Leaving church after recieving communion

[Eric_Olsen]

I do not believe this thread is focused on or limited to pre-VII and I do not believe you should be personalizing the comments this way.

I attend the TLM and the rule is when the priest leaves the sanctuary into the sacristy ( low mass ) the people may leave. When a missa cantata is done the priest must either process back to the sacristy or down the center aisle first and when the processional hym is over.

 

[Eilish_Maura]

I attend the TLM and the rule is when the priest leaves the sanctuary into the sacristy ( low mass ) the people may leave. When a missa cantata is done the priest must either process back to the sacristy or down the center aisle first and when the processional hym is over.

Is it specified in the rubrics for either missal or just common practice?

 

[KofC_SirKnight]

I do not believe this thread is focused on or limited to pre-VII and I do not believe you should be personalizing the comments this way.

Sorry you took it that way. I just have a problem with people saying they were “taught” something, when they really mean that they were “told” something. Seems to me there is a big difference. You said you were taught something regarding the dismissal. I am sorry if I interpreted that to mean you were taught that in the NO.

 

[Eric_Olsen]

Is it specified in the rubrics for either missal or just common practice?

I will have to look. The TLM has very specific rubrics though.

 

[Eilish_Maura]

Sorry you took it that way. I just have a problem with people saying they were “taught” something, when they really mean that they were “told” something. Seems to me there is a big difference. You said you were taught something regarding the dismissal. I am sorry if I interpreted that to mean you were taught that in the NO.

I am not sure you have a good reason to have a problem with anyone saying they were taught something vs straining at this issue you created re ‘being told’.

Again - if you look at this thread it is not specific to one missal or the other.

 

[Brendan]

I don’t think that waiting till the hymn is over is the “rule”. The standard seems to be when the procession leaves the sanctuary. I don’t know if there’s any official statement in the GIRM or anywhere else that addresses this specifically. (Can anyone verify that?) .

The General Instructions for the Roman Missal ends after the final blessing. Anything more, such as a recessional, are outside the GIRM and thus outside the Liturgy.

I’m in the Diaconate program, and one of the roles of the Deacon is to give the “Ite Missa”… “The Mass has ended…”. We were very much told to say it like we mean it, because that is exactly what is happening the Mass has just ended. Note the present tense of the words, The Mass HAS ended, not WILL end.

 

[Eilish_Maura]

The General Instructions for the Roman Missal ends after the final blessing. Anything more, such as a recessional, are outside the GIRM and thus outside the Liturgy.

I’m in the Diaconate program, and one of the roles of the Deacon is to give the “Ite Missa”… “The Mass has ended…”. We were very much told to say it like we mean it, because that is exactly what is happening the Mass has just ended. Note the present tense of the words, The Mass HAS ended, not WILL end.

Thank you - that corresponds with what I was taught.

 

[KofC_SirKnight]

The General Instructions for the Roman Missal ends after the final blessing. Anything more, such as a recessional, are outside the GIRM and thus outside the Liturgy.

I’m in the Diaconate program, and one of the roles of the Deacon is to give the “Ite Missa”… “The Mass has ended…”. We were very much told to say it like we mean it, because that is exactly what is happening the Mass has just ended. Note the present tense of the words, The Mass HAS ended, not WILL end.

I don’t think anyone is arguing against that, Brendan. Some of us think about the courtesy that is lacking. After all, there is a short instruction for the priest and deacon after the Ite, Missa Est. While that action is done, it hurts me to see people simply walking out. Besides, I think the bigger problem is with people who receive the Eucharist, not return to their pews for thanksgiving, and simply go right out the door.

 

[leopardude]

It drives me nuts when people do that…they’re usually the same folks who arrive to Mass fifteen minutes late.

 

[Sarabande]

Sorry if this thread is a repeat but what I find anoying in the Philadelphia Archdiocese( not sure if this is wide spread ) is that people, sometimes in droves, leave right after communion before the final blessing. I think this is disrespectful. what are your thoughts?

I’ve been to many different diocese in the US and I’ve seen it all over the place - not just in Philadelphia.

I personally don’t like seeing it, unless there is an absolute, really good reason for doing it. Since I cantor at my current parish, I get to really see it. When the processional begins the church isn’t as full. By the time I get back up there for the Psalm, the church is packed. By the end of the communion hymn, I see some people leave - although I have to say it’s not as bad after communion, but it may be because we have a lot of visitors and tourists and they tend to stay, plus those who parishioners live within walking distance. BUT I do see them leave in waves really quickly as soon as the priest walks by them at the recessional.

At my country/farming parish where I spent half my childhood for many weekends and summers, no one ever left mass after commnion. Everyone stayed to the end of the hymn of the recessional.

Suburban home parishes both in childhood and now - well, lots of people left right after the communion - God forbid they had to wait in line to get out of the parking lot. (You’d hear them say things like that - “Let’s get out before the crowds.”)

 

[avus]

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is that there is nothing wrong with receiving communion without attending the mass. You can waltz in, get in line, receive the Eucharist, and dart back out again. If you get there early, you can sit through part of the Eucharistic Prayer. Obviously this is more common in cities, where people are likely to be walking by on their lunch hour. I’ve never had the opportunity to do this, or figured out the timing required on a day when this fit into my schedule. But while it’s better to attend a full mass, it’s still good to receive the Eucharist if circumstance puts you in a position to do so.

I must disagree. I was taught that to fulfill the Sunday Mass obligation one must be present at both the Gospel and the Consecration. So waltzing in for a grab 'n go with the Host is not acceptable.

As for leaving early, I live in the Philadelphia Archdiocese and, at least in the suburban parishes I attend it appears the numbers of early leavers are far less than a few years ago.

Lastly, I absolutely can identify with the comment about being trampled while genuflecting on the way out. I’ve had to take to doing it in the pew.

 

[Digitonomy]

I must disagree. I was taught that to fulfill the Sunday Mass obligation one must be present at both the Gospel and the Consecration. So waltzing in for a grab 'n go with the Host is not acceptable.

I did not speak about the Sunday obligation. I merely said that it is acceptable to receive the Eucharist without actually attending the mass per se. If you failed to meet your most recent obligation, you would not be at liberty to receive unless you go to confession.

As I said, I suspect the most common case where this would occur would be in cities where people are walking by the church during their lunch hours, such as the noon mass on weekdays.

 

[avus]

I did not speak about the Sunday obligation. I merely said that it is acceptable to receive the Eucharist without actually attending the mass per se. If you failed to meet your most recent obligation, you would not be at liberty to receive unless you go to confession.

As I said, I suspect the most common case where this would occur would be in cities where people are walking by the church during their lunch hours, such as the noon mass on weekdays.

OK, I note the distinction and, technically, must agree although the propriety and sacredness of such an action leaves a lot to be desired. But I don’t want to digress from the original purpose of this thread.
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