How long should mass last?

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it should be timed so the parking lot clears out in time to receive those for the next Mass, that is the only hard and fast rule I know of
 
Padre Pio’s Masses had been known to last several hours. It does take as long as it takes.

That being said, I believe that around one hour is the usual amount of time it takes in the United States, and most priests plan them to take that long.
 
I would think there is a general consensus on Sunday Morning Mass usually at 10:00am or 11:00am is sixty minutes give or take a few. I’ve been to a number of Sunday morning Masses in different provincial dioceses throughout Canada and the New England States in the United States and even as far as Tuscon, Arizona with relatives.

Personally; I don’t like a rushed Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, especially the 15-20 min ones.
The longest Mass of the Church year is customarily the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday evening lasting anywhere from two and a half to three hours depending on the size of the parish.
 
An earlier post mentioned how some run the Mass poorly, dragging it out and rendering it less than what it deserves to be. That is how I would describe many Sundays in one parish. It is not the length of the Mass that kills me; it is the way it is celebrated.

Mass always starts late and the deacons often give the homilies. None apparently have any intentions of editing the remarks they read from prepared texts that sound like term papers. When the pastor does the homily, 20 minutes is about the expected length. No matter how good, it is hard to hold people’s attention that long. Mass never ends in less than 75 minutes. If there were a genuine reason for it to last that long, I would not mind sitting there and would enjoy it. I just simply can’t figure this one out.

Another parish that I visit is quite the opposite. It always has a Mass that lifts the soul, raises the spirits, and brightens the day, all in never more than 50 minutes.
 
Our Masses last 45 minutes, plus or minus 2 minutes either way depending on the mood of the Priest. He manages to do Easter (not the Vigil), Christmas, and Palm Sunday in an hour. We have music at every Mass too. Homily usually goes about 5 minutes, less if we have a baptism.

When we visit other parishes when out of town, I get antsy if we go over 50 minutes. I guess I’m pretty well conditioned!

Even with our 45 minute Mass, we still have folks walking out after Communion or skirting ahead of the procession out of Mass. I figure if he can keep it under an hour, I can stay until the final hymn ends.
 
Mass is the most important part of our day, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only important part, or that it doesn’t matter how long it is each time. Special feast days like Easter and Christmas aside, Masses should be reasonably predictable in length- overall, Sunday Masses should be between about 45 and 75 minutes (with a more narrow, more predictable range when talking about specific parishes and specific priests. Daily Masses should be somewhere between 20 and 40 minutes (and with a more predictable range when talking about specific parishes and specific priests). If a priest comes in who rambles so much or speaks so slowly that a regular Sunday Mass takes two hours, that can be a problem if the congregation doesn’t expect it. If it’s unexpectedly longer than normal, it is difficult on people with children, and people who have trouble sitting still for long periods of time. It also complicates things for those who have appointments to keep or deadlines to meet that day if Mass runs longer than normal.
 
Our OF generally runs 50-60 minutes on a Sunday. Our EF (high mass) runs 1 1/2 to 2 hours normally. I feel that these are very appropriate for the type of liturgy we’re attending.

Since the topics have already been brought up, I am of the opinion that we should not be allowing our children to participate in any organized event other than religious activities on Sundays. It sets a bad example.

For those who “have” to work on Sunday, in the U.S. that is simply not true. Tell them you can’t work for religious reasons and they cannot fire you. There are enough “un-religious” people who can fill the slots. (You may disagree with me, but again, this is my opinion, and I’m not forcing it on you.) Or, as a previous poster said, you could also attend Mass on Saturday evening to avoid the problem.

If relatives and whatnot are worried about people not gathering together at set times because Mass may run longer than anticipated, well do like everyone else has to do: Don’t gather on Sundays, or make the time later. It’s God’s day, not ours. We have 6 days to do whatever we want. Give God one day a week without grumbling, k?

Sundays are designed not to “force” us into legalism by not allowing us to do anything; they are meant to symbolize the freedom with have from slavery and sin. That’s why we don’t do anything. It’s not because we have to not do anything, it’s because we *can *not do anything. 👍
 
In my mind it should last 45-60 minutes but if longer no big deal and weekday about 30.

Unlike many others, I have no problem with children doing organized activities as long as they realize that God is first and that if their activity interferes with Mass then they can’t do it. That is how it was with my father and mother and I believe it worked well.
 
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