homily or clowns making balloon animals in communion line, but what if it was a small comment that the priest made? Some people do have a tendency to take things out of context, so how do we judge what permits us to walk out of Mass and not fulfill our Sunday obligation?

 

[cecilia97]

I’m still wondering. If one were to walk out of Mass because of something the priest said, do they still have to fulfill their Sunday obligation. I can understand if it were a serious liturgical abuse, such as a lay person giving the homily or clowns making balloon animals in communion line, but what if it was a small comment that the priest made? Some people do have a tendency to take things out of context, so how do we judge what permits us to walk out of Mass and not fulfill our Sunday obligation?

I don’t know this for sure, but I’ve always understood that you stay for the whole Mass to meet your obligation…no excuses. Unless, I guess, there’s an earthquake or a flood.

The times I’ve felt I “had” to leave a Mass, I either did attend another or I tried to find another. Those were back in my not-such-a-good-Catholic days. Now, I think I would really make every effort to stay, and certainly wouldn’t leave if I didn’t know I could attend another Mass at a later time.

 

[reff]

I don’t know this for sure, but I’ve always understood that you stay for the whole Mass to meet your obligation…no excuses. Unless, I guess, there’s an earthquake or a flood.

The times I’ve felt I “had” to leave a Mass, I either did attend another or I tried to find another. Those were back in my not-such-a-good-Catholic days. Now, I think I would really make every effort to stay, and certainly wouldn’t leave if I didn’t know I could attend another Mass at a later time.

Luckily my parish hasn’t ever done anything to make me want to walk out during Mass. There was one time when my Pastor was complaining about all the elderly parishioners who are constantly complaining and “bitching” as he put it. I didn’t want to walk out, but I was shocked to say the least.

 

[cecilia97]

Luckily my parish hasn’t ever done anything to make me want to walk out during Mass. There was one time when my Pastor was complaining about all the elderly parishioners who are constantly complaining and “bitching” as he put it. I didn’t want to walk out, but I was shocked to say the least.

Thanks be to God, my parish is great! The times I’ve had trouble were when I was traveling or had to attend another parish because of schedule and got stuck at a particularly awful example of liturgy.

 

[SunnaB16]

Sorry, but Mass isn’t all about what you get out of it. Do you seriously mean to ask, If I spend time in the real presence of the Lord and eat his body as he commanded, but leave church “in a cranky mood,” what good was it? ***That’s a question ***that pretty much answers itself.

Beg your pardon?

Mass IS what we get out of it…SPIRITUALLY! We`re FED through the Mass and the Sacraments.
Leaving the church in a lousy mood is not the most spiritually nourishing thing, is it?

If you`re directing your first sentence at the proud mothers, and maybe grandparents, who go to the school Mass to see little Crystal or little Shane dancing in the aisle (or in the Sanctuary), then i agree with you.

Its much better to be sorry when Mass is over, which is how it is now with the FSSP TLM, than to be thankful that its over; with the only desire being to get the hell out of the place, and find a quiet spot for a few minutes of thanksgiving!!!

You may be able to put up with abuses; and thats your business. But its obvious from this thread that a lot of us cant. So we have to do what to us is SPIRITUALLY best. ***Again: spiritual peace.*** We have a right to have Mass reverently celebrated; and circus Masses arent my thing.

 

[MarkThompson]

Beg your pardon?

Mass IS what we get out of it…SPIRITUALLY! We`re FED through the Mass and the Sacraments.
Leaving the church in a lousy mood is not the most spiritually nourishing thing, is it?

I’m not sure how to say this, except: the Church requires that we go to Mass on holy days of obligation (including all Sundays). There are exceptions for physical illness, impractical travel, no Mass available, etc. But there’s no exception for, “I didn’t like it! It didn’t feel nourishing to me!” There’s no exception for, “The priest was preaching what I judged to be heresy!” There’s none for, “If the priest isn’t going to respect the rubrics, then I don’t consider it a real Mass! This would never happen at my usual TLM parish!”

So if it’s not a day of obligation, or if you can make it to a later Mass, then by all means walk out. But the Church does not require, “You must be fulfilled by Mass,” it requires you to go to Mass.

Should Mass be fulfilling, nourishing, all those things? Yes, of course, and if you find that it’s not, you should talk to the priest, write to the bishop, pray on it, change parishes, and so on and so forth. But walking out? You’re just saying, “I meet my obligation, unless I don’t find it nourishing to do so.”

Understandable, yes, and it’s always to be regretted when the Mass gets mangled so badly that someone wants to walk out. I wanted to walk out during a sermon – by a bishop, no less – all about how great Yasser Arafat was. I’ve seen dancers, Santa Claus in a suit and beard, wicker baskets and glass vessels and the whole boatload, so believe me I sympathize.

Its much better to be sorry when Mass is over, which is how it is now with the FSSP TLM, than to be thankful that its over; with the only desire being to get the hell out of the place, and find a quiet spot for a few minutes of thanksgiving!!!

Agreed: better to feel good about Mass, than to feel bad about Mass! But then again, it’s also better to feel bad about Mass, than to have skipped out and reneged on your obligation altogether.

 

[Erin_Anne]

Oy vey… :nope:

 

[MarkThompson]

Oy gevalt! :yup:

 

[SunnaB16]

I’m not sure how to say this, except: the Church requires that we go to Mass on holy days of obligation (including all Sundays). There are exceptions for physical illness, impractical travel, no Mass available, etc. But there’s no exception for, “I didn’t like it! It didn’t feel nourishing to me!” There’s no exception for, “The priest was preaching what I judged to be heresy!” There’s none for, “If the priest isn’t going to respect the rubrics, then I don’t consider it a real Mass! This would never happen at my usual TLM parish!”

Putting words into my mouth. At no point did i suggest that the abuses made the Mass invalid.
im a post-Vatican II Traditionalist (sos the FSSP); not an SSPX schismatic!
Actually, if the FSSP priests had shown any sign of antagonism towards the Novus Ordo, i would have had to look elsewhere. As it is: theyre on the best of terms with the nearby NO seminary; they think the world of Cardinal Pell (So should we all.); they quote Vatican II documents; next Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday; etc. Thats the way all Traditionalists should be. Up to date in the proper way.

But the Church does not require, “You must be fulfilled by Mass,” it requires you to go to Mass.

Yeah; i know.

Should Mass be fulfilling, nourishing, all those things? Yes, of course, and if you find that it’s not, you should talk to the priest, write to the bishop, pray on it, change parishes, and so on and so forth. But walking out? You’re just saying, “I meet my obligation, unless I don’t find it nourishing to do so.”

Again; putting words into my mouth. See below.

Agreed: better to feel good about Mass, than to feel bad about Mass! But then again, it’s also better to feel bad about Mass, than to have skipped out and reneged on your obligation altogether.

Who said anything about “skipped out and reneged”? ive never missed out on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation because of abuses (In this country, there are only two HDOs.). And i wouldnt endanger my soul or anyone elses by urging that, unless there was a backup. It wasnt easy walking out of the parish, and experiencing an almost totally alien TLM liturgy. It took months to get used to it. If our previous PP hadnt left, id still be attending the Novus Ordo Mass locally. That sneaky, thieving Cardinal Pell invited him to teach at the aforementioned seminary. More power to both of them!

So you can rest easy…at least on my account. Sorry to have alarmed you!

This thread`s been hijacked!

 

[WetCatechumen]

I was faced with a funny situation.

I’m a convert from Protestantism, and I invited one of my very good friends to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper with me. Sadly, she had neglected to tell me that she had agreed to meet a friend at about the half-way point. Once she arrived, I told her it was okay, and that it was okay for her to leave early.

My point of view: She’s a Protestant. She doesn’t understand the nature of the sacrifice. She has no obligation.

So, I tell her she can leave at the end of the Liturgy of the Catechumens. My confirmation sponsor’s wife, a dear, faithful, and wonderful Catholic lady, happened to be sitting on the way to the pew’s exit. She gave a polite and firm no to my request that she let my friend pass.

It would be terribly wrong for me to leave Mass on such a holy occasion. However, my Protestant friend could not receive communion, and while I would have advised her to not have come had I known she would have had to leave early, I felt like it would be wrong for me to insist that she stay. Yes, we cannot be cavalier with the Mass. You shouldn’t go in and out.

A week from the incident, it still causes me great inner distress. My confirmation sponsor’s wife, being born in the era of the Latin Mass, could not imagine why someone would commit sacrilege by abandoning Christ in the sacrifice, and would therefore not allow it.

My view was that the Liturgy of the Word had taken place, and because the offertory had not happened, that she was free to leave, indeed as the catechumens were forced to in early times.

I agree that the Mass should not be treated cavalierly, and that we have a right to expect our Protestant brethren to respect it, but could anyone illuminate this question for me? I feel tremendous distress over the incident, and I would like to know if my casual permission to allow my friend to leave before the offertory was disrespectful to the sanctity of the Mass. Indeed, as someone who dislikes offending authority, it completely ruined my ability to concentrate during Mass and I spent the rest of it trying not to obsess over what had happened.

My friend was very gracious, though, and being diplomatic, quietly texted her friend saying that she could not meet him, and remained until the end of Mass. Nothing can be said to be her fault because she did not realize that it would constitute sacrilege to leave during Mass and she was perfectly willing to remain until the dismissal.

 

[MarkThompson]

This thread`s been hijacked!

I think the discussion is pretty well within the ambit of “walk[ing] our of church during Mass,” though I think this particular horse has been flogged.

As to the rest, I was trying to respond not only to you specifically but to the general thread of the comments above, so I apologize if you thought I was putting words in your mouth or accuse you of not going to Mass or something.

 

[MarkThompson]

So, I tell her she can leave at the end of the Liturgy of the Catechumens. My confirmation sponsor’s wife, a dear, faithful, and wonderful Catholic lady, happened to be sitting on the way to the pew’s exit. She gave a polite and firm no to my request that she let my friend pass.

What an odd story! I’m sure the lady had only the best of intentions, but someday presumption like that will be met with a lapful of vomit, or worse.

If I were getting out of a pew, and said to someone, “Pardon me, I need to get out,” and she said no, I think I’d be so flabbergasted that I’d just stand there for a minute waiting for her to say, “Psych!!”