Kneeling/Praying after receiving Communion

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trish2009

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My husband and I try to sit in the first pew at Mass so that we can receive the Holy Eucharist kneeling in adoration. These past few weeks we had to sit in the back of the church. After Communion I was devastated to see half the church empty out on both sides of the aisle immediately after the parishioners received Communion. The went up to the altar, received Holy Communion and walked right out the doors to the parking lot. They seemed to have no sense of the holiness of the host they had just received. Evidently this occurs during every Sunday Mass yet the priests or Pastor say nothing about it.

I can’t help but believe that this is a clear sign that only 30% of Catholics, according to the latest polls, no longer believe they are receiving Jesus but rather just a piece of bread. Has anyone else experienced this in their parishes?
 
trish2009 said:
My husband and I try to sit in the first pew at Mass so that we can receive the Holy Eucharist kneeling in adoration. These past few weeks we had to sit in the back of the church. After Communion I was devastated to see half the church empty out on both sides of the aisle immediately after the parishioners received Communion. The went up to the altar, received Holy Communion and walked right out the doors to the parking lot. They seemed to have no sense of the holiness of the host they had just received. Evidently this occurs during every Sunday Mass yet the priests or Pastor say nothing about it.

I can’t help but believe that this is a clear sign that only 30% of Catholics, according to the latest polls, no longer believe they are receiving Jesus but rather just a piece of bread. Has anyone else experienced this in their parishes?
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All the time at my old parish. It reminded me of the 7th inning of a game a Dodger Stadium. Everyone was trying to beat the rush out of the parking lot (which was admittedly a total disaster of traffic management)
 
Judas was the first to walk out early,and he certainly won’t be the last.
Happens all the time and has always happened.
Yes it is sad, but I try not to let it bother me, as I do not know the circumstances as to why someone might leave early. Some may not believe and others may have perfectly legitimate reason. Pray for them.
 
trish2009 said:
I can’t help but believe that this is a clear sign that only 30% of Catholics, according to the latest polls, no longer believe they are receiving Jesus but rather just a piece of bread.
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I don’t know if that necessarily follows but they do miss out on God’s blessing.
 
Oneofthewomen said:
Judas was the first to walk out early,and he certainly won’t be the last.
Happens all the time and has always happened.
Yes it is sad, but I try not to let it bother me, as I do not know the circumstances as to why someone might leave early. Some may not believe and others may have perfectly legitimate reason. Pray for them.
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I love this post. “Judas was the first to walk out early” It’s the phrase my husband always says as they leave. Thank you.
 
Not everyone leaves but I have from time to time noticed a few that do that. Like someone else said perhaps there is a reason but it is very sad. To me, it is disrespectful. I’ve always felt it would be good for the priest to remind their parishioners of many things since so many have been badly taught in the past. I agree also to pray for those people.
mlz
 
My husband likes to tell the story of (I believe it is) St. John Chrysostom. One day while he was celebrating Mass, he saw a woman start to leave the church right after receiving Holy Communion. He then told two altar boys to follow her out the church with lighted candles because she had in her mouth the Real Presence of Jesus.
 
Oneofthewomen said:
Judas was the first to walk out early,and he certainly won’t be the last.
Happens all the time and has always happened.
Yes it is sad, but I try not to let it bother me, as I do not know the circumstances as to why someone might leave early. Some may not believe and others may have perfectly legitimate reason. Pray for them.
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I love that quote “Judas was the first to walk out early”. However, when I was younger and the Mass was in Latin, very few left with the host still in their mouth. True, they might have had an emergency. But in this case at least 30 to 35 people on both sides of the aisle left. That’s quite a large number.
 
Dacinom said:
I used to feel as you did, then (with God’s help) was able to make radical changes, at least for me!. I used to be easily distracted by people walking back from Communion, noticing what they were wearing, if they were chewing gum at Mass, I noticed people coming in late and I even caught myself looking in the collection plate! I am not particularly snoopy by nature I am just easily distracted. Noticing these things only took my focus off of God.

With God’s help, I remember to bow my head at Mass each time I feel a distraction. Especially at Communion time where I am tempted to look and see who is leaving, who is staying, who is receiving on the tongue etc…I simply ignore all of it and do my best to enter into deep prayer and appreciate the presence of God within me.

If you feel yourself bothered by the actions of others at Mass, my suggestion to you is to ask God to help you ignore it. I know it is your love for Jesus in the Eucharist that has you so upset, but do your best to try and not focus on the actions of others it will make Mass much more rewarding. Hope this helps, God bless.
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It wasn’t that I was looking up and watching the people leave. I had my head bowed and when I was finished praying and opened my eyes they were all gone. This happened for several Sundays in a row. When I sat in the first pew I never turned around to see what was going on so I wasn’t aware that so many people left right after receiving.
 
trish2009 said:
But in this case at least 30 to 35 people on both sides of the aisle left. That’s quite a large number.
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It seems to have escalated. I just consider it another evidence of the herd mentality that seems to have grasped our society.
 
“The Judas shuffle” I read someone online somewhere calling it that, about this same subject. 😃

It sure is frustrating to hear that it happens so commonly. I never see people do that at my parish, but its FSSP, so you know, its all full of pretty serious minded folk when it comes to orthodoxy and such things. 🙂

I can’t receive yet, so I have to sit there and watch everyone else go up, and its hard to just watch. I make spiritual acts of communion and pray but I’m so ready to receive communion at this point that the idea of people walking right out after like its no big deal is truly sad to me, and pathetic. People shouldn’t take for granted the great privilege that’s been afforded to them by our Lords sacrifice.
 
Always. Actually, I’m surprised you only now noticed it as a trend.

It’s sad, really, that people can’t spare an additional few minutes. It’s like communion is take-out. 🤷

We left mass early one time. My son was about 10-12 months old and somewhere around the consecration he massively pooped in his diaper. He smelled really bad. My husband and I were kneeling for the consecration and didn’t know what to do. We kept looking at each other in a panic and then mouthed “leave after communion”. Perfect solution, or so it seemed.

Scuttled through communion with a super stinky child hoping we didn’t make anyone pass out. Got in the car and realized we were blocked in on all sides. Couldn’t get out. Stuck in our parking spot with the stinky kid until someone finally moved their car. Apparently, we parked between two particularly devout people because they stayed way, way, way past everyone else leaving post final blessing.

God punished us for trying to leave early AND made the car stink! 😃
 
PhiloMed said:
Always. Actually, I’m surprised you only now noticed it as a trend.

It’s sad, really, that people can’t spare an additional few minutes. It’s like communion is take-out. 🤷

We left mass early one time. My son was about 10-12 months old and somewhere around the consecration he massively pooped in his diaper. He smelled really bad.
Scuttled through communion with a super stinky child hoping we didn’t make anyone pass out. Got in the car and realized we were blocked in on all sides. Couldn’t get out.
God punished us for trying to leave early AND made the car stink! 😃
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Great story. Looks like you got a little taste of Purgatory.😦
 
PhiloMed said:
Always. Actually, I’m surprised you only now noticed it as a trend.

It’s sad, really, that people can’t spare an additional few minutes. It’s like communion is take-out. 🤷

We left mass early one time. My son was about 10-12 months old and somewhere around the consecration he massively pooped in his diaper. He smelled really bad. My husband and I were kneeling for the consecration and didn’t know what to do. We kept looking at each other in a panic and then mouthed “leave after communion”. Perfect solution, or so it seemed.

Scuttled through communion with a super stinky child hoping we didn’t make anyone pass out. Got in the car and realized we were blocked in on all sides. Couldn’t get out. Stuck in our parking spot with the stinky kid until someone finally moved their car. Apparently, we parked between two particularly devout people because they stayed way, way, way past everyone else leaving post final blessing.

God punished us for trying to leave early AND made the car stink! 😃
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Thank you for reminding me to ask where the nearest bathroom is at my parish. With my forthcoming little one I’m not going to want to be left without a place to retreat to for a quick diaper change if need be. It occurred to me that I’ve never had to use the facilities at mass before so I wouldn’t have a clue where it was… 🤷
 
trish2009 said:
My husband and I try to sit in the first pew at Mass so that we can receive the Holy Eucharist kneeling in adoration. These past few weeks we had to sit in the back of the church. After Communion I was devastated to see half the church empty out on both sides of the aisle immediately after the parishioners received Communion. The went up to the altar, received Holy Communion and walked right out the doors to the parking lot. They seemed to have no sense of the holiness of the host they had just received. Evidently this occurs during every Sunday Mass yet the priests or Pastor say nothing about it.

I can’t help but believe that this is a clear sign that only 30% of Catholics, according to the latest polls, no longer believe they are receiving Jesus but rather just a piece of bread. Has anyone else experienced this in their parishes?
Click to expand...
Yes. And it was not really uncommon sixty years ago. It was frowned upon but it was not unusual.
 
jaimeleglise said:
My husband likes to tell the story of (I believe it is) St. John Chrysostom. One day while he was celebrating Mass, he saw a woman start to leave the church right after receiving Holy Communion. He then told two altar boys to follow her out the church with lighted candles because she had in her mouth the Real Presence of Jesus.
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I’ve heard that story too. It’s a bit funny if you imagine those boys following her around town.

I really think it’s sad that they leave before the final blessing and they miss a great deal. I try not to judge though because many of my fellow parishioners give me the stink eye because I sit during the times when we usually kneel because I have terrible back pain and we have no kneelers in our church.
 
Thomas_White said:
Yes. And it was not really uncommon sixty years ago. It was frowned upon but it was not unusual.
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Oh yes, you are right that it was not uncommon; it was in fact fairly regular… My dad was an usher in the 1950’s and he had a lot to say about the people who left - and it was by no means at all just a couple of people - those who wanted out early sat near the back of the church.
 
jaimeleglise said:
My husband likes to tell the story of (I believe it is) St. John Chrysostom. One day while he was celebrating Mass, he saw a woman start to leave the church right after receiving Holy Communion. He then told two altar boys to follow her out the church with lighted candles because she had in her mouth the Real Presence of Jesus.
Click to expand...
That was St Philip Neri. A great patron of mine, a wonderful fisher of men, and probably the funniest man in Heaven.
 
trish2009 said:
My husband and I try to sit in the first pew at Mass so that we can receive the Holy Eucharist kneeling in adoration. These past few weeks we had to sit in the back of the church. After Communion I was devastated to see half the church empty out on both sides of the aisle immediately after the parishioners received Communion. The went up to the altar, received Holy Communion and walked right out the doors to the parking lot. They seemed to have no sense of the holiness of the host they had just received. Evidently this occurs during every Sunday Mass yet the priests or Pastor say nothing about it.

I can’t help but believe that this is a clear sign that only 30% of Catholics, according to the latest polls, no longer believe they are receiving Jesus but rather just a piece of bread. Has anyone else experienced this in their parishes?
Click to expand...
Consider attending a latin Mass. You will find the reverence you seek. Below is a directory for the traditional Mass.

ecclesiadei.org/masses.cfm
 
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