Leaving Mass After Communion

[KrazyKat]

When we are united with The Lord I do not believe we lose any grace if we leave church early. The Lord knows us, our fellow men do not.

 

[FrStevenJones]

When we are united with The Lord I do not believe we lose any grace if we leave church early. The Lord knows us, our fellow men do not.

OK, but if one is “united with the Lord”, why would one want to leave Mass early, unless one had a good reason like illness or perhaps needing to go to work (on time!) after a daily Mass? The Lord gave us the Mass. So under normal circumstances if we are united with the Lord we will stay until His Mass is over.

 

[KrazyKat]

OK, but if one is “united with the Lord”, why would one want to leave Mass early, unless one had a good reason like illness or perhaps needing to go to work (on time!) after a daily Mass? The Lord gave us the Mass. So under normal circumstances if we are united with the Lord we will stay until His Mass is over.

I cannot speak for others, and I do not always leave right after Communion, it depends on the severity of my pain as I have to be able to drive home and make it inside. The Lord knows.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

OK, but if one is “united with the Lord”, why would one want to leave Mass early, unless one had a good reason like illness or perhaps needing to go to work (on time!) after a daily Mass? The Lord gave us the Mass. So under normal circumstances if we are united with the Lord we will stay until His Mass is over.

These are some wonderful ideas to ponder. Your words remind me of those of a priest that I know, who, when I was recounted my struggles with some of the ‘liberties’ being taken after Communion and before the final blessing, that were making me want to leave right after receiving made no judgement of the situation, and only asked me a question that I will never forget. This wise, kind, and gentle man looks at me and says, in the most stern & authoritative voice I had ever heard him speak in, “If Jesus can put up with it and stick around, who are you to leave?”

WOW! Talk about the mighty falling!

 

[Lormar]

These are some wonderful ideas to ponder. Your words remind me of those of a priest that I know, who, when I was recounted my struggles with some of the ‘liberties’ being taken after Communion and before the final blessing, that were making me want to leave right after receiving made no judgement of the situation, and only asked me a question that I will never forget. This wise, kind, and gentle man looks at me and says, in the most stern & authoritative voice I had ever heard him speak in, “If Jesus can put up with it and stick around, who are you to leave?”

WOW! Talk about the mighty falling!

It is funny how Our Lord uses people at times to answer a question I have asked Him.

Thank you for posting this.

 

[Augustine3]

Thanks everyone for your posts I really appreciate it

I suppose leaving early after communion for the wrong reason reflects our disposition, thus deprives us of the potential grace we can receive from the Holy Eucharist.

 

[Philomeena]

I cannot speak for others, and I do not always leave right after Communion, it depends on the severity of my pain as I have to be able to drive home and make it inside. The Lord knows.

And that is the point I wished to make. I wonder if anyone, including the pastor, when making judgments about people who leave early ever bother to ask the person why they leave early. Perhaps if they did that instead of posting obnoxious signs comparing the early leavers to Judas, they might find out about a situation the person is going through that at the least might require our Christian charity or provide an opportunity to be pastoral.

 

[KrazyKat]

And that is the point I wished to make. I wonder if anyone, including the pastor, when making judgments about people who leave early ever bother to ask the person why they leave early. Perhaps if they did that instead of posting obnoxious signs comparing the early leavers to Judas, they might find out about a situation the person is going through that at the least might require our Christian charity or provide an opportunity to be pastoral.

I believe that is why Jesus says to not judge. I truly feel sad for those who believe they know the mind of God and who He blesses with His grace.

 

[thequeen]

Sometimes I have to leave right after communion because I have to be at work on time. I work for a major retailor.

 

[Isca]

I was recently in Madeira and dropped into a beautiful little church there. A Mass was in progress and people were receiving Communion. A priest in red was standing with his arms raised, singing and people were just milling around, it seemed, some walking out immediately, some talking to other people in the aisles, some praying.

I stood at the back for a couple of minutes, I didn’t want to disturb the service - but it was chaotic in a wonderful way, if you know what I mean. There was such a warmth there, despite the seeming lack of order!

 

[InLight247]

OK, but if one is “united with the Lord”, why would one want to leave Mass early, unless one had a good reason like illness or perhaps needing to go to work (on time!) after a daily Mass? The Lord gave us the Mass. So under normal circumstances if we are united with the Lord we will stay until His Mass is over.

Totally agree. A DVD class “A Biblical Walk through the Mass” by Dr. Sri has been offered to our parish and it says we must stay at Mass until the priest walks out after giving his final blessing. Dr. Sri gave a real example of how a Pastor taught a lady a lesson who was leaving after Communion every time.

We should give thanks to God and have deep communion with the Lord after receiving the Eucharist. Keep in mind Judas was the first one left at the Last Supper.

 

[ServusHumilis]

I have an great great aunt and uncle who have surely been blessed by God. They’re both pushing 100 and still live at home! One thing about them; they’ve always left mass right after communion! This possibly comes from old habbits from the Latin mass where the mass actually did end right after the postcommunion prayers and there was the option to stay for the last gospel and further prayers if one wished. I think if one leaves right after communion, at the very least a blessing and possibly announcements are missed.

 

[fastenatingguy]

I know a local parish that has that posted above the exit doors of the Church,
“Judas left early too”. It’s one thing if someone had an emergency etc but when it is a regular habit it is another. It really is rather sad because if it is the habit type, they only hurt themselves. A couple of Sundays ago, my family (5 people) just made it to Church on time, (priest hadn’t walked down yet). The only pew that would fit all of us had an elderly couple at the end. They gave us dirty looks because the man had to stand up to let us in the empty pew and then they leave right after communion. Now maybe they had too but it seems all too often that those who want to book it right away, sit at the ends of pews, get mad if they have to move to let others in, never sing and seem grumpy and unhappy. Such a great witness of the faith.

Sounds a little like the “Sourpusses” that the Pope recently mentioned. Pray for them to have an open heart and mind,

 

[po18guy]

So, we are back to judging those who judge us? The only commandment Jesus gave us is to love one another. That is why I am struggling to pray for those around me, instead of trying to judge their hearts. This is not easy. Others’ actions, however, are quite another thing. There is such a thing as fraternal correction - and I have received it many times. It must be motivated by love, and not by judgment. Our love is shown through our obedience. I love the Lord, and I try to obey, therefore, I finish the mass.

 

[VivienneJ]

This is something I’m trying to get used to - not that people don’t wait to leave until the end of the Mass (after the priest has left), but that no-one seems to kneel again to say a prayer. In the Anglican tradition, it’s often customary to kneel again, as you would when you first enter the church and take your seat.

The first time I attended Mass I knelt to say another prayer and was conscious that those around me were trying to get out of the pew!

I battled with that before I even contemplated becoming Catholic. Attending Mass with my daughter and her future in-laws when I spent a weekend with her and her MIL-to-be nearly walked on me when I knelt to pray I now take the injunction “The Mass has ended” literally and do not try to kneel at that point (luckily, because where I now attend most of the time I probably would be trampled).

It bothers me when I see the same ones leave early every mass. Same goes for not participating throughout mass. Why do so many refuse to sing? I guess coming from a Protestant background where they really get into singing their fool heads off, I’m still adjusting.

I had a friend who left early just about every Sunday. She and her daughter ran a B&B, the only way they could both get to church on a Sunday morning (there was no Saturday Mass available there) was if the mother came to the early Mass while the daughter started breakfast for the guests; when the mother got home she took over and her daughter and granddaughters went to the later Mass. If there were no guests needing breakfast, she stayed right to the end.

It has always seemed odd to me that some people arrive at Mass early just to get a pew by the door so that they can leave early. At my parish, there’s only way way in and out of the parking lot, and the entrance is by the far end away from the Church building. Some people will arrive early and park furthest away from the door because it puts them in a position to leave the parking lot quickly. Or you could do what my family does and pray for two minutes after Mass ends. By the time I get to my car, the parking lot is 3/4 empty and it’s a clear shot to the exit.

I arrive at Mass early to be sure of getting a seat at all. Arrive 15 to 20 minutes before the Mass starts and you may have to stand for the whole Mass. But I park 2 blocks away from the church as the congestion of cars, people and taxis around the church after Mass is enough to wipe all the peace out of you.

We also have the added congestion of people who arrive early for the next Mass and are early enough to come into the church before the ushers get to the doors to make them wait. So you have the aisles full with people who got to Mass ‘late’ for a seat, and late for the start of Mass, then by the time to receive the Eucharist their number is swelled by the early arrivals for the next Mass who are standing in the church to be sure of their seat. The difficulty of seeing where the Communion line is can severely challenge.

Then there is the physical act of getting out; those who have just attended Mass, those who have been waiting for a seat for the next Mass, what a jumble!!

 

[ajecphotos]

Our priest hates it when people leave straight after communion! He lets them know that too. Thing is, nobody listens to him and to be honest he is not a friendly priest. Apparently, congregation is down by approx 30% since he came to us!

 

[thistle]

Mass is not over until the final blessing. So we must stay out of obedience and love for God, and respect for His Mass. If a person left early because of an emergency, not a problem.** But one who intentionally leaves early will be depriving themselves of grace, due to a their lack of obedience and lack of full respect for God’s gifts of the Holy Mass.**

I would like to see some official Church documentation to support such a claim.

 

[FrStevenJones]

I would like to see some official Church documentation to support such a claim.

Disobedience and lack of respect are the problems highlighted-- do we need to “document” that these are displeasing to God!?

 

[KrazyKat]

Disobedience and lack of respect are the problems highlighted-- do we need to “document” that these are displeasing to God!?

The fact that in a very short space of time after receiving the Most Holy Eucharist we are rudely impelled to listen to announcements regarding crab feasts, etc., I am sure that this is displeasing to God.

But since we none truly know the mind of God, your guess is as good as mine.

 

[FrStevenJones]

The fact that in a very short space of time after receiving the Most Holy Eucharist we are rudely impelled to listen to announcements regarding crab feasts, etc., I am sure that this is displeasing to God.

But since we none truly know the mind of God, your guess is as good as mine.

The Mass comes from God. This is a fact. The Mass is not over until the final blessing. This is also a fact. So those who leave before the final blessing, unless they have a good reason such as illness or needing to get to work on time, are being disobedient and disrespectful to Christ’s Holy Mass. Surely waiting another few minutes, while doing our best to remain recollected (despite the announcements!) is a better alternative.