Priest leaves Mass every Sunday high fiving parishioners

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Hoosier_Daddy said:
You like to split hairs don’t you. 😉

Yes, and Jesus is also the Body of Christ in the members of the Church and the Priest is “in place of Christ” for the Consecration. The priest is the celebrant and the delegated head of the Church by the Church. C’mon you know that…
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Yes, I do know that very well. I was not asking if I am allowed to leave during the consecration but after the Mass is over and the priest visits, talking and high fiving the youth.
 
LilHomemaker said:
Yes, I do know that very well. I was not asking if I am allowed to leave during the consecration but after the Mass is over and the priest visits, talking and high fiving the youth.
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And you have been given the answer. But you keep bringing up other points.

You are not even getting different answers.🤷
 
I sympathize with your feeling of regret in posting. I have done the same, posted a question and thought later, oh my gosh- why did I even ask 🙂

I thought your question was legit! Seems the answer is that it is ok to leave after he pronounces the mass is ended, and we reply. I hope so, that’s what I am going with. I’m glad to know this, not that we have high fiving but quite regularly there is a commotion that happens after Mass that causes a bit of a traffic jam.
 
When I was ushering, you’d see a dribble INTO Mass up thru the Gospel, and a slow dribble out starting around Communion. As has been pointed out, officially, the Mass ends at the response to the final Blessing (go, the Mass has ended. … Thanks be to God)

Sorry for misinterpreting the intent of your question.

Blessings,
Stephie
 
Susanna_April said:
I thought your question was legit! Seems the answer is that it is ok to leave after he pronounces the mass is ended, and we reply. I hope so, that’s what I am going with. I’m glad to know this, not that we have high fiving but quite regularly there is a commotion that happens after Mass that causes a bit of a traffic jam.
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Yes, to be clear:
Liturgically, there is no such thing as a recessional hymn, nor even recessional music (though it is a common practice). The last relevant instruction in the GIRM is:
  1. To the Concluding Rites belong the following:

    • *]brief announcements, should they be necessary;
      *]the Priest’s Greeting and Blessing, which on certain days and occasions is expanded and expressed by the Prayer over the People or another more solemn formula;
      *]the Dismissal of the people by the Deacon or the Priest, so that each may go back to doing good works, praising and blessing God;
      *]the kissing of the altar by the Priest and the Deacon, followed by a profound bow to the altar by the Priest, the Deacon, and the other ministers.
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  1. tee
 
I always felt it was a sign of respect to wait for the priest to exit the church if he walks out through the congregation. But then I may be “old school”. Maybe I came from attending a Catholic high school - tee hee - one would never think of leaving the room before the sister left - yikes! That might warrant extra homework for sure - tee hee.

Anyway - just had a thought - why not sit up in the front row and be one of the first he “high fives” and once he is past you - run.

Just could not help myself after some of the discussion above.
 
CuriousAlways said:
I always felt it was a sign of respect to wait for the priest to exit the church if he walks out through the congregation. But then I may be “old school”. Maybe I came from attending a Catholic high school - tee hee - one would never think of leaving the room before the sister left - yikes! That might warrant extra homework for sure - tee hee.

Anyway - just had a thought - why not sit up in the front row and be one of the first he “high fives” and once he is past you - run.

Just could not help myself after some of the discussion above.
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You know I agree with this and what LIlhomemaker was getting at. It’s been my experience that Priests shake hands or high fives outside of the Church in the Narthex and someone might suggest that to the priest in private or though a suggestion box to let him know what the parishioners thoughts are…We have a survey that we do ever so often that let them know how we think about things and opening up communication lines can only benefit and strengthen a Parish…That’s what the Apostles did when they disagreed… They worked it out…🙂 .I know different Pastors bring their own things to the plate but we must never forget why we are there and keep reverence to Our King Jesus Christ…
 
LilHomemaker said:
I am regretting posting this because everyone is interpreting it wrong. It is not the high fiving that is bothering me but am I allowed to leave while he stays up front visiting the teens and children. I just wanted to know if we were allowed to leave before the priest, since he is staying to address all of the children and teens and the deacon and altar servers have already left.
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I totally got what you were saying.

I like to wait until the Priest has processed past me, and in a big noisy church, there really is no opportunity for quiet prayer anyway.

Therefore, I don’t feel obligated to stay until the recessional hymn is finished.

If I were in a situation that the Priest (who seems awesome and kind) was taking that long, I would feel free to go ahead and leave. Because… Mass is over… I need to go and share the Gospel by my life. :);)🙂
 
Corki said:
The Mass is over as soon as the priest says “The Mass is over, go in peace”. After that, whether you stay awhile or leave right away is up to you.
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Actually not. The Mass is over after the celebrant reverences the altar with a kiss. There is a difference. I noticed this when I was going over things with a fine-toothed comb and realized that we pray the St. Michael Archangel prayer a bit too early, because the sacred ministers remain in their places until it is finished and then reverence the altar, making this a (very minor) liturgical abuse.
 
LilHomemaker said:
Okay, I love my parish. I love our new priest. He speaks very Catholic and stands by Catholic teaching. My question is this.

At the end of Mass after the deacon and alter servers process out, the priest stays back and high fives as many people as he can row by row, mostly children and teenagers. The ending song is playing, but it is hard to sing a long because as this is happening the church becomes kind of a free for all with everyone talking and high fiving. Usually at other parishes and this one (before he came) two verses are sung at the closing hymn but because this is happening our parish now sings 3 or more verses. Some people go ahead and leave after the second verse but some stay waiting because, well, you are supposed to wait for the priest to process by but sometimes it can be another 10 or more minutes standing and waiting for him to finish. I love being at Mass and long Masses do not bother me but I have a hard time just waiting for this to all happen every Sunday.

Would you stay while he is high fiving or go ahead and leave?
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Since it's not something that' s a part of the Mass but something the priest is doing to help the kids, there's no reason to stay; but you could spend extra.time with Our Lord in thanksgiving, and that time within with thoughts turned inward, this won't be as important. Who knows? Some of the high fivers will see the lady on her knees and say 'He - maybe I can do that too!'
 
I wonder if this priest is a diocesan priest or a priest that belongs to a specific religious priestly order such as Jesuit, Dominican, Augustinian or Oblate?

I noticed lately the diocesan priest celebrated Mass I have attended, are more liberal and more free loose spirited liturgical led communities that have introduced clapping, shorter liturgical silences, holding of hands during the Lord’s prayer, than the religious ordered priest’s who maintain a more somber and reverence spirit liturgical led community. In some parishes that have more than one Mass has the free high spirited liturgy during a Sunday Family and youth Mass, while all other Mass’s partake in a more somber, reverential and meditative liturgy.

At least that has been my traveled Mass experiences.

It seems to me, many priest today have taken on this free spirit of St. Francis with smiling, joy and community happiness. This is all great and gives a powerful Christian witness.

But there is a time and place for both characters of the Church and we should never leave our faithful spirit and reverence in the presence of God, nor should we ever lose or replace our personal fear of the Lord, with joy of being in the present of community.

For the OP, attend a different Mass when most youth (classes) are not present.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
You like to split hairs don’t you. 😉

Yes, and Jesus is also the Body of Christ in the members of the Church and the Priest is “in place of Christ” for the Consecration. The priest is the celebrant and the delegated head of the Church by the Church. C’mon you know that…
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I can see what the OP is saying. A consecrated host is Our Lord & however remains in the church! You cant compare/equate the.consecrated host (Our Lord) to the priest or any other person there! To try to do so is gravely wrong (there are words I could use…). No other person compares.

I think the OP should decide for herself/himself about when to leave, but I dont think the end of mass should be a party in any respect, even if it entertains the kids.
 
grasscutter said:
I totally got what you were saying.

I like to wait until the Priest has processed past me, and in a big noisy church, there really is no opportunity for quiet prayer anyway.

Therefore, I don’t feel obligated to stay until the recessional hymn is finished.

If I were in a situation that the Priest (who seems awesome and kind) was taking that long, I would feel free to go ahead and leave. Because… Mass is over… I need to go and share the Gospel by my life. :);)🙂
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I totally agree.

I wouldn’t be able to pray while people are meeting and greeting, singing and giving high fives. Sorry my concentration just isn’t that good. I don’t know anyone that has concentration like that. 🤷

Mass is over. Go, in peace and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
 
At my old parish the music group made the recessional song a flat out rock concert Complete with dancing. I had no problem getting our coats on, and shuffling 4 kids out of the pew before the priest walked by us. 😦
 
Elizium23 said:
Actually not. The Mass is over after the celebrant reverences the altar with a kiss. There is a difference. I noticed this when I was going over things with a fine-toothed comb and realized that we pray the St. Michael Archangel prayer a bit too early, because the sacred ministers remain in their places until it is finished and then reverence the altar, making this a (very minor) liturgical abuse.
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👍 I just love this forum. I literally learn something new every single day. Thanks.
 
If I was in your position I would stay until the recessional hymn is over (and believe me in Anglican / Anglican patrimony terms that means the whole hymn even if it’s seven verses long).

What is another verse or two in praise of God? Hymns are, after all a form of prayer and lifting up heart and voice to God. Also, you are with your Catholic family and just as we sometimes like to escape family gatherings it is often better to stick around and spend time with your wider family. Of course if there is a lunch to get on the table/guests coming over you may have to leave as soon as you are able.

Just my thoughts and trying to put a positive slant on it. 🙂
 
I think.the OP needs to decide for herself on this very difficult issue. Basically, if behaviour takes the focus off Christ & removes reverence, then the OP should think about why she is there. If she has a cone of silence & sunnies, it may help her not be distracted by the party. Its a personal choice.
Personally I wouldnt like it I dont think; not in mass. & i’d be thinking, in the words of Pink .'you’re high fiving, talking sh##, but ur going home alone aintcha!. (sorry would not be able to help it) & I dont want to think of the priest like some bloke in a nightclub.
But hey, high five to ones hearts content out of the church: yes, big party then!
I have never seen a priest high fiving down the aisle. Would the Bishop do it?:hmmm:
 
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