Leaving Mass before the last song has finished?

[FullOfThought]

We all know the parishioners who leave mass after recieving The Eucharist, and I’m sure we all agree that this is disgraceful. However, so many people leave the Church before the final song has concluded, literally walk out straight after the Priest.

I know that the mass offically ends when the Priest gives his final blessing, but this drives me crazy!! We always stay till the very last note is sung and by then there are very few people left!

Thoughts?

Thanks

 

[searching04]

A church in our area has a sign over some of the doors that say “Judas left the mass early”.

 

[Anathama_Sit]

We all know the parishioners who leave mass after recieving The Eucharist, and I’m sure we all agree that this is disgraceful. However, so many people leave the Church before the final song has concluded, literally walk out straight after the Priest.

I know that the mass offically ends when the Priest gives his final blessing, but this drives me crazy!! We always stay till the very last note is sung and by then there are very few people left!

Thoughts?

Thanks

Greetings FullofThought,

I don’t thing there’s anything in the GIRM that says we have to stay there until the last song is concluded. Most of the time I would far rather arrive early to Mass becuase it seems to be more quiet at prior to the beginning of the Mass then at the ending where everyone is jibber jabbering and rushing out.

I know when I do leave Mass I will leave as soon as the priest has left and usually surreptiously out the side door so as to not distract. But I will never wait and march out behind the priest, I would feel wrong somehow.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit

 

[Bezant]

We all know the parishioners who leave mass after recieving The Eucharist, and I’m sure we all agree that this is disgraceful. However, so many people leave the Church before the final song has concluded, literally walk out straight after the Priest.

I know that the mass offically ends when the Priest gives his final blessing, but this drives me crazy!! We always stay till the very last note is sung and by then there are very few people left!

Thoughts?

Thanks

If it’s an awful song, I don’t blame him.

 

[kozlosap]

We all know the parishioners who leave mass after recieving The Eucharist, and I’m sure we all agree that this is disgraceful. However, so many people leave the Church before the final song has concluded, literally walk out straight after the Priest.

I know that the mass offically ends when the Priest gives his final blessing, but this drives me crazy!! We always stay till the very last note is sung and by then there are very few people left!

Thoughts?

Thanks

So, you are sitting in mass and watching what others do instead of having full attention on the sacrifice of our Lord? Interesting!

 

[saveusfromhell]

i went to morning mass on monday in a town 15 miles away because there was no morning mass in my own parish this week. the reason i say this is that i was unaware how long the mass would be, it was a novena with a blessing with oils in the middle of it. the mass went on for over an hour and i had to leave in order to meet my wife, actually i had my phone on silent and i ended texting her to tell her i would be very late as she was expecting me back after 20 mins. i then left after holy communion as we had to go back and collect our child from playschool.
still feel bad about it though

 

[EasterJoy]

Even at weddings, everyone begins to file out as soon as the priest and the wedding party have left. This happens at very solemn Masses, all over the world. That is because “Go in peace” really means that.

It would be a different matter if the church remained anything remotely like quiet when the recessional music was over. As it was, it is rarely quiet enough to pray, anyway. For that reason, even the people who used to be in the habit of spending time with the Lord after Mass sometimes feel driven out by the noise and the full-volume conversations that follow the recessional. Many churches are hardly fit for prayer until after the musicians have left the building. (Not to single out the musicians: I mean until everybody is gone…and the line telling the choir master how to choose better songs is probably the longest one* inside* the church, since Father usually fields complaints coming his way outside. )

And, by the way, it is rash judgement to decide that someone else is a disgrace because they haven’t had the chance to satisfy you with their reasons for coming or going. While it is OK to say a practice is terrible in theory, then, let us be clear that we are talking about the principles we use to regulate our own comings and goings, and not the principles we use for minding business that is not ours, right?

PS Excepting that families with small children often have a rather good excuse for coming in late or leaving early, this is more a Liturgy and Sacraments thread than a Family Life thread.

 

[SamH]

. However, so many people leave the Church before the final song has concluded, literally walk out straight after the Priest.

I know that the mass offically ends when the Priest gives his final blessing, but this drives me crazy!! We always stay till the very last note is sung and by then there are very few people left!

Thoughts?

Thanks

If the priest can leave why not everyone else?

 

[FullOfThought]

I understand when there’s an emergency and you have to leave after communion, but that’s a lot of emergencies every Sunday!!

I am in the mindset that when mass has finished and you are singing the last hymn, which honors our Lord, why would you not finish it? It’s basically a prayer in lyric form.

It’s very hard not to notice the whole church emptying and the fuss that goes along with it.

God gives us our life, I can give Him a full hour on Sunday without having to rush out to avoid congestion in the parking lot.I DO think it’s disgraceful.

 

[centurionguard]

Even at weddings, everyone begins to file out as soon as the priest and the wedding party have left. This happens at very solemn Masses, all over the world. That is because “Go in peace” really means that.

It would be a different matter if the church remained anything remotely like quiet when the recessional music was over. As it was, it is rarely quiet enough to pray, anyway. For that reason, even the people who used to be in the habit of spending time with the Lord after Mass sometimes feel driven out by the noise and the full-volume conversations that follow the recessional. Many churches are hardly fit for prayer until after the musicians have left the building. (Not to single out the musicians: I mean until everybody is gone…and the line telling the choir master how to choose better songs is probably the longest one* inside* the church, since Father usually fields complaints coming his way outside. :roll eyes

And, by the way, it is rash judgement to decide that someone else is a disgrace because they haven’t had the chance to satisfy you with their reasons for coming or going. While it is OK to say a practice is terrible in theory, then, let us be clear that we are talking about the principles we use to regulate our own comings and goings, and not the principles we use for minding business that is not ours, right?

PS Excepting that families with small children often have a rather good excuse for coming in late or leaving early, this is more a Liturgy and Sacraments thread than a Family Life thread.

Totally Agree

Officially; the Mass ends when the Priests gives the last blessing (“Go Now In The Peace of Christ To Love and Serve The Lord”).

Most parishioners wait in courtesy until the priest walks down the aisle to the back of the Church to greet the parishioners as they leave the Church.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Mass is over when the priest says it is. People should wait for the priest to leave first out of respect, but nothing says they have to wait for the song to end. In fact, really the recessional technically should end when the priest is gone. That solves the problem.

 

[promethius]

Thoughts?

Calm your soul, focus on God in the Church, and stop judging others because they have not selected this particular additional devotion that you have. Perhaps they are leaving in order to make it to Eucharistic Adoration somewhere, or have dying relatives, etc. It is not our place to judge them.

 

[underacloud]

In many churches there will be a morning tea following mass. Or some sort of social groups or classes. So people may slip out early to begin preparing.

There’s also likely many families who had JUST managed to keep their childrens’ behaviour under control but are at their wits end and want to avert potential chaos.

There’s likely a few parishioners who need to use the bathroom and have waited through the mass.

There are many potential reasons for people leaving at the final blessing, or once the priest has left the church. We should, as with all things, try to interpret their actions with as much charity as possible and not assume bad motives.

There are of course people who will leave early (even straight after receiving the Eucharist) without good reason. But let’s not cast aspersions on the rest of them who have valid, or understandable, reasons.

 

[tgauchsin]

A church in our area has a sign over some of the doors that say “Judas left the mass early”.

I wait until the last note, but don’t begrudge those who leave earlier.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

If the priest can leave why not everyone else?

Because we have just been given the gift of Jesus’ body and blood, and it’s rude to run out the door after having received such a precious and invaluable gift.

We should stay even longer than when the song is over, kneel down and say a personal “thank you” to Jesus Christ for his presence within us.

Not be rushing to escape as fast as possible.

 

[FullOfThought]

Because we have just been given the gift of Jesus’ body and blood, and it’s rude to run out the door after having received such a precious and invaluable gift.

We should stay even longer than when the song is over, kneel down and say a personal “thank you” to Jesus Christ for his presence within us.

Not be rushing to escape as fast as possible.

THANK YOU!! I could not have said this better

 

[lo_amo87]

Because we have just been given the gift of Jesus’ body and blood, and it’s rude to run out the door after having received such a precious and invaluable gift.

We should stay even longer than when the song is over, kneel down and say a personal “thank you” to Jesus Christ for his presence within us.

Not be rushing to escape as fast as possible.

What a beautiful way to put it. I also feel there should be respect for the brave people up there singing. I stay till the last note out of Juliane’s reason and in respect for the choir. The music sung in church is even defined as “prayer that is sung.” Would you leave before a prayer is over? Where do you have to go anyway? And though I try not to pass judgement on others, I can’t help but notice the same people who left early at the same Bob Evans down the street where I eventually end up…

 

[centurionguard]

A church in our area has a sign over some of the doors that say “Judas left the mass early”.

Are you serious? And what does the Parish administration hope to accomplish using a sign like? I think it insulting and rude and symbolizes the same mindset as those parishioners who may or may not leave early for legitimate reason or not. It certainly does little to set a Christian example by prejudging all who exit the Church before Mass. :dts:

 

[promethius]

Because we have just been given the gift of Jesus’ body and blood, and it’s rude to run out the door after having received such a precious and invaluable gift.

We should stay even longer than when the song is over, kneel down and say a personal “thank you” to Jesus Christ for his presence within us.

Not be rushing to escape as fast as possible.

And you have an authoritative source for this guidance, or is it merely a personal practice you’re advocating here? I must stress that what you’re saying is ONLY a personal devotion and is not binding on ANYONE.

 

[PatriceA]

And you have an authoritative source for this guidance, or is it merely a personal practice you’re advocating here? I must stress that what you’re saying is ONLY a personal devotion and is not binding on ANYONE.