Leaving Mass early...

[EddieArent]

A local priest said it best in the Orlando diocese. I forgot who said it, but I believe that the priest was from St. Charles. Basically, he said that church isn’t a fast food resturant as you come and go as you please, rather you should attend the entire mass.

 

[ecs_220]

Seatuck:

Just realize that there are a few people out there who do have good reason to leave Mass as soon as possible. So be careful about being a judge about this…
Dianne

On weekday mornings I must occasionally catch a commuter train, and attending the Eucharist sometimes cuts things pretty close (I try to go to Mass every weekday morning). I go by the assumption that my motives are known by God far better than by the folks in the pews.

I’m reminded of a story of a priest who became irked upon seeing one of the congregation consistantly arrive late and leave early for the weekday morning Mass – sometimes before Communion. Later, the gentleman died, and the priest discovered that he had worked for the railroad and lived several towns away – stopping in to the Church when his train made a brief stop nearby.

 

[SHEMP]

ecs 220:

On weekday mornings I must occasionally catch a commuter train, and attending the Eucharist sometimes cuts things pretty close (I try to go to Mass every weekday morning). I go by the assumption that my motives are known by God far better than by the folks in the pews.

I’m reminded of a story of a priest who became irked upon seeing one of the congregation consistantly arrive late and leave early for the weekday morning Mass – sometimes before Communion. Later, the gentleman died, and the priest discovered that he had worked for the railroad and lived several towns away – stopping in to the Church when his train made a brief stop nearby.

ecc220 thanks for your comment.

I also don’t think its proper to leave mass before its over but:

I’m on my parish’s parish council and I am amazed at how much this issue irks people. I think that some of these people are loosing sleep over the fact that people leave Church early. People there are much more important issues out there!

I would recommend that you just set a good example and try not to judge others. Leave that to the Good Lord.

 

[Benjamin]

I have noticed that most of the time it’s the same people leaving early, those that arrive late for mass. After returning to the Church from a long absence, a quarter of the congregation leaving after communion was the one thing that had not changed.

Benjamin

 

[S_Corda]

Sir Knight:

My father was on his death bed. He had slipped into a coma and was having seizures. The hospital staff said that he would be dead before the day was out. The priest who gave my father his last rights explained that staying at the side of a gravely sick and dying family member who might go at any moment was a valid reason to be excused from Sunday mass.

I was raised to never miss mass if at all possible but i wanted to minimize my time away so that I could be at his side at the time of his death. I arrived late at the start of the first reading and left immediately after receiving.

If somebody would have walked up to me as I was walking out the door and started quoting about Judas leaving the last supper early, I would have been very hurt for being critized when I went above what was required.

The point is that YOU don’t know why a particular person is leaving mass early. Granted that most of them just want to “get out of there” but some have very valid reasons.

Do you really wish to offend someone with your comments if they have a valid reason? I think that it is best to leave the judging up to God who sees inside of every heart and knows why that person is walking out the door early.

Well said. It is very sad that people leave early when they don’t need to do so. There are times, however, when there is a reason. I had to leave early last year because I was very sick to my stomach and needed to get to a bathroom in a hurry.
Unfortunately, in some parishes, even if you do have a reason you will get stared at and criticized and gossiped about for weeks. Where my cousin lives she saw a priest set down the ciborium (sp?) half full of hosts - not near the altar - and chase down some people who left before Communion was over. After Communion he went to the microphone and angrily announced to the congregation that the person told him to go to hell. She said that the person who left early was someone she had seen before at Mass, so there were probably people there who knew him/her/them.

 

[hawkeye]

Sir Knight:

My father was on his death bed. He had slipped into a coma and was having seizures. The hospital staff said that he would be dead before the day was out. The priest who gave my father his last rights explained that staying at the side of a gravely sick and dying family member who might go at any moment was a valid reason to be excused from Sunday mass.

I was raised to never miss mass if at all possible but i wanted to minimize my time away so that I could be at his side at the time of his death. I arrived late at the start of the first reading and left immediately after receiving.

If somebody would have walked up to me as I was walking out the door and started quoting about Judas leaving the last supper early, I would have been very hurt for being critized when I went above what was required.

The point is that YOU don’t know why a particular person is leaving mass early. Granted that most of them just want to “get out of there” but some have very valid reasons.

Do you really wish to offend someone with your comments if they have a valid reason? I think that it is best to leave the judging up to God who sees inside of every heart and knows why that person is walking out the door early.

You had a genuine reason for leaving early, but all of those that leave in our church can’t possibly be doing that, as it’s usually the same ones, so I actually wish the ones that talk would leave, as it’s very hard to consentrate.
Sorry to hear about you Father.

 

[KathyBowman]

It does amaze me that there are individuals and even entire families that leave after receiving Eucharist. The only thing I can do as an example is to make sure my children know the reason to stay, and let them see that we don’t leave early AND to work in the CCE program and let the students know that it is not right to do, except in emergency situations. They may not know it because they don’t hear it at home.

 

[Captain_Napalm]

It saddens me when people leave mass early. I used to feel angry about it, but now it is more sadness. I once listened to an audiotape about the Mass by Fr. Larry Richards; he joked about the people that receive their “vitamin pill Jesus” and they walk right out the door. It was funny, but not really. It’s true. So many people get their dose of Jesus and they’ve done their duty for the week. It is kind of like attending Mass just because the Church says it is mandatory. If that’s the only reason you go, then you are only going through the motions. You aren’t part of the Mass; you are just a lump in the seat. It’s very sad.

My parish is not too bad. There might be a dozen or so people that leave early from the Mass I usually attend, which usually has a few hundred parishioners. (We have a sign by the holy water fonts by the exit doors that says “Thank you for not leaving Mass early.” I think it’s funny.)

My Father-in-law’s church is terrible for it. Literally half the congregation streams right out the door after Communion. I feel bad for the priests there. That has to make them feel dejected that so many people in their parish don’t understand what’s going on or even why they are at Mass in the first place.

One funny anecdote about cutting out of Mass early. I have a very energetic and vocal 2-year-old son. One Sunday, we were at Mass and it was just after Communion. The priest was finishing up at the altar and the music had just died down, so it was really quiet. An older couple was “slinking” down the aisle towards the exit (BTW, did you ever notice how they walk with their heads hunched down, like they are really going to sneak out without anyone noticing ). Anyway, my gregarious little boy saw them coming down the aisle. Right as they were near where we were sitting, he smiled, waived to them, and said “Bye, bye!” so loud that it echoed through the sanctuary. EVERYBODY turned around to look. I thought they would die of embarrassment. My face must have been beet red; not because I was embarrassed, but because I was trying to not laugh my head off. After Mass, my wife said that they would probably never cut out of Mass early again.

 

[MooCowSteph]

I, too, find it very annoying when folks leave after communion, although I do try and remember they may have a very good reason. (You can often tell who they are because the women will have their purses on their shoulders for communion). I have found it varies by parish. While mine is pretty good, some are terrible. I recently attending a church near my home for the first time and AT LEAST HALF of the congregation was gone before the dismissal song. There was not much of a “fellowship” feel in that church and people were even reading the bulletins during the homily. We haven’t been back. (They didn’t offer wine, either. Only bread. That always bugs me)

Steph

 

[Makerteacher]

Faithful 2 Rome:

I truly believe those who go to church just in time to get communion are recieving unworthily. They have missed the prayers of the Priest to forgive them all their sins… some even show up AFTER the pronouncement…“Lord I am not worthy to recieve thee, but only say the word and I shall be healed”… thats alot of nerve to go up there and get the Lord in the Host! .

I would not venture to judge whether or not someone else’s reception is worthy or not, but I really do sympathize with you here. It bothers me too, especially when they then march right back down the aisle and out the door. As my favorite nun is fond of saying, “Sad for them!”

Though the GIRM is apparently silent on this matter of arriving late and still going up for Communion, it was always my understanding that one had to be settled in the pew *before the Gospel readings commenced * in order to be “eligible” to receive Communion. Is that a tradition or a teaching of the Faith? Or is it just a local custom?

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Makerteacher]

Captain Napalm:

My Father-in-law’s church is terrible for it. Literally half the congregation streams right out the door after Communion. I feel bad for the priests there. That has to make them feel dejected that so many people in their parish don’t understand what’s going on or even why they are at Mass in the first place.

Your FIL’s priests are the ones who can and should be doing something about it. They can give homilies, put articles in the bulletin, and even make announcments at the beginning of Mass about this. Our parish Masses always begin with a welcome and then a reminder that the Mass is not over until the priest has left the sanctuary. We still have a handful that leave, and a TON who exit before the hymn is finshed. (Our family is “die hard stay in the pew until the last note dies away”.)

I once saw a priest call out from the altar to a young man who was slinking out of Mass after Communion, “**Hey! Where are you going? Mass is not over yet!” ** While I cannot recommend the practice, it certainly did get everyone’s attention, and we have far fewer people trying to slink away.

What really needs to be happen is two fold: better catechism and a change of heart. You don’t leave a date or a movie early because you WANT to be there. When people want to be at Mass, they won’t leave early then, either. Pray for those you see leaving early.

 

[thisismyusrname]

According to what i’ve read in the Baltimore, one who just leaves after recieving Communion has not fulfilled their Sunday obligation - nor has one, if i remember correctly, who comes in late for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

I am annoyed by those who leave Mass before it is ended, as well as many other things I have seen (improper dress, talking DURING MASS, and chewing gum during Mass, BEFORE COMMUNION, to name a few) which clearly show people’s lack of reverence and understanding of the real meaning of the Mass. It seems that the Mass becomes more of a show than the re-presentation of Christ’ Sacrifice on Calvary.

 

[ATexasCatholic]

I would like to caution that some of them may have valid reasons for leaving sometimes i.e. getting to work, taking care of a sick loved one. In the parish that I am leaving because the Pastor will not offer confession, most people do not show until the second reading and disturb those of us that show up on time and then leave during communion. I was ushering this past Christmas at 9:30 pm when a lady who arrived at 9:15 and asked if she missed Mass. I told her no she was early and at what time Mass would start and she became angry because she was early.

 

[Grayton]

Leaving Mass early is something no one should do without a very good reason.

But many people do have very good reasons. There are still a lot of nurses, police, gas station attendants, caterers, caretakers and others who are required to work on Sunday and need to get to work at a specific time.

There are some Moms with sick children who need to get going fast in order to relieve Dad so he can get to the next Mass on time.

And some of those people exiting the church are heading over to get the coffee and donuts ready for the gatherings that take place after Mass for the benefit of the rest of us.

I say, give everyone the benefit of a doubt.

 

[DrCat]

kellie:

That is a fantastic thing to say to people :tiphat:

It has irked me all my life that people leave early.

Even if they dont like singing the final hymn to the very end, they should at least wait until the priest has walked down the aisle.

I always wait till the final hymn ends (and make sure I sing along). I used to direct one of the choirs in my parish and know how it feels to see people walk out before the end. We would still be in the communion hymn, and people would be walking out. Maybe some of them had an important reason, but most of them were just trying to get to the parking lot before everybody else.

John

 

[DrCat]

iguana27:

It’s not a good thing to teach your kids. There are usually many options for mass. So, choose a mass where you can attend the whole time.

Also, it can be distracting to have to get out of the pew when you are singing the last song so that fellow parishioners can leave.

So, who gets out of the pew? I figure they can either wait till the end of the song, or go out the other end of the pew. I figure if someone has a very important reason to leave, he will sit in the back, or will ask me to move. I will not move just because people *look *like they are ready to leave (not even my wife or daughters).

Besides, my experience has been that the parking lot is half empty by the time the final hymn is sung, so I don’t have to fight the traffic as much.

John

 

[DrCat]

dream wanderer:

When I am by myself I stay for the whole thing. When my Protestant husband drops me off I might try to slip out right after "The Mass is ended’ bit. My husband has not complained about the awful traffic problem we have outside afterwards but I think that’s because he’s just being polite. If he is nice enough to bring me I can be nice enough to allow him to miss the gridlock after church. I don’t want to leave early and I’m not looking for reasons to slip out…but at the same time I want him to get to the point where he is comfortable with at least driving up to the door of the Catholic Church…

dream wanderer

Dream Wanderer, I’ll keep your husband in my prayers. I remember that my (non-Catholic) dad never would take my (Catholic) mother to church when I was younger. But when she became ill, he would always accompany her. He wouldn’t go inside, but at least he made sure she got to Mass and then got back home again. I like to think that he would have converted if my mother had lived a few years longer. I’ll pray that your husband comes home to Rome.

John

 

[agname]

Granted, some individuals have an excuse to leave. But, when ~ 30 out of a chapel that holds ~ 100…clearout right after receiving the Eucharist…and then after Mass…I catch them at the grocery store…getting food for the big game…you bet I will call them out.

 

[agname]

Benjamin:

I have noticed that most of the time it’s the same people leaving early, those that arrive late for mass. After returning to the Church from a long absence, a quarter of the congregation leaving after communion was the one thing that had not changed.

Benjamin

Same here.

 

[agname]

Grayton:

Leaving Mass early is something no one should do without a very good reason.

But many people do have very good reasons. There are still a lot of nurses, police, gas station attendants, caterers, caretakers and others who are required to work on Sunday and need to get to work at a specific time.

There are some Moms with sick children who need to get going fast in order to relieve Dad so he can get to the next Mass on time.

And some of those people exiting the church are heading over to get the coffee and donuts ready for the gatherings that take place after Mass for the benefit of the rest of us.

I say, give everyone the benefit of a doubt.

5 minutes is too long to stay?