Leaving Mass Early

[roadsend]

That’s a subjective judgment, not shared by the Roman Catholic Church. We need to offer it up when we hear “pop-slop” (or poorly sung, played music, or anything else offensive to our sensory experiences). As I mentioned, I also find it annoying and distracting, and not “spiritual.” But this is presented to me as an opportunity, not as an excuse to escape.

One antidote I use is to keep handy in the car (you could do it with an iPod or MP3 player if you’re on public transport) music that leads me into a much more appropriate experience.

I suppose it depends on who in the Roman Catholic Church is doing the sharing.
Our Holy Father has made it pretty clear what he thinks of much of the music that we are afflicted with.
What many of us hear regularly ranges from the merely banal to the downright sacrilegious and heretical.

 

[EasterJoy]

I wish that would be possible here, but Norway is a small country and our church is a small one, so pretty much right after mass they lock up for the evening.

But i often go there at daytime and plan to do it more often, like 1-2 hours before mass just to pray and spend time in the presence of Lord Jesus Christ.

In most places in the US, the church is kept locked day and night, except when there is a liturgy starting soon. Sometimes, though, the priest or the sacristan will allow members of the faithful to stay after they lock up, confirming that the person will be sure the door is securely shut behind him or her. Consider asking about that.

It is even possible that they’d like another person to take on the duties of the sacristan, and would be willing to allow you to open up and get the church ready for Mass, to set the church in order afterwards, to pray as long as you like after that, and to lock the church behind you when you leave.

 

[Elizabeth502]

I suppose it depends on who in the Roman Catholic Church is doing the sharing.

No one in the Church other than the Pope himself is allowed to declare a Church law/Canon law unilaterally dispensed with. If you’re relying on that, you’re rationalizing, and/or you do not understand the governance of the Church very well.

Our Holy Father has made it pretty clear what he thinks of much of the music that we are afflicted with.
What many of us hear regularly ranges from the merely banal to the downright sacrilegious and heretical.

But you can take it to the bank that NO Holy Father, ever, has granted permission to leave Mass early on account of bad music. Not Pope Benedict, not JP2, not their predecessors. If that’s the way you are choosing to interpret Benedict’s remarks about music, I’m afraid that’s an error and absolutely not implied as an extension of his comments about music.

As to “sacrilegious and heretical,” when I occasionally encounter that, what I choose to do is not to sing. We are not required to sing along. Occasionally there are oral ‘petitions from the faithful’ that also I cannot support, because they go against Church teaching. In those situations, I do not join in saying, “We pray to the Lord.”

I agree with EasterJoy. When I also encounter a less-than-satisfying liturgical experience I will linger alone after the Mass, after everyone has left. I have never experienced any church to lock out lingering parishioners after Mass. And I do also come at other non-Mass times, even if it means only during Confession times (whether or not I am partaking of the sacrament), if that is the only other time the church is open.

 

[runwaymodel]

Are you offering this as an excuse to leave the presence of Jesus Christ early? Pretty lame, IMO. Those who leave early do not get the final blessing. Would it hurt so much to stay a few extra minutes? I think not.

Exactly! In my parish there is this middle-aged couple whom I always see leave Mass early. One Sunday before Mass began, we exchanged Hello’s and I mentioned how refreshed and happy I feel after the Priest gives us the final blessing at the end of Mass. They responded with a shocking “Oh yes, I forgot he does that!”
Apparently they have been doing this for years and years. But the good news is that they stayed until the end of Mass every week after that.

 

[Monica4316]

Don’t worry, I leave Mass before the Eucharist even takes place. i come before Mass begins and steal some Eucharistic bread and put it in my jacket pocket, and then go home and eat it as i pray.

I hope that you are joking, because that is a grave sin.

Then it isn’t the Eucharist. It’s just bread. Stolen, bread.

I think the poster meant taking the Eucharist out of the Tabernacle… if I’ve understood correctly. I hope they were joking.

 

[roadsend]

No one in the Church other than the Pope himself is allowed to declare a Church law/Canon law unilaterally dispensed with. …
…

No dispensation required.
If I am present at Mass from the Offertory through the Communion, I have met my basic attendance obligation of Church Law.
Of course no one should come late or leave early for frivolous reason, but I believe that the offensive character of the music with which we are inflicted constitutes a spiritual danger and justifies my early departure.
Since the local church leadership has largely opted against using sacred music in the Catholic Tradition, choosing to limit my personal exposure to music alien to church teaching is my call to make.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I will endure the time and expense of a seven hour round trip when I can.
My presence at a pop-slop laden Mass beyond that which is necessary to meet my Sunday obligation is injurious to my spiritual health.

I hope I don’t step into it here. But you see how people can use the same excuse? Something along the lines of “I find not being able to use ABC is injurious to my financial and spiritual health because I don’t agree”

 

[Elizabeth502]

I agree with AnnabelleMarie.

Here’s what our pastor recently wrote in the bulletin:

…Mass is not valid if you are not attending the entire Mass. You are not receiving the Sacrament validly if you are leaving immediately after receiving Communion. Reasons for leaving Mass early may include if there is an accident or some emergency to tend to, but leaving early on a regular basis is not allowed; you don’t fulfill your obligation if you break this rule regularly.

Those are his words, not mine.

I am not on a campaign for people to adhere to rules for absolutist, legalistic reasons (myself). I only agree with the general intent of the Church to have the faithful appreciate and respect the entire liturgy as a unity, not to absent themselves from parts of it because of personal distaste. After all, if the music is so “spiritually [or theologically] objectionable,” then surely that objection is not limited to the recessional. Surely other music in the Mass is also objectionable; hence there is some hypocrisy going on here. Because objectionable content therein would compromise the entire liturgy (as the liturgy is a whole).

The Eucharist is not separate from The Word, and very often The Word is even continued to some degree by the priest integrating a phrase from his homily, or the gospel reading, into his final blessing. Finally, liturgy is not just private experience, or performance by others that we should be “enduring” until the moment at Mass when we supposedly can no longer stand it. Liturgy is also a symbol of the Mystical Body of Christ of which we are members, and it is an enacting of that unified body – in Communion/communion. Departing early is kind of a sign that we feel entitled to separate ourselves from Christ’s Body.

Full disclosure: I do not like typical parish Sunday Masses in the N.O. form, because no matter how reverent the presiding priest is, no matter how well-prepared his homily is, the average attending family behaves as if they’re attending a movie or a civil meeting. It’s discouraging to me, and certainly not uplifting. For that reason alone, I could give myself unique permission to leave early, whether the music (also) was bad or good. After all, it is not “spiritually healthy” for me. But what is spiritually healthy for us universally, is to be humble and simple. So on the rare occasions when I need to attend a local “typical” family parish (instead of my uplifting fave parish), I remain after Mass to pray alone, where I don’t have to be distracted by other highly distractible people (talking, disengaged, and tuned out). If it takes a long time to clear the loudly talking people out of the nave of the church, so be it. I’m improving my spiritual health by exercising patience and tolerance.

 

[roadsend]

I agree with AnnabelleMarie.

Here’s what our pastor recently wrote in the bulletin:.

Quote:
…Mass is not valid if you are not attending the entire Mass.

Those are his words, not mine…

… After all, if the music is so “spiritually [or theologically] objectionable,” then surely that objection is not limited to the recessional. Surely other music in the Mass is also objectionable; hence there is some hypocrisy going on here. Because objectionable content therein would compromise the entire liturgy (as the liturgy is a whole). …

…

Your pastors opinion differs from what other pastors have taught me.
And yes, other music used is also objectionable and were it possible for me to avoid it and meet my Mass obligation, I would do so.
There is however, a line I will not cross.
If the music is sacrilegious, I am out of there, Mass obligation notwithstanding.
I will not condone outright sacrilege with my presence.
Fortunately the times this has happened, I have been able to make the late morning Mass in the big city.

 

[BlessedaMillion]

I do have to say that my husband and I were one of those people that would often leave shortly after communion. I am sad that it did become a habbit with our family while my children were babies and it was very hard to get them to be calm throught the whole mass. Not long ago it did dawn on me that we needed to change things now that my kids are a little bit older and can sit, behave, and pay attention for the whole mass. I feel much better and more fullfilled when I leave church now. Not excusing myself, but I do have to say that churches that are locking and guarding doors is quite over the board. Church is a place where people choose to participate (good thing), I don’ think that anyone should be forced to go or stay, the lord will be the judge of them.

God Bless all!

 

[agw123]

An old neighbor of mine, now deceased, was an usher at a Catholic church that had this very problem.

The priest solved it, and quickly, by having the ushers lock the doors until the end of mass.
A simple problem, but one with a simple solution.

This would be a fire code violation in just about all of the US.

 

[MartyrForJesus]

Don’t worry, I leave Mass before the Eucharist even takes place. i come before Mass begins and steal some Eucharistic bread and put it in my jacket pocket, and then go home and eat it as i pray.

Troll?

 

[MartyrForJesus]

I hope that you are joking, because that is a grave sin.

I think the poster meant taking the Eucharist out of the Tabernacle… if I’ve understood correctly. I hope they were joking.

He’s trolling.

 

[lisahiku]

That is illegal and the priest could be arrested for imprisonment

hmm, i think that is a violation of the fire code and public safety.