Leaving Mass after receiving

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mark_a said:
One of our priests (not saying that particular mass) will occasionally wait at the door and hand bulletins to the folks leaving early!!
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:eek: does he think what is in the bulletin is so important those who aren’t willing to participate in the conclusion of Mass should be given a special opportunity to see it?
 
Mel_Stones said:
:eek: does he think what is in the bulletin is so important those who aren’t willing to participate in the conclusion of Mass should be given a special opportunity to see it?
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Perhaps he is hoping to embarrass them?
 
The big reasons as I see it;
  1. People are busy and have something else to do.
  2. People are bored.
  3. People want to get a head start on the parking lot rush.
 
Claire_from_DE said:
I don’t know why they do it. An opportunity to just sit and be with Jesus after communion is wonderful. But my roommate does cut out of mass just before the priest walks down the aisle. She can’t stand it when everyone stands up, turns toward the back of the church, and starts talking right after mass.
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That drives me nuts too. I like to stay in the pew after everyone leaves and pray the old prayers at the foot of the altar that we used to say at our school masses. I can’t leave early though, the image of Sister Rosalie in my head is just too strong…
 
Claire_from_DE said:
I don’t know why they do it. An opportunity to just sit and be with Jesus after communion is wonderful. But my roommate does cut out of mass just before the priest walks down the aisle. She can’t stand it when everyone stands up, turns toward the back of the church, and starts talking right after mass.
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Yes, the people who talk openly before and after Mass. A Church should be a place where you can get away from distractions such as indecent dress, rudeness, etc. If you can’t pray in Church, where are you going to pray?

And i did hear of another priest refer to it as the Judas Shuffle. It is true that Judas left shortly after the Pasch, for he had to go and make sure it was all set with the Pharisees and he could lead them to Jesus in a few more hours’ time.
 
While this post is very interesting, it does have me confused. May I ask at what times these Masses are being celebrated which have so many people leaving right after reception? The Eucharistic fast is now one hour. I would assume that anyone at a 10 am + Mass had already had his/her breakfast. True as a boy I remember noon Masses on Sunday where nobody went to Holy Communion - the Eucharistic fast beginning at midnight. I consider this excuse of extreme need for nourishment as a red herring.
They simply do not want to pray. Thanksgiving after Mass was always taught as essential except for a very serious reason.
 
Bluegoat said:
OK, so this is something I have seen a lot at Catholic Churches, specifically Latin rite ones. I have occasionally seen it elsewhere, but not to the same degree. So, what is with it?

After people go up for communion, they come back and instead of sitting through/participating in the rest of the liturgy, they just eave. They sometimes even take their coats with them so they can escape more quickly.

What is with this? My RC friend calls it the “magic cookie” effect, which is rather irreverent, but I wonder if that is part of it. Do people think getting the Eucharist is the only important thing, so they don’t need to be there for the rest? Do Catholics have very busy Sundays?
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Some people do the same thing at ballgames, you know, before the game is over to beat the crowd getting out of the parking lot and hearing the rest of it on the radio as you drive home.
I have also observed people leaving the nano-second after the priest walks past their row, sometimes they would even beat the priest to the back church let alone out the door.

By his graces, his servant, Nic:)
 
So this has been going on for a long time,The last Mass I went to in the USA before accepting this calling was 1964. There were 7 Masses at Corpus Christi (Dayton) and I went to the 6 am. Many came early and everyone stayed to make thanksgiving. If I could I would attend the 10 am hight mass as devotion. Not being able to communicate I would leave after the last hymns were sung i.e. the national anthem (3rd verse)
I am most shocked by thinking of a person’s carrying his coat to the rail so that he can walk straight out. Sacrilege. As I say this spiritual decay has not yet invaded
India. I cannot imagine that it will.
Sexual scandals from the clergy and scarrilege from the people. Such a shame.
 
Ok before this turns out to be a complete trashing session of the folks who leave after communion, please allow me to write a little bit in their defense. According to something that I was once told (I never verified this, but the source is credible), leaving after communion is TECHNICALLY acceptable liturgically, although by no means appropriate.

To be very specific, the completion of the Sacrifice of Calgary is the point where the celebrant consumes the Precious Blood. That is to say the point where after he says “Behold the Lamb of God, etc…” or “Ecce Angus Dei, etc…”, consumes the Body of Christ, then drinks from the Chalice. At that point, anyone who leaves would technically have fulfilled their ‘Sunday Obligation’, even without going to commiunion (only a minimum of once a year is required). This is not to say that the Mass has ended, only the Sacrifice. However the obligation is the be present for the sacrifice, not the Mass. Although this would be highly inappropriate since the end of the Mass is not only a blessing and dismissal, but a commission, “Go out to love and serve the Lord”.

The problem as I see it, is not that they are commiting a Mortal Sin by cutting out halfway, but rather that they are missing out vital parts of the Mass, namely as already mentioned, the commisioning of Christians to go out and proclaim the Good News to the rest of the world. Furthermore, those who are leaving are receving Communion before leaving, meaning that by leave so quickly afterwards, it is unlikely they are able to devote sufficient attention and focus to the miracle of transubstantiation they just witness and received, and the immense sacrifice of Jesus dying on the cross. Not only that, but my personal suspicion is that the proportion of those who did leave, knowing about their specific obligations VS those who left simply they wanted to is in fact relatively small.

Still I suspect that the reasons a lot of priests put up with this (other than having given up), is because these people are at least coming to Church, fulfilling their ‘Sunday Obligation’ and at least partially practicing their Faith. Simply put, it could be a lot worse. They could quite possibly not come to Church at all, as many others do. They could also just as easily spend the time that they would otherwise spend in Church to commit sin. God waits for his lost sheep to find their way home, and therefore the Holy Mother Church waits, its doors always open, even to those who come in for the briefest of moments. So rather than giving them the ‘Evil Eye’ the next time we see such a thing happening (something I myself have been guilty of giving them), perhaps it would be better if we prayed for them, pray and hope that the situation will change, or if not, then that God in his mercy and love will take to Heaven one day, and since none of us are worthy, perhaps this act of charity will help our cause as well.
 
Mel_Stones said:
:eek: does he think what is in the bulletin is so important those who aren’t willing to participate in the conclusion of Mass should be given a special opportunity to see it?
Click to expand...
Gee. I never thought of that.

For some reason I thought he was just being subtle with the folks leaving early.

Hey!! Wait a minute!! Here’s how we can end this problem once and for all!!

We could have a notice like this right in the bulletin: “You really shouldn’t leave mass early!”

I’m going to go sit by the phone and wait for my thank-you call from the pope!! Oh my goodness! The phone is already ringing!

Or we could feed mayonaise directly to tuna fish!!
 
Nic2009 said:
.
I have also observed people leaving the nano-second after the priest walks past their row, sometimes they would even beat the priest to the back church let alone out the door.
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Could it be because some people feel uncomfortable meeting the priest afterwards? Or just plain shy, perhaps?
 
Grace and greetings James:)
James_Miller said:
So this has been going on for a long time,The last Mass I went to in the USA before accepting this calling was 1964. There were 7 Masses at Corpus Christi (Dayton) and I went to the 6 am. Many came early and everyone stayed to make thanksgiving. If I could I would attend the 10 am hight mass as devotion. Not being able to communicate I would leave after the last hymns were sung i.e. the national anthem (3rd verse)
I am most shocked by thinking of a person’s carrying his coat to the rail so that he can walk straight out. Sacrilege. As I say this spiritual decay has not yet invaded
India. I cannot imagine that it will.
Sexual scandals from the clergy and scarrilege from the people. Such a shame.
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I tend to agree.🙂
By his graces, his servant, Nic:)
 
Greetings and grace to you ProVobis:)
ProVobis said:
Could it be because some people feel uncomfortable meeting the priest afterwards? Or just plain shy, perhaps?
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Sure anything possible, or rather many things are possible. It could be that some were just doing the very minimum to fulfill their obigation. Few also arrive late and these surprising also leave early; not all of them. Still others wanted to do something and so they left I am certain. At times it was a televised ballgame or going to a bowling alley or something else they consider important on their itinerary.
Surely some leave or arrive late for legitimate reasons, but certainly not all.
A few other observations:
I have also heard those that go to early morning Mass because it’s quick; no singing & short homily. These are the same that don’t want to get ‘stuck’ at the high Mass.

I have heard others go to the vigil on Saturday so they don’t have to go on Sunday.

By his graces, his servant, Nic:)
 
Greetings EgoIgnoramus:)
What seems odd or ironic for your defense is that the Mass is named after ‘the dismiss’, and you are advocating it’s okay to leave before one is dismissed. It just seems most contrary to the notion of the Mass itself.
So I guess that leaves me with wondering how much of ‘the dismass’ (the Mass) can one miss and still fulfill their obligation without any special dispensations or excuses?
What say you?
By his graces, his servant, Nic:)
Ego_Ignoramus said:
Ok before this turns out to be a complete trashing session of the folks who leave after communion, please allow me to write a little bit in their defense. According to something that I was once told (I never verified this, but the source is credible), leaving after communion is TECHNICALLY acceptable liturgically, although by no means appropriate.

To be very specific, the completion of the Sacrifice of Calgary is the point where the celebrant consumes the Precious Blood. That is to say the point where after he says “Behold the Lamb of God, etc…” or “Ecce Angus Dei, etc…”, consumes the Body of Christ, then drinks from the Chalice. At that point, anyone who leaves would technically have fulfilled their ‘Sunday Obligation’, even without going to commiunion (only a minimum of once a year is required). This is not to say that the Mass has ended, only the Sacrifice. However the obligation is the be present for the sacrifice, not the Mass. Although this would be highly inappropriate since the end of the Mass is not only a blessing and dismissal, but a commission, “Go out to love and serve the Lord”.

The problem as I see it, is not that they are commiting a Mortal Sin by cutting out halfway, but rather that they are missing out vital parts of the Mass, namely as already mentioned, the commisioning of Christians to go out and proclaim the Good News to the rest of the world. Furthermore, those who are leaving are receving Communion before leaving, meaning that by leave so quickly afterwards, it is unlikely they are able to devote sufficient attention and focus to the miracle of transubstantiation they just witness and received, and the immense sacrifice of Jesus dying on the cross. Not only that, but my personal suspicion is that the proportion of those who did leave, knowing about their specific obligations VS those who left simply they wanted to is in fact relatively small.

Still I suspect that the reasons a lot of priests put up with this (other than having given up), is because these people are at least coming to Church, fulfilling their ‘Sunday Obligation’ and at least partially practicing their Faith. Simply put, it could be a lot worse. They could quite possibly not come to Church at all, as many others do. They could also just as easily spend the time that they would otherwise spend in Church to commit sin. God waits for his lost sheep to find their way home, and therefore the Holy Mother Church waits, its doors always open, even to those who come in for the briefest of moments. So rather than giving them the ‘Evil Eye’ the next time we see such a thing happening (something I myself have been guilty of giving them), perhaps it would be better if we prayed for them, pray and hope that the situation will change, or if not, then that God in his mercy and love will take to Heaven one day, and since none of us are worthy, perhaps this act of charity will help our cause as well.
Click to expand...
 
Nic2009 said:
Greetings EgoIgnoramus:)
What seems odd or ironic for your defense is that the Mass is named after ‘the dismiss’, and you are advocating it’s okay to leave before one is dismissed. It just seems most contrary to the notion of the Mass itself.
So I guess that leaves me with wondering how much of ‘the dismass’ (the Mass) can one miss and still fulfill their obligation without any special dispensations or excuses?
What say you?
By his graces, his servant, Nic:)
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I don’t think I’ve ever seen a definite answer to your question. I prefer to be there for the whole mass. I believe the Mass is intended for us to be seen as a whole, all parts are integral and complimentary. If you start to say that you don’t have to actually be there for this or that part then the mass loses it’s cohesion and for that person coming and going at certain parts the mass loses all meaning and falls apart. I know a man that each and every week times his arrival at mass to coincide with the end of the homily. He stays for the consecration, receives communion and then sometimes leaves right after or will stay for the dismissal. Would we really want to encourage this type of thinking in regards to the Holy Mass? I sincerely doubt it.

ChadS
 
Greetings ChadS:)
ChadS said:
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a definite answer to your question. I prefer to be there for the whole mass. I believe the Mass is intended for us to be seen as a whole, all parts are integral and complimentary. If you start to say that you don’t have to actually be there for this or that part then the mass loses it’s cohesion and for that person coming and going at certain parts the mass loses all meaning and falls apart. I know a man that each and every week times his arrival at mass to coincide with the end of the homily. He stays for the consecration, receives communion and then sometimes leaves right after or will stay for the dismissal. Would we really want to encourage this type of thinking in regards to the Holy Mass? I sincerely doubt it.

ChadS
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I appreaciate your candid response, howvever it seems if one is in the position where one may be committing a mortal sin in the eyes of Catholics, it seems someone would clarify or define what would be defined as fulfulling or sin?
Thanks again for your reply, can you add anything more?
By his graces, his servant, Nic:)
 
Nic2009 said:
Greetings ChadS:)I appreaciate your candid response, howvever it seems if one is in the position where one may be committing a mortal sin in the eyes of Catholics, it seems someone would clarify or define what would be defined as fulfulling or sin?
Thanks again for your reply, can you add anything more?
By his graces, his servant, Nic:)
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Hi Nic,

I found this post from a blog written by a priest that deals with this very question. Maybe his answer will help you some.

fatherjoe.wordpress.com/2007/02/20/how-much-of-the-mass-can-i-miss/

God bless,
ChadS
 
I’m pretty new to the CC. The parish I was attending when I first began my spiritual journey was rather contemporary. I attended all 3 mass times [different Sundays of course;)] 8:00, 10:00 and 12:00 and in all 3 I witnessed MANY people headed for the door after partaking in communion.

The parish I attended this past Sunday is far more ‘traditional’…I LOVE this parish!! I really didn’t notice anyone leaving.

I must say that no-one ever really had to tell me to stay for the full service, I just do. I have learned, through responses in this thread, what staying for the full service REALLY entails. Not to mention, I like the final blessing as well. I’m really enjoying being HOME and I’m truly blessed to have found my way.

Blessings!
Kathy
 
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