Question About Sunday Mass

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Question About Sunday Mass**

I my parish on Sunday we have a real parking problem due to insufficient parking spaces and some people who attend the Polish Mass have to drive from miles away and find parking blocks away from the Church. This is to their credit of course, and I try to help by moving from the main parking area to the street because they fill the lot, aisles and all.

As I was standing outside, talking to friends after I attended the 9 AM Mass and watched people enter the Church 5, 10, sometimes 15 minutes after the start of the 10:30 AM Mass, I asked my friend the following question: At what point in the Mass is it considered too late for you to walk in and receive the benefit of a full Mass and how early can you leave to still receive the benefit of a full Mass.

No one really knew the correct answer, but most said that you try to get there on time. I know there has to be a too late point.

I know these people who attend the Polish Mass have the best intentions of arriving on time and don’t do it deliberately. They all dress for Church the way most Americans used to when attending Mass. In their very best clothes with the knowledge of whose home they were visiting. The good old days!**
 
I seem to remember that the teaching used to be if one arrived after the gospel readings and the priest was into the homily that you really have not attended the mass. In this case one should go to the next mass or attend another parish who has a mass scheduled at a later time.

Jim
 
Kind of makes me wonder if the problems can be worse than in Dubai - where there are just two churches and St Mary’s has thousands of parishoners - I cannot remember exactly now - but it’s supposed to be one of the biggest parishes in the world - but public transportation here sucks and parking spaces are scarce. So I am wondering - if this happens just a few times - some new commers might not be aware how hard it can be, sometimes there is bigger holiday and the traffic is also bigger than usual, sometimes it is just more congested for no reason - I guess then it is OK, otherwise you just leave for church much earlier…
Well, I am not too sympathetic to those poeple - before I got a car, I left for church two hours earlier to make it on time. I had trouble with coming home - sometimes I reached three - five hours after the mass was over. And I see lots of people struggle like that here.
And I am Polish too.
I know this is not exactly the answer to your question but…
 
I also remember being told that anyone arriving after the Gospel reading did not attend Mass and would have to stay for the next Mass, if there was one.
When I was a little girl we sometimes attended a different church and the pastor at that church would close and lock the doors once Mass had started. The doors were not unlocked until after Mass had ended. We didn’t go to that church too often since there was always the fear that a fire would break out and no one would be able to get out. I’m assuming the fire department didn’t know about the locked doors (this was more than 50 years ago).
 
The only information that I could find on the Internet so far suggests that one must arrive just before the Gospel is read and not to leave sooner than after Communion is celebrated. I always wonder why I saw people walk right out after receiving Communion.

Again, our parking problem is really bad. People have to wait for the people of the first Mass to leave before they can use spaces for the next Mass.

I’ve tried other sources like the USCCB and the Archdiocese of Chicago websites to find an answer to the above question but no luck. I thought I might try Catholic Answers.

I’m not looking for a loophole to leave Mass early. I’m just curious about the actual rules involved.

Thanks to all who answer!
 
I believe that it is not specified under the new Canon Law.

Under the old Canon Law, one had to attend the entire Mass of The Faithful; so from after the Creed onward. This caused some people to intentionally arrive late, so the distinction was removed in the 1983 Canon Law.

I too was taught the gospel through communion rule, but I’m nor sure if this ever was real, or just a guideline.

God Bless
 
I found a very interesting article here:
theindiancatholic.com/report.asp?nid=8900

[Here are the relevant paragraphs.]
Arriving after the gospel: No communion:
Arriving after the gospel: No communion

ROME (Zenit.org): Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

Q: My parish priest made a regulation that anyone who arrives in Mass after the Gospel is not allowed to take Communion. According to him, the reason is that Jesus is “the Word made flesh.” Therefore we must recognize Jesus in the Word before we recognize him in holy Communion. Another priest, who is a professor of liturgy, has another opinion. He said that people who arrive late in Mass with a valid reason (for example, an unusual traffic jam, attending sick children, etc.) should not be denied Communion. Could you please give a clarification on this matter? – B.E., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

[Edited]

**It is true that the Mass is a whole and that we must first recognize Jesus in the Word before we recognize him in the Eucharist. But this would include the entire Liturgy of the Word and not just the Gospel. **

[Edited]

**At the same time, there are some objective elements to be taken into account besides the reason for lateness. Someone who arrives after the consecration has not attended Mass, no matter what the reason for his belatedness. Such a person should not receive Communion, and if it is a Sunday, has the obligation to attend another Mass. ** [Edited]
Click to expand...
James
 
I visited a church once that seemed to have automatic doors from the narthex that would shut all at once - either before or after the Gospel. It seemed to be an obvious notice that you were late if not in before that - sorta like getting on a subway before the doors closed.
 
I was told recently by our priest…

“We begin the Mass with the sign of the cross then a blessing.
Then we end the Mass with the sign of the cross then a blessing. If you miss the first sign of the cross and blessing then then you missed Mass.”

Makes sense if you think about it. We begin all our prayers with the sign of the cross and we wait until everyone has “signed” in before we begin. Afterall the Mass is our highest form of prayer.Something about that first blessing too, it’s important.

Introductory Rite

V: In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit** Matt. 28:19**
R: Amen. Chron. 16:36
V: The grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.** 2 Cor. 13:13**
R: Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 1:3
or: The Lord be with you! Ruth 2:4
 
Bullfighter said:
Question About Sunday Mass**

I my parish on Sunday we have a real parking problem due to insufficient parking spaces and some people who attend the Polish Mass have to drive from miles away and find parking blocks away from the Church. This is to their credit of course, and I try to help by moving from the main parking area to the street because they fill the lot, aisles and all.

As I was standing outside, talking to friends after I attended the 9 AM Mass and watched people enter the Church 5, 10, sometimes 15 minutes after the start of the 10:30 AM Mass, I asked my friend the following question: At what point in the Mass is it considered too late for you to walk in and receive the benefit of a full Mass and how early can you leave to still receive the benefit of a full Mass.

No one really knew the correct answer, but most said that you try to get there on time. I know there has to be a too late point.

I know these people who attend the Polish Mass have the best intentions of arriving on time and don’t do it deliberately. They all dress for Church the way most Americans used to when attending Mass. In their very best clothes with the knowledge of whose home they were visiting. The good old days!**

As you can see, there is no strictly “legal” answer.

Being there in time to hear the Gospel, though, is still the best answer, since the question is about “how late can I be?”

Of course, the best answer of all is to say get there in time for the Sign of the Cross at the very opening of Mass! (but I know everyone here takes that for a given–just didn’t want to be misunderstood)
Click to expand...
 
Our pastor mentioned last week that the priest should be the last person to enter and the first to leave the mass. It was wishful thinking.
 
Perhaps in stead of figuring out the legalities, you could focus on the problem. Could the youth group or another ministry do “valet parking” for the Mass? Help those who arrive near Mass time be able to participate in the entire Mass.
 
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