Okay or not to leave Mass early?

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Not okay. But way, way too accepted as being ok. It’s disrespectful and rude.

Obviously emergencies and exceptional circumstances don’t apply to this.
 
ac_claire said:
Not okay. But way, way too accepted as being ok. It’s disrespectful and rude.

Obviously emergencies and exceptional circumstances don’t apply to this.
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I agree. But I’ve noticed a trend where I’m at…and am curious about it.

Thanks for your reply.
 
I personally think that it is sinful to leave the Mass before it ends. The precept of the Church says to attend Mass on Sundays. It does not say to attend part of the Mass.
 
Where you are located in the church doesn’t matter.

Whether you have a legitimate emergency or reason does.
 
It all depends on the reason one may leave Mass early … sometimes I need leave early in order to catch a bus home if I have been unable to get a lift. In our parish, few leave early, most wait until the final hymn is concluded and I prefer this - even waiting until most have left The Church. My problem is usually having to catch a bus or not to keep the person giving me a lift waiting…Blessings - Barb
 
I wait until the priest has left and the music has ended.
 
Before I had kids, I waited until the priest left and the music stopped. With a 5 and 4 year old, for them to be good for me to make it through communion, I will leave after communion…I know their time of being quiet has ended.
 
With the exception of a legitimate emergency, I don’t think it’s OK to leave early. Our Pastor puts it like this:
“If you walk out the door immediately after consuming the body and blood of Christ, I’m going to have to send an Altar Server with a candle to escort you to your car because Jesus is barely into your esophagus!”
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He’s partially joking of course, but his central message is true. How is bolting out the door without taking so much as a few minutes to reflect on and appreciate the Eucharist treating the Sacrament with any kind of reverence? No matter how badly I want to leave, I always stay until the last hymn has ended and I’m always glad that I did!
 
Cristiano said:
I personally think that it is sinful to leave the Mass before it ends. The precept of the Church says to attend Mass on Sundays. It does not say to attend part of the Mass.
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I was taught it was a “sin” to leave Mass before communion. I think the priest should leave the altar after Mass and come down the center aisle to greet people at the door. That way perhaps more rude people will get the idea that one doesn’t leave until Mass is completely over and thereby show they have some manners.🙂 Peace.
 
Cristiano said:
I personally think that it is sinful to leave the Mass before it ends. The precept of the Church says to attend Mass on Sundays. It does not say to attend part of the Mass.
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Felicity_in_TX said:
With the exception of a legitimate emergency, I don’t think it’s OK to leave early. Our Pastor puts it like this:

He’s partially joking of course, but his central message is true. How is bolting out the door without taking so much as a few minutes to reflect on and appreciate the Eucharist treating the Sacrament with any kind of reverence? No matter how badly I want to leave, I always stay until the last hymn has ended and I’m always glad that I did!
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I like a priest with a sense of humor. If people don’t get the idea from that, they need to be asked to carry their own lighted candle. 😃 Peace.
 
As above, one should leave early only if one has a legitimate reason. Having said that, I’ve noticed something of a trend in these parts over the last few years for people not just to stay till the end but even get back in their seats or on their knees after the music has finished for a few minutes of quiet thanksgiving 👍

Mind you, I usually do my quiet prayer and thanksgiving before Mass instead, since I usually arrive at least a bit early, but it’s lovely that fewer people are rushing out after Communion.
 
I am usually the last one to leave the church, period! So the question is irrevelent to my personal situation.
 
As long as you a have a legitimate reason.

I never leave before the final blessing and depeneding on my little one until the end of the Recessional hymn. Two things

We once had a Priest tell us that “if you were going to recieve the Holy Eucharist the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ and then just walkout. Please come up to altar before you go and spit on it and Jesus, please have the guts to tell Jesus you don’t have time for Him right now.”

and a Deacon once said “You need to stay until the final blessing, and if you think you don’t need that final blessing you could be dead wrong”
 
Three Masses at my parish, the Saturday Vigil Mass and the early Sunday morning Mass, everyone (expect those with valid reasons) stay for the final hymn,its at the later Mass (11am) that literally one quarter of the people leave early.

Finally our priest was so frustrated by this that when he was giving his announcements at the conclusion of Mass, he said,“And remember folks, Judas also left early!” Some were offended by this statement, most though wanted to stand up and applaud him.

As the sacristan, I notice all the early people (usually the same ones time and again) and those who arrive late (another pet peeve mostly cause they are the same ones). I realize that emergencies happen, kids “loose it”, transportation to catch and so on are valid reasons, we have many medical people in our parish who are on call and have to leave early, but because you want to be the First One to the parking lot is NOT a valid reason.

Those who want to arrive late and leave early,can you not give our Lord just One Hour of your time?
 
There are valid reasons for leaving early (e.g. volunteer fireman, kids acting up, need to leave for job on time, etc…).

The best spot to sit is anywhere in the back or on the sides near the doors (if the Church has them).
 
I agree that one should not leave Mass early, except for a valid reason, one of which is children who need tending. And why would anyone not want to recieve the last blessing. The priest, of course, is standing in for Our Lord himself, so this powerful blessing is also an important source of grace.
 
Afew months ago this topic came up at our Church, Our Lady Star of the Sea in North Myrtle Beach and our priest said unless there was an emergency, you have not fullfilled your obligation until the final blessing is said…
 
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