Non-catholic at mass, when should I leave?

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cloudcar said:
Hello,

I am not Catholic, so when I go to mass is it best to duck out right before everyone goes to the front for communion? Or should I stay until the end? Which is proper? I thought I remember hearing “catechumens depart” or something along those lines one week, but I didn’t last week. So, I wasn’t sure what to do.

Thanks!
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Stay until Mass is concluded.

I love hearing the words: And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you for ever. The Mass is ended. Go in peace to Love and Serve the Lord.

During Communion, I make my way to a small side alter, light a candle and pray for five or ten minutes while communion is happening.

Nothing wrong with just kneeling where you are and praying either.

But stay until the end.

My advice for what it’s worth.
 
Historically, non-Catholics left after the first part of the Mass (with the Scripture readings.) In the traditional Latin Mass this is still reflected in the names – Mass of the Catechumens followed by Mass of the Faithful. In the new Mass these two parts are called Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist and there is no expectation that non-Catholics will leave.
 
prodigalson12 said:
I still find it difficult even when there is coffee afterwards, still don’t fit in so don’t bother wasting my time to mingle.
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I agree having coffee afterwards makes fellowship easier, and helps attract lonely people to try going to church.
JRKH said:
I too asm saddened by the few who remain after mass. Personally I just don’t see the point in dashing out just to sit in traffic in the parking lot. What is the point in hat. 🤷
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I still find it strange churches in the USA having car parks (parking lots) that most parishoners park in. Most Anglican churches (many appropiated by Henry VIII from the Catholic Church I guess) in England are within walking distance of much if not most of their parish and often only have a tiny or no car park, and almost any village of any size has an often often little-used church. (Admittedly there are less Catholic churches)

Catholic churches in England in towns sometimes have small car parks, but they’re usually reserved for the infirm, so others who drive have to rely on town centre car parks. I suppose it’s to do with the size of Catholic parishes (esp. in rural areas I’d guess), the distance to Catholic church (esp. in the South) and how spread out things are in much of the US.
 
cloudcar said:
Hello,

I am not Catholic, so when I go to mass is it best to duck out right before everyone goes to the front for communion? Or should I stay until the end? Which is proper? I thought I remember hearing “catechumens depart” or something along those lines one week, but I didn’t last week. So, I wasn’t sure what to do.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I’m a non-Catholic Christian, and this is (I think) my eleventh Sunday attending. It might be my tenth, though, because I missed a day because we were renovating the bathroom and I was un-showered for like three days. Anyway, I’ve always stayed until the end. I’ve heard about people who are in the RCIA leaving before the Eucharist, but I’m not in it yet, so I just stick around.
 
Lutheranteach said:
I from time to time get some very dirty looks when I don’t go up for communion, but not very often.
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Are you serious? I am a non-Catholic (raised Lutheran) who attends mass with my Catholic wife every week. I have never sensed any disapproval from anyone for not going up for communion. (There is, however, this one lady who frequently sits in the pew in front of us. When she returns from receiving communion, and noticing that I didn’t go up, she will sometimes give me a sympathetic look and a pat on the hand as she passes. Although I find this kind of amusing, I also appreciate the gesture.)
 
rick43235 said:
Are you serious? I am a non-Catholic (raised Lutheran) who attends mass with my Catholic wife every week. I have never sensed any disapproval from anyone for not going up for communion. (There is, however, this one lady who frequently sits in the pew in front of us. When she returns from receiving communion, and noticing that I didn’t go up, she will sometimes give me a sympathetic look and a pat on the hand as she passes. Although I find this kind of amusing, I also appreciate the gesture.)
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It’s pretty rare…maybe once out of every 20 times. The worst was from a older woman sitting behind me who asked if I didn’t go up because I hadn’t been able to get to confession. When I said I was just visiting and that I wasn’t Catholic she pretty much told me what she thought of any and all non-Catholics. I know she was a rare bird and suspect she was bitter about the world in general and I just happened to be in range that day.
 
Lutheranteach said:
It’s pretty rare…maybe once out of every 20 times. The worst was from a older woman sitting behind me who asked if I didn’t go up because I hadn’t been able to get to confession. When I said I was just visiting and that I wasn’t Catholic she pretty much told me what she thought of any and all non-Catholics. I know she was a rare bird and suspect she was bitter about the world in general and I just happened to be in range that day.
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You got more dialog from that one setting then I have the entire time I did at my old parish when it comes down to it, content wise, tell her you don’t “feel like it” and don’t disclose your denomination, see how she takes it, lol.

I myself may just skip it to see what reactions I get, I can always receive our Lord in morning mass any day regardless. Hate to think I’m doing so Just to fit in.
 
Lutheranteach said:
It’s pretty rare…maybe once out of every 20 times. The worst was from a older woman sitting behind me who asked if I didn’t go up because I hadn’t been able to get to confession. When I said I was just visiting and that I wasn’t Catholic she pretty much told me what she thought of any and all non-Catholics. I know she was a rare bird and suspect she was bitter about the world in general and I just happened to be in range that day.
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Well, being a cradle Catholic, if - for any reason - I did not go up for Communion, and anyone asked me why I didn’t go, they would get my most serious look (my sons could tell you about that one!) and a stiff “Excuse me?”. If the question was repeated, the person would be told, in a stiff, cold voice “That is none of your business.”

No one, absolutely no one, has the right to know why anyone else has not received Communion. It is totally none of their business.
 
Lutheranteach said:
I from time to time get some very dirty looks when I don’t go up for communion, but not very often.
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Those who give you those looks cannot have examined themselves before partaking of Holy Communion. If they did, they would realize that some others have examined themselves and see the need to partake of another Sacrament: Reconciliation. Good thing that it is our Lord, and not those stern faces in the congregation, who judges you! It is an American practice, apparently, to fold the arms across the chest and receive a blessing from the priest. If this is allowable, it is an acceptable and good practice.
 
I’m in the process of converting to the Catholic Church. Every Sunday during Communion I wait and get at the end of the line and go up to receive a blessing. I feel that it helps bring me peace and guidance with my journey to becoming Catholic. Now my friend who goes with me to Mass just stays in the pew and waits. But I’ve certainly never left before we are dismissed.
 
"It is an American practice, apparently, to fold the arms across the chest and receive a blessing from the priest. If this is allowable, it is an acceptable and good practice."
__________________

Pol8,Guy,

It is NOT an American practice to fold one’s arms and enter the Communion line for a blessing.

Please, please read the extensive postings on this subject on CAF. This practice is not sanctioned by the Church and never has been. There are always people who will, regardless of the wishes of the Church, do as they please. It is called disobedience.

Everyone receives a blessing at the end of the Mass.

:highprayer:
 
Slayd said:
I’m in the process of converting to the Catholic Church. Every Sunday during Communion I wait and get at the end of the line and go up to receive a blessing. I feel that it helps bring me peace and guidance with my journey to becoming Catholic. Now my friend who goes with me to Mass just stays in the pew and waits. But I’ve certainly never left before we are dismissed.
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Praise God and welcome home! The dismissal is a sending forth to spread the Gospel. Those who leave early are therefore not being sent with the Lord’s blessing through the Priest, and so, how can they bear good fruit?
 
@mullenpm: It is not sanctioned by the church, no, but I think that it’s REALLY unfair to go and call those that do it “disobedient”. Newcomers into a parish - who are generally the sort that go and get blessings - are hardly looking to the Vatican directly as a source when they first arrive at a church. It is not as if they are trying to do wrong - they’re simply receiving the wrong information from sources that they really have every right to trust! When I first arrived at mass for my very first time, the parish priest told me to cross my arms when I went up to him at communion (this was a while ago, mind).
 
TeddyRoosevelt, I do not want to hijack this thread by going on about the topic of crossed arms in the communion line. The subject has been covered extensively on other threads on CAF and you should look at them to know why I call it disobedience, which it is.

But, why would your new parish priest tell you to cross your arms and go in the communion line for a blessing? Could you not receive the Holy Eucharist?

:amen:
 
mullenpm said:
Pol8,Guy,
It is NOT an American practice to fold one’s arms and enter the Communion line for a blessing. Please, please read the extensive postings on this subject on CAF. This practice is not sanctioned by the Church and never has been. There are always people who will, regardless of the wishes of the Church, do as they please. It is called disobedience.

Everyone receives a blessing at the end of the Mass.
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How can it be disobedience if one has not been told to refrain from it? Please cite the Canon or the instruction from the G.I.R.M.

So, are you saying that the Bishops, who permit this, are disobedient?
 
po18guy said:
How can it be disobedience if one has not been told to refrain from it? Please cite the Canon or the instruction from the G.I.R.M.

So, are you saying that the Bishops, who permit this, are disobedient?
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Read the link I gave in my earlier post. There is a moratorium on this subject.
 
Stay til the end and pray with us. Leave before the doors are locked and you can’t get out!
 
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