Is leaving after communion sacrilege?

[Rachellem56]

Hi, all. I recently went to a church that had a sign inside saying “To avoid scandal or sacrilege, please don’t leave if you’ve just received [Communion]”. Is leaving directly after Communion considered a sacrilege? My family has been doing so for years, and I’ve never liked it, but I’ve been forced to do it too since I wouldn’t have a ride back afterwards if my family left me.
Also, this church does not have holy water anywhere inside it, which I find very odd. Is that even allowed? Are Catholic Churches required to have holy water?

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

1. If you are a minor dependant on your parents the sin is likely negated. There ARE valid reasons to leave early before the end of Mass–but they are few and far between.
2. There is no rule about holy water fonts being available to the public. The priest could have his own in the sacristy and that would be fine. During flu season we don’t have publicly available Holy Water. Those who would like it are directed to as Father for an individual container or the container they can refil theirs from.

 

[babochka]

Why do you empty the fonts out on Holy Thursday?

In the Byzantine Rite, we don’t have the custom of blessing ourselves with holy water upon entering the Church so there are not holy water fonts available at the entrance, but there is a font/dispenser in the church so that anybody who wants some can fill up a container and bring it home.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

I think it depends on the population. I live in a place where the CARA study indicates 85% of the people are over 65. The church takes many extra precautions during cold and flu season–extra cleanings, no wine, no contact during the sign of peace, readings/gospel in the bulletin so you don’t have to use communal missalettes. Bottles of hand sanitizer available.

I think we follow hospital protocol–or at least nursing home protocol. The Bishop is pretty strict on doing anything and everything necessary to stop the spread of germs since it is so very dangerous to the elderly who are a LARGE majority.

 

[nodelink]

In the last part of the Mass, the priest gives a blessing. So, you miss the blessing if you leave early.

The may be a closing song to sing after a Sunday Mass.

Love is not rude but IMHO leaving early can be rude. Stay, get the blessing and help with the singing.

 

[billcu1]

Hum. Now I was given a specific container for holy water to take home. Does there have to be a certain kind of container? Would a washed out 20 oz pop bottle with labeling removed be ok? I have a specific bottle that says “Holy Water”.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Hum. Now I was given a specific container for holy water to take home. Does there have to be a certain kind of container? Would a washed out 20 oz pop bottle with labeling removed be ok? I have a specific bottle that says “Holy Water”.

Any container is fine—technically it doesn’t have to be clean, although that would be prudent. I was on a hike with a priest and we were crossing a bog on a dangerous old rope bridge. Someone joked we needed to bless ourselves and he agreed! So we used a camp bowl and scooped up some pond scummy water to get the job done. (drinking water had to be conserved).

I would recommend if you are using a container long-term it be labeled. One does not want to accidently annoint oneself with sprite or baby oil or rubbing alcohol—all of which are clear substances.

 

[Gorgias]

Why do you empty the fonts out on Holy Thursday?

Following the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday evening, the fonts are emptied in preparation for the blessing of the water at the next Mass (the Easter Vigil Mass).

 

[angell1]

exact,ly, however I really don’t think it would constitute sacrilege though, but I could be wrong

 

[otjm]

No, leaving early is not a sacrilege. One should attend all of the Mass, which means staying after Communion; but there are times and people who do need legitimately to leave early.

As to scandal, too many busybodies out their noses into others’ affairs. That is not giving scandal.

 

[babochka]

Thank you. I’m Byzantine and our use of Holy water is different, as well as the way in which we live out the liturgical year. I wasn’t familiar with this custom.