Leaving Mass after Communion

[YipYupYep]

Hello,

Worse or worse-er?

Our pastor is a younger man. In his forties I would guess. He has long hair and a beard. Quite obese. The guy looks pretty weird I want to tell ya. As far as I know, a pretty good priest.

Sunday morning he announced that anyone leaving the church after Communion, but before the final conclusion, is committing a Sin. Not only a Sin, but specificity a Sin against the First Commandment. He indicated that whatever the person has left for, if a false God that the person worships.

I don’t know what’s worse. If he believes this or if he does not but said it anyway. You tell me. Sure its not a great thing to do. Sure it may be impolite. But… a Sin. The worship of false gods? I

I kook forward to reading your feelings about it.

 

[YipYupYep]

Hello,

Worse or worse-er?

Our pastor is a younger man. In his forties I would guess. He has long hair and a beard. Quite obese. The guy looks pretty weird I want to tell ya. As far as I know, a pretty good priest.

Sunday morning he announced that anyone leaving the church after Communion, but before the final conclusion, is committing a Sin. Not only a Sin, but specificity a Sin against the First Commandment. He indicated that whatever the person has left for, if a false God that the person worships.

I don’t know what’s worse. If he believes this or if he does not but said it anyway. You tell me. Sure its not a great thing to do. Sure it may be impolite. But… a Sin. The worship of false gods?

I kook forward to reading your feelings about it.

 

[LilyM]

What the priest’s looks or age have to do with anything I don’t know - why did you even feel it necessary to mention them?

Now barring serious reason (children or ill folks who need tending to, a plane to catch or the like) it’s a whole lot more than just impolite to not stay for all of Mass.

We’re not talking about paying great-aunt Ethel a visit out of kindness here, we’re talking about offering properly attentive worship to our God and creator without whom we would both be and have nothing. It’s a very serious moral obligation - so serious that His commandments list Sabbath-keeping (of which Mass attendance plays a critical part) ahead of all our other obligations to parents and fellow man.

Having said that, no it’s not a mortal sin, not quite as serious as idol-worship or robbery, although to miss Mass altogether would be grave, that’s how important our obligation is to pay due respect to God and worship Him as He has directed us.

It’s certainly sinful to leave early without good reason though, and a person who would do so does show a seriously wrong sense of priorities. How utterly slack would you have to be, with the other 166-odd hours that are granted to us to spend on our other pursuits each week, to begrudge God the mere extra ten minutes or so (at most) that is involved in staying until the final blessing!

 

[puzzleannie]

if one leaves before the communion prayer and final blessing and dismissal (without a good reason and getting out of the parking lot faster does not qualify–taking communion to the sick does) one is deliberately distancing or disassociating oneself from that prayer, blessing and dismissal, and that is a serious matter. One is rejecting the call to go forth and spread the Gospel, rejecting the blessing (major), refusing to be part of the prayer and thanksgiving after communion.

 

[Will_B]

Hello,

Worse or worse-er?

Our pastor is a younger man. In his forties I would guess. He has long hair and a beard. Quite obese. The guy looks pretty weird I want to tell ya. As far as I know, a pretty good priest.

Sunday morning he announced that anyone leaving the church after Communion, but before the final conclusion, is committing a Sin. Not only a Sin, but specificity a Sin against the First Commandment. He indicated that whatever the person has left for, if a false God that the person worships.

I don’t know what’s worse. If he believes this or if he does not but said it anyway. You tell me. Sure its not a great thing to do. Sure it may be impolite. But… a Sin. The worship of false gods?

I kook forward to reading your feelings about it.

You shall not have any gods before you.That would include the god of football

The god of lunch.

The god of homework.

The god of avoiding traffic.
I think you priest is absolutely right.

 

[1ke]

Hello,

Worse or worse-er?

Our pastor is a younger man. In his forties I would guess. He has long hair and a beard. Quite obese. The guy looks pretty weird I want to tell ya. As far as I know, a pretty good priest.

Sunday morning he announced that anyone leaving the church after Communion, but before the final conclusion, is committing a Sin. Not only a Sin, but specificity a Sin against the First Commandment. He indicated that whatever the person has left for, if a false God that the person worships.

I don’t know what’s worse. If he believes this or if he does not but said it anyway. You tell me. Sure its not a great thing to do. Sure it may be impolite. But… a Sin. The worship of false gods?

I kook forward to reading your feelings about it.

Yes, it is a sin. It is in my examination of conscience handbook under the First Commandment.

People are very out of tune with what sin is. Hurray for this priest for informing people’s conscience.

 

[japhy]

Imagine if the choir left Mass early. Imagine if the priest left Mass early.

 

[sseason]

Imagine if the choir left Mass early. Imagine if the priest left Mass early.

I stay till the end. But I didn’t know it was a sin to leave a little early. I did consider it a sin to leave immediately after communion though, without first kneeling down and giving thanks for the sacrament of the Eucharist…for giving His life on the cross. It does make sence that it is a sin before the final blessing…for all the reasons the previous post’s mention.

Good for the priest for standing up and speaking the Truth, not worrying about “rocking the boat” but worrying about saving souls.

 

[pismopal]

It has been a problem at our parish and the new priest has addressed it after seeing the usual suspects ducking out. I have been out of state for almost a month but at mass yesterday I saw some folks leaving after Communion and the husband could not have been going to a work place as few employers would allow an employee to dress that way. What are they thinking?

 

[Digitonomy]

I agree with the OP. There is no requirement that a person attend all or even most of a mass at which he receives communion.

If he fails to fulfill his Sunday obligation, that would certainly be a sin, but the sin would be that failure, not leaving mass early.

 

[Newbie2]

I’d guess it to be borderline sin, depending on one’s motives. If it were habit and one’s priest never said anything about it, could that mitigate the culpability?

I’ve never seen or heard a good reason for anyone to leave mass early, except if one has a screaming child going into meltdown and doesn’t want to distupt the proceedings.

No slight to the elderly, but I don’t think getting to the one’s car when one is a senior isn’t any more critical than when one is middle aged.

 

[JKS]

I think that giving an unfavorable description of someone in order to somewhat discount his opinion, is a venial sin.

If you’re leaving Mass early with no good reason, stop doing it.

 

[water]

Hello,

Worse or worse-er?

Our pastor is a younger man. In his forties I would guess. He has long hair and a beard. Quite obese. The guy looks pretty weird I want to tell ya. As far as I know, a pretty good priest.

It is great to know he is a good priest! Since everybody replied to the other part of your question, I was wondering why there was a need to give the description of him?

 

[bilop]

Hello,

Worse or worse-er?

Our pastor is a younger man. In his forties I would guess. He has long hair and a beard. Quite obese. The guy looks pretty weird I want to tell ya. As far as I know, a pretty good priest.

Sunday morning he announced that anyone leaving the church after Communion, but before the final conclusion, is committing a Sin. Not only a Sin, but specificity a Sin against the First Commandment. He indicated that whatever the person has left for, if a false God that the person worships.

I don’t know what’s worse. If he believes this or if he does not but said it anyway. You tell me. Sure its not a great thing to do. Sure it may be impolite. But… a Sin. The worship of false gods?

I kook forward to reading your feelings about it.

It probably is a venial sin to leave early for no good reason.

I also concur, why describe the priest as “weird” looking?

God Bless

 

[benedictgal]

This weekend, my dad and I went to another parish for Mass. Prior to the proclamation of the readings, the pastor told the faithful that he was tired of people leaving early (just before the start of the recessional hymn). He said that the Mass concludes when he leaves the sanctuary.

Well, after the dismissal, rather than face the tabernacle, he turned around and stared at everyone. He then recessed. It’s not the ideal solution, but, it was downright scary.

 

[Jalengrma]

It is great to know he is a good priest! Since everybody replied to the other part of your question, I was wondering why there was a need to give the description of him?

I was wondering the same thing…

 

[AHapka]

I don’t know what’s worse. If he believes this or if he does not but said it anyway. You tell me. Sure its not a great thing to do. Sure it may be impolite. But… a Sin. The worship of false gods?

I kook forward to reading your feelings about it.

Your priest as your religious superior (and those of his congregation) has given an order. It is not contrary to divine law. Therefore, those in the congregation are obliged to obey Him. While it may not have been a sin for some before (invincible ignorance), it is now since they have been informed.

The sin of disobedience is for sure grave matter. And I also agree with him and previous posters that leaving early to do something else is also grave matter, and likely sinful (again, certain exceptions noted).

 

[Digitonomy]

It probably is a venial sin to leave early for no good reason.

That wasn’t how the priest apparently described the situation. Leaving early was described as sinful, regardless of the reason. That’s simply incorrect.

As to what a good reason may be, that’s something that would seem to vary a lot from person to person and situation to situation. Suppose a person attended mass Saturday evening to fulfill his obligation. Sunday morning he has half an hour after picking up baby food at the grocery store before he must pick up his son from CCD at another parish. Would it be sinful to drop into mass and receive the Eucharist? Apparently this priest thinks so. I do not.

 

[Digitonomy]

Imagine if the choir left Mass early. Imagine if the priest left Mass early.

They have obligations they would be shirking. We do not have an obligation to be present for every minute of every mass we encounter.

 

[EasterJoy]

…anyone leaving the church after Communion, but before the final conclusion, is committing a Sin. Not only a Sin, but specificity a Sin against the First Commandment. He indicated that whatever the person has left for, if a false God that the person worships.

I don’t know what’s worse. If he believes this or if he does not but said it anyway. You tell me. Sure its not a great thing to do. Sure it may be impolite. But… a Sin. The worship of false gods? I

I kook forward to reading your feelings about it.

Leaving Mass before the dismissal is worse than impolite. Unless one has sufficient reason–the entire Sunday obligation may be dispensed with good reason, after all–it is a sin. It is not as grave as neglecting the Sunday obligation entirely, but if done without a mitigating or compelling reason, it is a partial neglect of that obligation.

For that matter, love is never rude…to willfully do that which is impolite without a compelling or mitigating reason is a sin.

Besides, what difference does it make whether our motive in doing so is neglect of God himself or neglect to keep holy the Lord’s Day? That is nit-picking. Still, a greater affection for false “gods” in our life is a possible motive.