Okay or not to leave Mass early?

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leonie said:
Do you think it’s okay to leave after the priest exits, but the recessional is still being sung?
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Anything after the Benediction is after the fact, in my opinion. After the priest says, “Go, the Mass is ended,” and the congregation responds, “Thanks be to God”, then it’s over. The final song (hymn, or whatever) should be sung prior to the Benediction. A recessional is a recessional. It means people are now leaving. Personally, I have no problem if people leave after the priest exits.

What I get concerned about is people leaving after receiving Communion. They just go out the door. Not only does this make their Mass attendance illicit and, in my opinion,does not fulfill the Sunday obligation, but they also do not have the proper disposition in reception of the Eucharist, which is another issue entirely.
 
crenfro said:
Hello. Just curious about responses to this…
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No it not ok to leave mass early no matter where you are seated, besides what’s your rush? Would you rather be doing something else than celebrating with your community, giving praise to Jesus in the best way possible ( the mass)
 
It is not ok to leave mass early for a selfish convenience. We nead to realize we need the final blessings as we go out to evangelize. Fr. Larry Richards calls people who leave before the final blessing “Judas”. Funny but makes since…
Have a great day
 
I was also taught that Mass is over when the priest leaves the altar. My pet peeve is the self-important choir directors who insist that we sing another three verses of their favorite hymn after the priest leaves the altar. I have been criticized for leaving right behind the priest instead of indulging the choir in one more round, but so far, I am unrepentant. I’d be willing to reform if I thought there was a valid reason. Any thoughts?
 
Yeah, but why do it???

Why leave Mass early???

Why not stay for an extra five minutes for some private prayer and reflection. [It would also give the parking lot a chance to empty out.]

Maybe the priest could stay behind and offer some prayers at the foot of the altar, the way we used to do it in the 1950s for the conversion of Russia.

Got to thinking about this … [yup, there I go again] … Muslims pray five times a day. And go to the mosque on Friday.

Catholics complain about praying/ going to church once a week.

Maybe that’s one of the reasons God has decided to give our enemies some encouragement in their administration of a chastisement against us. They pray; we don’t.

One of our priests gave a homily some years ago about the near tragedy, … when some early leavers collided with some late arrivers.
 
Al_Masetti said:
Yeah, but why do it???

Why leave Mass early???

Why not stay for an extra five minutes for some private prayer and reflection. [It would also give the parking lot a chance to empty out.]

Maybe the priest could stay behind and offer some prayers at the foot of the altar, the way we used to do it in the 1950s for the conversion of Russia.

Got to thinking about this … [yup, there I go again] … Muslims pray five times a day. And go to the mosque on Friday.

Catholics complain about praying/ going to church once a week.

Maybe that’s one of the reasons God has decided to give our enemies some encouragement in their administration of a chastisement against us. They pray; we don’t.
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I do it because I am delivering the Body of Christ to the sick after Mass, and they need my presence more than the choir does.

I do it because I have never been able to pray well after Mass with all the talking and socializing that takes place in the pews.

I do it because I pray the Divine Office at home where I am not distracted.
 
Cara_Serrano said:
I was also taught that Mass is over when the priest leaves the altar. My pet peeve is the self-important choir directors who insist that we sing another three verses of their favorite hymn after the priest leaves the altar. I have been criticized for leaving right behind the priest instead of indulging the choir in one more round, but so far, I am unrepentant. I’d be willing to reform if I thought there was a valid reason. Any thoughts?
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I agree. 👍 A Recessional is a Recessional, not another hymn or exit song. What does one do during a recessional? You leave.
 
peary said:
I agree. 👍 A Recessional is a Recessional, not another hymn or exit song. What does one do during a recessional? You leave.
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I thought that the recessional hymn meant Father and those assisting at Mass leaving in procession, followed by the rest of us after the hymn had concluded (unless for some reason one must leave early)…Blessings - Barb;)
 
BarbaraTherese said:
I thought that the recessional hymn meant Father and those assisting at Mass leaving in procession, followed by the rest of us after the hymn had concluded (unless for some reason one must leave early)…Blessings - Barb;)
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That depends. At some Masses I have attended, the “closing hymn” comes before the final Benediction, followed by the Recessional of priest and congregation. At other Masses the “closing hymn” IS the Recessional, which is liturgically questionable because the final song is to God, and that is where our attention must be drawn, not walking out.
 
peary said:
That depends. At some Masses I have attended, the “closing hymn” comes before the final Benediction, followed by the Recessional of priest and congregation. At other Masses the “closing hymn” IS the Recessional, which is liturgically questionable because the final song is to God, and that is where our attention must be drawn, not walking out.
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Hello Peary…So far to date I have not attended a Mass (I live in Australia) that Father did not recess out The Church, with those who had assisted him at Mass, and during the recessional hymn, but I know that does not mean this applies always.

I did make the point in an earlier post HEREthat since the recessional hymn is addressed to The Lord in some way and ideally prayerfully, it seems to me personally inappropriate for the congregation or part thereof to walk out during this hymn/prayer unless one has a pressing reason to do so. (St. Augustine: he who sings, prays twice)

Blessings - Barb:)
 
BarbaraTherese said:
Hello Peary…So far to date I have not attended a Mass (I live in Australia) that Father did not recess out The Church, with those who had assisted him at Mass, and during the recessional hymn, but I know that does not mean this applies always.

I did make the point in an earlier post HEREthat since the recessional hymn is addressed to The Lord in some way and ideally prayerfully, it seems to me personally inappropriate for the congregation or part thereof to walk out during this hymn/prayer unless one has a pressing reason to do so. (St. Augustine: he who sings, prays twice)

Blessings - Barb:)
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I totally agree with you 👍 Maybe they need to re-name the recessional hymn to closing hymn. Perhaps that way, people will stay…and so will the priest! 😉
 
BarbaraTherese said:
Hello Peary…So far to date I have not attended a Mass (I live in Australia) that Father did not recess out The Church, with those who had assisted him at Mass, and during the recessional hymn, but I know that does not mean this applies always.

I did make the point in an earlier post HEREthat since the recessional hymn is addressed to The Lord in some way and ideally prayerfully, it seems to me personally inappropriate for the congregation or part thereof to walk out during this hymn/prayer unless one has a pressing reason to do so. (St. Augustine: he who sings, prays twice)

Blessings - Barb:)
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I appreciate your point, but I take the priest literally when he says “Go, the Mass is ended.” God has heard me sing and believe me, He wasn’t impressed. With apologies to St Augustine, God is better served at the recessional hymn by my leaving than by my singing!
 
At the mass I go to in the US, if I remember correctly now, we sing a recessional hymn after the final blessing and it seems to me that most people stick around for it.

At the church i go to here in Switzerland, usually we sing a final song, then the priest makes announcements and speaks the final blessing, and then just the organ plays a recessional song. Most people leave during that recessional song and there it feels right.

Kathrin
 
Cara_Serrano said:
I appreciate your point, but I take the priest literally when he says “Go, the Mass is ended.” God has heard me sing and believe me, He wasn’t impressed. With apologies to St Augustine, God is better served at the recessional hymn by my leaving than by my singing!
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I joke with folks that every year, the Pope’s first order of business is to send me a letter prohibiting me from singing. If I do sing, they have to send in technicians to retune the church organ, and they just can’t afford to keep doing that. My singing also causes people to leave the Church, including priests.
 
I didn’t respond because there wasn’t a choice for “not at all unless there’s an emergency.”
 
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