Mass - how late is just too late?

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Nanor

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I ATTEND THE SAME TIME MASS EVERY SUNDAY.

NOW, EVERY SUNDAY, THIS SAME MAN, COMES IN 15 MINUTES LATE, USUALLY DURING OR AFTER THE GOSPEL, AND TAKE HIS SEAT. I DO FIND IT QUITE DISTRACTING.

I ALWAYS THINK THAT THERE HAS TO BE A REASON FOR BEING LATE, AND THAT SOMEONE DOES NOT DO IT ON-PURPOSE. I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE AND LEAVE SLIGHTLY EARLIER THE NEXT TIME.

BUT THIS GUYS IS ALWAYS LATE - EVERY WEEK.

CONSIDERING MY CHURCH OFFER MASSES AT 8/9/10/11/12PM/1PM & 7PM ON SUNDAYS…
MY QUESTIONS ARE:

HOW LATE IS TOO LATE, WHEN YOU CONDISER THE OPTION OF THE REMAINING MASSES DURING THE DAY?

& WHILST I FEEL THAT JESUS WOULD WELCOME THIS PERSON AT ANY TIME…IS IT AN INSULT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE ON TIME.
 
I believe to fulfill one’s obligation one must be at Mass prior to the reading of the Gospel.
 
I’m pretty sure that you have to be at Mass at the reading of the Gospel in order to fulfill the Sunday Obligation.🙂
 
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Nanor:
I ATTEND THE SAME TIME MASS EVERY SUNDAY.

NOW, EVERY SUNDAY, THIS SAME MAN, COMES IN 15 MINUTES LATE, USUALLY DURING OR AFTER THE GOSPEL, AND TAKE HIS SEAT. I DO FIND IT QUITE DISTRACTING.

I ALWAYS THINK THAT THERE HAS TO BE A REASON FOR BEING LATE, AND THAT SOMEONE DOES NOT DO IT ON-PURPOSE. I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE AND LEAVE SLIGHTLY EARLIER THE NEXT TIME.

BUT THIS GUYS IS ALWAYS LATE - EVERY WEEK.

CONSIDERING MY CHURCH OFFER MASSES AT 8/9/10/11/12PM/1PM & 7PM ON SUNDAYS…
MY QUESTIONS ARE:

HOW LATE IS TOO LATE, WHEN YOU CONDISER THE OPTION OF THE REMAINING MASSES DURING THE DAY?

& WHILST I FEEL THAT JESUS WOULD WELCOME THIS PERSON AT ANY TIME…IS IT AN INSULT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE ON TIME.
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I personally think some could try a little harder to make mass on time, and it does seem that the same one always appear to suffer the same challenge every sunday… my solution: Get to mass early, sit as far up front as you possibly can… you will be able to focus more on whats going on in the mass, and you probably won’t notice the late arrivals… if you are still noticing the late arrivals you may want to search your heart as to the degree that your self-preparation for the holy mass should be re-visited… bottom-line… try to work on the reasons that you attend mass, and try to spend less time worrying about others reasons for arriving late… this may seem a bit harsh, but i speak from experience… i used to have the same problem… i now sit in the front pew, and am no longer bothered or notice late arrivals or poorly trained children… i can really enjoy mass… the problem was really mine, not the other distractions… Peace… 👍
 
If you are late every Sunday then you are not trying. Everyone is late once in a while due to unforeseen circumstances but that should be a rarity. In our house mass starts when we get up on Sunday morning No eating and no playing. We have to be there at least 15 min (we usually arrive as the prior mass is being released) prior to prepare for things either choir or altar serving.
 
perhaps in a spirit of love, you should approach this person. maybe they are having some sort of difficulty that you could help with. or maybe they are just late and in that case, you need to help spur them on and encourage them to get to mass on time since they are missing so much by not hearing any of the scriptures. do this out of concern for them and not out of concern for your own distractions (which are understandable) and you should be okay (not saying this person’s reaction will be good, but you will be able to go to the next step of approaching the priest if you confront the person one-on-one first). good luck.
 
There was a woman who came into mass last night halfway through the Profession of Faith. I get there 15 mins before to pray and devout myself to God, not everyone has to do this, but you should be there before the Priest and the Crucifix approach the altar.
 
Do you know thw mans name and have you spoken to him or asked him where he lives.

It could very well be that when you get to know him a bit you might discover that he must take a bus to get to church. The bus and Mass schedules don’t always match up.

Greet him and learn about him before judging him.
 
Dear Friends,
We are often distracted by different things happening around us and before us and indeed sometimes have cause to be. I would suggest, however, that when we are distracted we pray for that distraction. If it is a liturgical abuse then tell God that you realise it should not be happening and offer it to Him along with the hurt it caused. Pray for a change if heart for those concerned.
If it is a person entering after Holy Mass has started or leaving before its ended, then pray for them. I don’t think it is done out of malice. I blame ignorance. Ask God to allow the conditions to help that person be on time.
You cannot see the heart of the one involved nor can you ever know what has happened or what is happening at home. Maybe his being late is the difference between attendance and non -attendance. We simply don’t know. That late comer could be one of those who offers the most pleasing prayer to God. We don’t know.
One final thing. It has been said that it is difficult to distract a heart that is focussed on God and it is even more difficult to distract a heart wrapped in prayer. Maybe we should start with ourselves and look at why we are so easily distracted?
Certainly we should Thank God that we have the diligence and respect to be on time to pray fully and to remain until the Priest leaves our sight. Be careful though. Rememver the parable about the Tax Collector and the Pharasie???
Never become smug in the House of the Lord
If we arrive late for Mass the Holy Church ask us to catch up on the missed part at a later time at a later Mass. You don’t know if he does this or not. Maybe he does. Then he is perfectly ok.
One final thing. See how many minutes he is late and you yourself promise the Lord that you will make it up to him in minutes of personal Adoration.
Blessings and prayers,
Fergal
Naas
Ireland
 
By coming to mass after the Gospel, one is missing half of the mass, the Liturgy of the Word. They are really missing one of the most important parts of the mass. THey do not make an act of confession, do not hear the messages of the Lord, and are really missing out one of the KEYS of the mass. While I am sure that you dont want to be too nosy, but I think you really should talk to your priest to see if he can do anything to alleviate the problem. By moving to the front, you may alleviate the problem for you, but remember a church is a community, he is surely bothering others. Ignoring something does not make it go away. Hopefully your priest can have a non-challant conversation with the person. What you can do is pray for this person. Prayer is powerful!🙂
 
Br. Rich SFO:
Do you know thw mans name and have you spoken to him or asked him where he lives.

It could very well be that when you get to know him a bit you might discover that he must take a bus to get to church. The bus and Mass schedules don’t always match up.

Greet him and learn about him before judging him.
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good point about the bus schedules. maybe you could pick this person up for mass if this is the case. what a great way of showing community and serving the needs of others.
 
It has already been said at least twice, but just to add consent, a person must be present for the reading of the Gospel to fulfill their obligation and to be considered present at Mass. Not only for Sunday’s and Holy Days when we have an obligation is this important, but for those that have the opportunity to receive Holy Communion twice in the same day, for the second reception, we are required to be assisting at Mass, which means being present for the Gospel. I just thought that I would throw that in there.
 
Of course we must also remember that one is excused from that obligation if they must care for an ill wife or handicaped child. Or cannot arrive before the Gospel because of circumstances outside of their control.
 
The three principle parts of the Mass are the Offertory, the Consecration, and the Communion. (The Communion means the priest’s communion.)

If you are present during the the Offertory, Consecration, and Communion, you have heard Mass and fulfilled your Sunday Obligation.

If you miss the Offeratory, you are late. If you leave before the Communion, you have left early. If you were at Mass for only two of the three principle parts of the Mass, you have committed a venial sin, but have still fufilled your Sunday Obligation.

If you miss more than one principle part of the Mass, you have not fulfilled your Sunday Obligation.

This is the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church.
 
In which Church document did you find this information? I would like to use this in a bulletin article on liturgical catechesis. Many thanks and peace…
 
Chris, I must also ask for a source, but on a different account. My understanding is that one must be present from the reading of the Gospel until the priest communicates for one’s obligation to be fulfilled.

From the Diocese of Lincoln’s website (dioceseoflincoln.org/purple/mass/mass.htm):
Is it a sin to leave Mass early?
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On Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation Catholics are bound under penalty of grave sin to attend Mass. To deliberately come late or leave early is certainly a sin. It can be a serious sin if one is not present for the Gospel, the Preparation of the Gifts, the Consecration, and the Communion. It is discourteous to God, to the priest, and to our fellow worshippers to leave before the priest. It should be remembered, moreover, that attending Sunday Mass is not just a Christian obligation and Catholic duty, but also a joyful privilege and special blessing. Also, recall the famous sign in a church, “Judas Iscariot was the first one to leave Mass early!”
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We were always taught by the nuns at school (in the 1950’s and 1960’s), where we were required to attend daily Mass, that a Mass only “counted” if we were there for the Offertory, Consecration and Communion and that rule held for whether or not we could receive Holy Communion at that Mass.

I have held to this rule all of my life as far as whether or not the Mass was valid for me. It makes sense to me, since the O,C, and C are the reason for the Mass.

However, I always thought that a person could receive Holy Communion at any time, Mass or not, as long as one prepared for receiving Communion.
 
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