Late for Mass? How late is too late?

[petrel]

Once, before Daily Mass, I had a 911 emergency in my building and had to wait for the ambulance to come before I could leave for mass. I walked in literally as Father was putting his hand in the tabernacle to take out the ciborium during the third Confeteor. I did not receive, but afterwards, I went to confession, and after confessing I asked Father this same question. He said that because Daily Mass is not required, I can walk in as late as I did and still receive communion as long as I feel properly recollected and am in a state of grace to receive. If I needed to for time reasons, I could even come in, receive, and walk right out. However, as far as fulfilling a Sunday obligation, a person should not be late unless there is a true emergency or act of charity going on (like I had with my 911 call) and even then a person should make it in before the offertory for it to count. Seeing as how the mass is an offering to God of his only son, Jesus Christ, the offertory is beginning of the most important part of the mass, the recreation of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

Being there when the priest is offering his gifts to God allows you (and your intentions) to be included in the sacrifice.

It is certainly true that the church obligates a very low standard. Why should there be any distinction between the daily mass and the sunday obligation mass. What does that have to do with it? It is still the Lord’s body and blood. And how can we regard ourselves as being properly recollected if we are not made so by the preceding rites of the mass.

 

[couponfit]

As a former Fundamentalist, this one always bothers me. When we started church on Sunday, no one came in late, no one. It was considered rude, but I had always heard we should try to emulate Catholics on respect for the service.

When I crossed the Tiber, I was in a town where people get there early. Now, I see people showing up whenever. Half an hour late with another mass coming up in less than an hour isn’t too unusual. IMHO, loads of people showing up late will, by nature, be disruptive. It’s impossible to concentrate on the readings when people are pushing through to their seats.

One or two people late, fine, but forty or more Sunday after Sunday indicates something other than one flat tire. If you are running late for anything other than the Sunday evening mass, there are always others where you can get there on time. One nearby pastor very often calls it a sin to arrive late and to leave early. I don’t argue.

I’ve showed up for a 1100 mass at 1045 with the 930 mass still going on. I imagine that some of the crowd may have thought I was just late. With these new Vatican II churches it’s a little different layout.

But I guess my point is not everyone in church is there with mass your’e in

Now with the old pre-vatican II churches (the design was different), so they sometimes close the doors and post ushers on the entry and exit points. In short no one enters or leaves during mass because it really is a huge distraction, or at least from the main doors.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Where is the respect today?
We would not arrive late to ceremony to coronate a Queen. Surely the Mass is more important than that. The liturgy is all designed to prepare us to receive the blessed sacrament. Therefore to be late means that we are not being completely prepared to receive the blessed sacrament.

Also I notice the rush of people to leave the church even before the Holy Scriptures, Priest and Cross leave. This is done in order to beat the traffic out of the car park and to avoid having to shake the hand of the priest. So in other words the first deed done after receiving the blessed sacrament is a work of dishonour. Then there is the guy at our parish who sits in the back row and plays on his mobile phone. At least he switches the sound off but I really wonder why these disrespectful people even bother to come.

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege to attend Mass in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. I was astounded to note that even Notre Dame has early leavers!

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

I was told by an Irish Priest that in Ireland they close the doors (like in concerts).
You cannot come late.
You cannot leave earlier.

 

[Georgia]

Maybe I should add something. It’s that I see the same people coming in late, Sunday after Sunday. If someone can set a watch by the time you come in late, you are making a choice. You are also making a statement.

 

[Irish_Eyes_826]

I wouldn’t worry about when others are arriving at mass so long as you feel as though you are arriving at a proper time. I know that my parish serves many cops, nurses, firefighters, and just downright busy, big families. My dad often comes to mass late because he is a high-ranking police officer and is constantly busy. We were often late too, simply because it isn’t easy to get a bunch of kids out the door without any help. I think this is a simple case of MYOB.

 

[HonoraDominum]

It is certainly true that the church obligates a very low standard. Why should there be any distinction between the daily mass and the sunday obligation mass. What does that have to do with it? It is still the Lord’s body and blood. And how can we regard ourselves as being properly recollected if we are not made so by the preceding rites of the mass.

Honestly, I’m always praying as I drive the 15 minutes to mass - sometimes the Rosary, sometimes just general catching up with God. I sometimes listen to my Mass of the Angels Gregorian Chant CD and sing along if I’m running late but want to recollect. Then again, I start my day with three Hail Marys and a Morning Offering and look forward to mass until I get there. Mass, and the 45 minutes of spending time with Him in prayer afterwards, are the best part of my whole day.

Also, my daily mass starts at 6:30a, and the fact that I’m even up that early, let alone dressed for work and fed by 5:30a so I can have my hour-long fast (or just skip it all together and eat when I get to work at 8:30a) testifies to my devotion to daily Mass.

 

[MissRose73]

I could be a stickler and say people are late if you miss the procession & opening hymns or the opening prayers before the readings. I understand that once in a while that cars break down, traffic can be a pain, children taking longer than normal to be ready to go, etc. but if its a consistent thing to be late then leave earlier. I purposely changed my work schedule (with my boss’ permission) to allow myself time to reach 1 or 2 nearby local parishes that offer Mass near my office on Saturday evenings so I could be on time, and have at least 5 minutes if not a bit more to meditate & pray before Mass plus not feel rushed.

My mother is one to get there with 20 minutes before Mass starts but then again she does not have to worry about leaving work on time like me or making sure small children are ready to go. If I had the luxury of every Saturday off or working mornings only, then yes I would love to be at church early. Till then, I will have to make due with 10 minutes early at most due to my job obligations.

 

[liturgyluver]

Of course there will be the odd exception when something may go wrong causing a late arrival at Mass, but surely the expectation should be that we are seated a few minutes before Mass begins so we can prayerfully prepare ourselves to engage and then to receive the Blessed Sacrament. My priest made the point very forcefully in the Notices that if you arrive after the Gospel reading has begun, you are not supposed to receive communion, but that this wasn’t an excuse for people to arrive 15 minutes into the mass.

As far as I am concerned if the entance bell has rung and I am not there, I am late. I am continually astounded by the time of consistent late arrivals, and frankly appalled by those few people (and yes - it’s always the same ones) who stroll casually in during the Eucharistic Prayer, don’t engage with any of the responses, receive communion and walk out immediatly after.

 

[crisleem]

Out of my utter shame and embarrassment I had to go to Confession for missing Mass recently. Which is grossly out of character for me.

We were on a trip and thought we had PLENTY of time to make it home for 6pm Mass.

We even left our dogs in the car all went running and when I it the doors I heard “The Gospel of the Lord.”
I panicked. I’m the DRE…what will it look like to the rest of the parish for the DRE to be so rude she’s LATE!
I backed out, discussed it with my husband (I too learned you do not fullfill your obligation if you miss the Gospel). Wrong…apparently!
I begged Father for Confession in my office the next day. And as always he granted me the time.
He told me that while I had no intentions of missing Mass and did try, I should have just walked in and did what I knew I was supposed to do…and let people think whatever they want. It isn’t about what others think of me, or my personal embarrassment. I was to give God my time and worship Him even if I was late. And he’s right.
Now knowing this should never be an excuse for not caring enough to be on time. But I share my story so that others won’t do what I did and miss Mass completely. I missed recieving the precious gift of Christ Himself! I didn’t do it out of disrespect and I should never put what others think about me before HIM!
We should be early. Prepare yourself to recieve Him before Mass starts…always. But things do happen. We should have had plenty of time but traffic doesn’t always go as planned even on a Sunday. We should have gone to Mass in the town we were visiting even if it was poor timing. But we didn’t. So, we should have done the best option we had left to us and walked in that late! I learned a lot from my poor planning. It will not happen again. I should never allow a mortal sin on my soul for the sake of not being embarrassed…that’s so shameful!
We should teach our children that it is RUDE to be late…grossly rude. But it is a sin to miss…and they aren’t the same! Teach them to do their best and when life happens to be late rather than not be there at all. I’d guess is you miss Communion you’re just truly too late! There’s nothing left by that point. But that’s only a guess. To my knowledge there is not official teaching on when is too late.