Leaving Mass Early

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Is it a sin to leave Mass before the priest leaves the altar?
 
kittyo said:
Is it a sin to leave Mass before the priest leaves the altar?
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It depends on the circumstances. I would say that usually it would range from a non sin to a venial sin. Remember that venial sins can be very easy to commit. The act itself is not grave matter.
 
I wouldnt call it a sin more like rude. As soon as the priest turns around from genuflecting at the tabernacle and then notices half the people are gone, how would you feel?
 
kittyo said:
Is it a sin to leave Mass before the priest leaves the altar?
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I suppose it depends on just how early you are leaving, and why. If you leave after Father has said, “The Mass has ended”, then the Mass has ended and you may leave. If you walk in at the beginning of Mass and make a bee-line for the exit while barely stopping to genuflect at the tabernacle, then you have a more serious issue. 😛
 
I think unless it’s an emergency , you should stay untill the preist says the mass had ended go in peace or somthing then u can leave so u don’t have to stay for the last hymn , so if u have a valid reason to go the it’s cool ! 🙂
 
Our Sunday obligation is to be there for Mass from beginning to end.

If you are validly late due to things like unexpected traffic jams, an accident, your two year old all of a sudden having to use the bathroom, etc. then there is no sin.

If you have to leave for a valid reason due to things like your two year old all of a sudden having to use the bathroom, a doctor on call, etc. there there is no sin.

Sin can be involved if the reasons for leaving early or getting there late are because you purposely leave late to get to Mass or you are leaving early to beat the traffic out of the parking and other similar trivial reasons. The degree of sin can vary.

We are there to worship our creator, people shouldn’t be in a hurry to make for the door. The priest is representing Christ. If Christ himself was standing on the altar or even the Pope was there would you be in a rush to get out.
 
All I want to add is remember that Judas left early and look where it got him!
 
kittyo said:
Is it a sin to leave Mass before the priest leaves the altar?
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Mass is not over until the last note of the concluding song is played or sung. Unless it is an emergengy, don’t leave mass.
 
Why in the world would you want to leave early without a valid reason. Not only have you just received the body and blood of Our Lord, the mass is also an act of community worship. Personally, I arrive early and stay a bit afterward in thanksgiving.
 
FAB said:
Mass is not over until the last note of the concluding song is played or sung. Unless it is an emergengy, don’t leave mass.
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Actually, when the priest says “the Mass is ended,” then it is ended, whether there is a closing hymn or not. Still, it won’t kill anyone to wait a couple more minutes until everything is done.
 
I never understand why people can’t just stay that extra 5 minutes! You’ve been there for 45 min-1 hr. What’s 5 extra minutes?
 
Angela77 said:
I never understand why people can’t just stay that extra 5 minutes! You’ve been there for 45 min-1 hr. What’s 5 extra minutes?
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Didn’t you know there’s a race to be the first one out of the parking lot?! 😛

(In all seriousness, I do think people start letting their minds wander and start to worry about “getting out” well before Mass is over. I used to get really irritated with the parking lot jams too - then I had a baby and suddenly I’m staying an extra 15 minutes to do a change, feed him, etc. and DH and I get to drive through an almost empty parking lot. 👍 Even on the few occasions we could leave right away I usually stay and pray for a few minutes.)
 
Timothysis said:
Actually, when the priest says “the Mass is ended,” then it is ended, whether there is a closing hymn or not. Still, it won’t kill anyone to wait a couple more minutes until everything is done.
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Actually No! The mass starts with the opening Chant and ends with the closing Chant. You are to be there for both.
 
I remember someone said “Judas was the first to leave…”

I can understand if you must leave if you are on call for work or similar. Otherwise, to beat the traffic out of the parking lot doesn’t count as a good reason for leaving early. I like to give a few minutes to allow others to leave the parking lot first after Mass is finished.
 
Millercthomas said:
All I want to add is remember that Judas left early and look where it got him!
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Judas left in order to betray Christ. Is this what you think your fellow Christians are doing – intentionally leaving Mass early in order to go out into the world to betray him?
 
FAB said:
Actually No! The mass starts with the opening Chant and ends with the closing Chant. You are to be there for both.
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I, respectfully, disagree. By that logic, the celebrant is also skipping out early by leading the Recessional as the final hymn is sung.

You can look at any of the many Internet resources in reference to this:

“Although it is traditional in many countries and many parishes to sing a final song or to have some instrumental music played as the priest and ministers process out of the church, this is not prescribed in the Order of Mass.”

When the celebrant/deacon dismisses the people by saying, “The Mass has ended, Go in Peace …”

GO!!!

However, it is only respectful to wait until he passes your pew before filing out.
 
MissRose73 said:
I remember someone said “Judas was the first to leave…”

I can understand if you must leave if you are on call for work or similar. Otherwise, to beat the traffic out of the parking lot doesn’t count as a good reason for leaving early. I like to give a few minutes to allow others to leave the parking lot first after Mass is finished.
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To clarify, I wasn’t saying I thought the avoiding traffic excuse was a good one. 😛 Just that it happens. We live in a culture that says, “hurry hurry hurry!” and time is “wasted” having to sit in a car with your family when you could be watching the football pre-game show. 😉
 
silicasandra said:
Didn’t you know there’s a race to be the first one out of the parking lot?! 😛
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My father took me through Blood Alley without telling me e night I learned to drive.

I’ve driven in January in NY, Boston, and Chicago.

I regularly drove through LA during the freeway shootings.

I’ve driven the Grapevine by following the taillights of a speeding pickup when visibility was ten or twenty feet, a saltstorm with minimal visibility in Utah, and a groundfog in Iowa when I could barely see my hood ornament and had to open my door to see the dotted line to navigate.

There is only one place I’m really afraid to drive, and that’s a Roman Catholic parking lot after Mass!

"We will jump in our Chevies,
"We will jump in our Fords.
We will run down the Christians,
As we sing, “Praise the Lord!”

I don’t see a reason to stay until the last note of the music mafia’s last song; that broke down on the third verse they started after the priest left (it took a few weeks of the congregation waiting for the verse to finish and then leaving for them to catch on)

there is a huge difference between the congregating singing a hymn and the musicians performing their song–the former is part of the mass, while the latter is, well, I won’t say.

For a recessional hymn, rather than a performance of a song, I’ll stick to the end.

As a side note, I’ve never seen anyone but an RC visitor leave an EC liturgy before it actually ended (otoh, many more are late :))

hawk
 
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