Short Sunday Mass

[7discerning7]

I like the “long” Masses better probably because I’m a musician… but if the choir isn’t that well, I’d prefer the “short” one. Haha
If I wasn’t a musician or didn’t have an ear for music, I think I’d still prefer the long Mass because it doesn’t seem too rushed. There’s a priest I know who speed-talks through the prayers making the Sunday Mass 15 mins long with singing. The choir is good but I don’t like Masses that are rushed.

 

[Sarabande]

That’s the weird thing. I’m usually one who prefers a longer mass and one that takes time, but this priest who does the shorter masses never seem to rush. Actually, even though I’ve been there for a few years, I’m still always surprised that the mass ended earlier. He almost always keeps the congregation engaged and he pretty much follows everything by the book. I don’t know how he does it. Perhaps having only two verses for the processional and recessional hymns and no sung Gloria make a difference?

 

[zz912]

Personally, I don’t mind a longer Mass if things are that way for a reason. Here in FL, we have a large amount of snowbirds, so in the summer, attendance is about half of the other seasons. I do get annoyed when Father extends his homily just because he can, because Communion is shorter. It is frustrating when you can tell he is going on and on just because he knows the Communion time will be quick.

If you want to truly have people more excited, and less worried about length of Mass, then make the Mass different. DON’T try to appease the people. Get rid of rock-bands and all that fluff. You don’t win people to the Catholic faith by trying to be Protestant, or secular. Make it clear that Mass is different from the rest of the world.

And for homilies, priests need to stop giving bland, over-generalized homilies. Be forceful, and be educational. Teach WHY we believe certain things. Like the readings from last Sunday, it was a perfect time to teach about Confession, and WHY we believe in it. And then to challenge your congregation and ask them if they have gone to Confession like the sinful woman.

And homilies don’t have to be long to be great. Keep it to 3-5 main points you want to hit on and stress, and get to it. You will find people more attentive and focused it you go right at it and not waste time with fluff. And as I said above, stay away from the overly broad, overly general homilies that challenge no one, and offend none. Bland, inoffensive homilies are a bane to the Christian faith. There was nothing bland or inoffensive about Christ, or St. Peter.

 

[Country_Gal]

I am curious to know the view of the “people in the pews”, about this question. I often hear that a priest who has a “short Mass” on Sunday (maybe only 45 minutes long!) gets higher attendance. These Masses cut out singing to get the length down. So, are Catholics more interested in a “short” Mass rather than a Mass with a considerable amount of singing? That seems to be the “vote” of the marketplace, since the “short” Masses get quite popular. Why are short ( Sunday) Masses so popular? Would you personally rather have a short Mass, or a sung Mass, please also say why!

Since Mass is an obligation that must be done, a short Mass can allow people to fulfill it in a shorter amount of time. Also, not everyone appreciates the sometimes less than stellar music. It can help avoid the whole debate about music too. It also helps parents of small children get through Mass with less work and stress.

I remember, when I was going to Mass and there was no music for one reason or another, that I really enjoyed the quietness of the experience.

 

[KellyPalmer]

I’ve never heard of a short Sunday Mass. It’s always been around an hour, longer if something special going on. I’m fine with the usual length. I don’t think the songs would effect the length in the Churches around here. There is rarely singing unless something else is going on. The main reason it is the length it is would be due to the amount of people in the pews, leading to longer sessions of receiving the Eucharist.

 

[quiet52]

I am curious to know the view of the “people in the pews”, about this question. I often hear that a priest who has a “short Mass” on Sunday (maybe only 45 minutes long!) gets higher attendance. These Masses cut out singing to get the length down. So, are Catholics more interested in a “short” Mass rather than a Mass with a considerable amount of singing? That seems to be the “vote” of the marketplace, since the “short” Masses get quite popular. Why are short ( Sunday) Masses so popular? Would you personally rather have a short Mass, or a sung Mass, please also say why!

I don’t know that short Masses are more popular than the longer ones. Where I live, some parishes don’t have a choir, or even a cantor, for every Mass. It seems most difficult for parishes to find musicians for Saturday night and early Sunday Masses, which are usually the shortest in length, and in my area usually the least-attended.

I’ve talked to Catholics who prefer to attend the shorter Masses, for various reasons, such as: work schedule; family events or sports on Sunday late-mornings and afternoons; can’t stand the music, choir or inconsistent abilities of the cantors; prefer a smaller congregation & more space in the pews; to get their “obligation” over with; fewer children and therefore fewer distractions; they’ve been attending that Mass for decades.

I prefer Masses with music, especially with hymns we can sing along to, but then again, sometimes the music selection or organ-playing can be horrendous. I love when the priest chants, especially the Eucharistic Prayer. Not many priests are willing to chant, though. I don’t often attend Saturday afternoon Mass (due to my Saturday commitments) or the earliest Sunday Mass (because I’m not a morning person). In other words, the shorter length isn’t the reason I don’t attend them.

I feel irritated when the priest rushes through the prayers – whether it’s a “short” or longer Mass – one priest leads the Nicene Creed and Lord’s Prayer so speedily I almost feel out of breath afterwards. But … I’ve gotta keep forgiving him. He is there for us, to administer the Eucharist, praise be to God.

The long and the short of it is that each and every Mass is beautiful. We get to celebrate the memorial of Christ’s sacrifice, to worship together, to hear the Word of God, to receive the Blessed Sacrament, to receive graces which nourish us so that we can live and grow as disciples, talk with friends after Mass, etc. In spite of whatever might be annoying sometimes – bad music, liturgical “innovations”, poor homilies, whatever. We’re so blessed to have several time options to choose from, whether it’s mere “obligation” or something we yearn for.

Father Steven, it’s nice to see a priest being curious about us lay people.

 

[signit]

The hymns are not hugely important to me.

But, I don’t make the decision on which Mass to attend because of the hymns.

If I attend the Sunday morning Mass I try to attend the 7:30 A.M. “no frills” Mass with no hymns, simply because (as some others said) attending a later morning Mass “breaks up the morning.” That’s still the one I’d attend even if it ran a few minutes longer because of hymns. Of course I attend on Saturday afternoon (with hymns) if it better fits my schedule.

I honestly do not have a personal preference either way. One thing I CANNOT STAND are the folk/guitar Masses. I think they are highly irreverent, and I say this as a non-traditionalist. I avoid those Masses like the plague.

I wasn’t aware they even still had the “folk Mass.” I was under the impression that it never caught on.

 

[Phemie]

I wasn’t aware they even still had the “folk Mass.” I was under the impression that it never caught on.

I think some people just classify any Mass with guitars as a “folk” Mass. We only have guitars because nobody can play the organ and we sing approved settings. The words to “Immaculate Mary” & “Holy God We Praise Thy Name” don’t change when you switch from organ to guitar accompaniment.

 

[CatholicZ09]

Sometimes I prefer to go to a local parish’s 6 a.m. Sunday Mass. If the parochial vicar is presiding, there is no music/singing whatsoever. If the pastor presides, then he picks an opening and closing (mostly traditional) hymn to sing acapella. I love the silence of the liturgy whenever I go to that Mass. It’s a good way to wake up. It usually runs forty to forty-five minutes. Sure, I love that it’s shorter, but some Sundays I just like not having the singing. It’s a change.

Now, at my home parish, we have singing every weekend. The 8:30 a.m. Mass has just the traditional organ and cantor. The 11 a.m. Mass has the organ, piano, choir, and sometimes trumpet or guitar.

I love the 8:30 Mass because I love just listening to the cantor, and being on the liturgy committee of the parish myself, we pick reverent music that goes along with the antiphons and readings of the day. The Mass usually runs an hour or just a little under an hour. There are silent parts as well. It has almost the perfect balance of singing and silence. I always love how it’s not really early but not really late in the day.

The 11:00 a.m. Mass is my least favorite. I only attend this Mass if they ask me to fill-in for a reader or server, or unless I have to sacristan. I don’t like the extra accompaniment, not that I am saying that piano and trumpet, etc. are not reverent or appropriate for Mass, but it’s just “noisy” sometimes. It sometimes gets distracting. Luckily the choir is off for the summer, so the 11:00 a.m. Mass is a mirror image of the 8:30.

So, in conclusion, I like the shorter Mass at the local parish, but I also like my home parish’s Masses too. It usually just depends on what Mass I feel like attending.

 

[thistle]

I am curious to know the view of the “people in the pews”, about this question. I often hear that a priest who has a “short Mass” on Sunday (maybe only 45 minutes long!) gets higher attendance. These Masses cut out singing to get the length down. So, are Catholics more interested in a “short” Mass rather than a Mass with a considerable amount of singing? That seems to be the “vote” of the marketplace, since the “short” Masses get quite popular. Why are short ( Sunday) Masses so popular? Would you personally rather have a short Mass, or a sung Mass, please also say why!

We don’t have time for long Masses. Our Masses on Sundays last 1 hour. As I’ve mentioned in other threads our parish (14,000 parishioners) has an 80% Mass attendance and we have 10 Masses every Sunday to accommodate everyone. It would not be possible if our Masses were longer than one hour.

 

[patsymae]

Prayer for prayer, singing adds time. So if your Gloria was said rather than sung, and the 3 hymns replaced by a said antiphon, Mass would be maybe 5 minutes shorter. Of course I want the maximum number of people to come to Mass. I also want it – more importantly-- to be as prayerful as possible. So I’m intrigued when cutting singing seems to make the Mass shorter, more prayerful, and attract more parishioners. So I’m trying to understand this – that’s why I’m asking.

I go to Mass on the other side of town just because I love the sung Mass, I regard the hymns as praying and that it makes the Mass more reverent. I am a re-vert after 35 years and find that I am unable to sing many of these “new” hymns, however I notice many other people giving up and stop trying to sing also . Not every one can reach those high notes the choir leader can. when I can not sing I feel like I am not participating as I should. I love the Mass and wish it lasted longer. because there are four churches in our parish sometimes the priest has to hurry to start Mass in another church and one can always tell when he is running late. I am very thankful for all our priests and deacons and pray for them for any hardships they may endure.

 

[markomalley]

I am curious to know the view of the “people in the pews”, about this question. I often hear that a priest who has a “short Mass” on Sunday (maybe only 45 minutes long!) gets higher attendance. These Masses cut out singing to get the length down. So, are Catholics more interested in a “short” Mass rather than a Mass with a considerable amount of singing? That seems to be the “vote” of the marketplace, since the “short” Masses get quite popular. Why are short ( Sunday) Masses so popular? Would you personally rather have a short Mass, or a sung Mass, please also say why!

St Mary Mother of God parish in Chinatown, DC (the home of the Traditional Latin Mass in Washington DC, btw) has a 7:30 PM spoken Mass. They speak the antiphons…and no hymns.

Back when Father Conway was the pastor there, that Mass took 30 minutes…45 minutes at the very outside. Father Harris (the current pastor) is a bit more long-winded with his homilies, so the Mass these days usually is 45 minutes.

Don’t get me wrong: I vastly prefer a good Missa Cantata. However, I also like this Mass for its purpose (in case something came up where I simply wasn’t able to go during the day).

The other thing of note about St Mary Mother of God: 30 minutes prior to each of their Masses, they have at least one priest hearing confessions…two, if there is a long line.

Father, when you are named pastor of a parish, I would strongly suggest implementing that practice (having confessions before Mass).

 

[quiet52]

… The other thing of note about St Mary Mother of God: 30 minutes prior to each of their Masses, they have at least one priest hearing confessions…two, if there is a long line.

Father, when you are named pastor of a parish, I would strongly suggest implementing that practice (having confessions before Mass).

I’d like to second that motion. Maybe at least before two Sunday Masses? The 30 minute Confession times on Saturday afternoons is impossible for many of us.

 

[liturgyluver]

I am curious to know the view of the “people in the pews”, about this question. I often hear that a priest who has a “short Mass” on Sunday (maybe only 45 minutes long!) gets higher attendance. These Masses cut out singing to get the length down. So, are Catholics more interested in a “short” Mass rather than a Mass with a considerable amount of singing? That seems to be the “vote” of the marketplace, since the “short” Masses get quite popular. Why are short ( Sunday) Masses so popular? Would you personally rather have a short Mass, or a sung Mass, please also say why!

The Bishops of England and Wales have decreed that all Sunday masses should inclufe some sung parts (not necessairily just hymns) but you do sometimes find masses with no music. They are not popular in the UK since I think people believe that the Sunday mass should be delivered with greater solemnity than a said weekday mass Some priests do rush things and I have heard people say “that was a terrible mass!”

 

[Bklynguy]

I wasn’t aware they even still had the “folk Mass.” I was under the impression that it never caught on.

The folk Mass at my parish are held on the first and fourth noon Mass of every Sunday from September to May. Most parishioners seem to either dislike it or could take it or leave it. I think the reason it continues is that there is a large enough faction (namely, those charged with singing and playing the instruments) who enjoy it and the pastor doesn’t seem to want to rock the boat. I can’t say for sure, but that is my impression.

 

[Bklynguy]

I think some people just classify any Mass with guitars as a “folk” Mass. We only have guitars because nobody can play the organ and we sing approved settings. The words to “Immaculate Mary” & “Holy God We Praise Thy Name” don’t change when you switch from organ to guitar accompaniment.

Oh no–this is definitely a folk Mass. They don’t even use a guitar, but a banjo and tambourines–plus, they change the beat of (not only the hymns), but the Our Father, etc., to a very folksy manner. It’s awful.

 

[bben15]

I go to the Vigil Mass, but the Masses aren’t very long. The average Mass I go to is about 30 minutes. The homily is usually only about 5 minutes.

I go to a tiny parish. It can seat about 200 people. The average attendance is about 30-40 people, so it doesn’t take very long to distribute the Eucharist. Where I live, most people go to the Sunday Mass in the next town over, so Sunday Masses are packed. That’s why I prefer the Vigil Mass.

 

[signit]

The folk Mass at my parish are held on the first and fourth noon Mass of every Sunday from September to May. Most parishioners seem to either dislike it or could take it or leave it. I think the reason it continues is that there is a large enough faction (namely, those charged with singing and playing the instruments) who enjoy it and the pastor doesn’t seem to want to rock the boat. I can’t say for sure, but that is my impression.

This is interesting.

The last I heard of the “folk Mass” was no later than the mid-1970s. I assumed it had died out.

I remember attending one in conjunction with my religious education class, and I remember my mother mentioning it. Don’t remember whether there ever was one regularly scheduled and designated as such.

Wouldn’t be my first choice, either, but the people who attend are Catholics, too, just like the ones who attend the Catholic church across town that I don’t.

 

[signit]

St Mary Mother of God parish in Chinatown, DC (the home of the Traditional Latin Mass in Washington DC, btw) has a 7:30 PM spoken Mass. They speak the antiphons…and no hymns.

. . .

Don’t get me wrong: I vastly prefer a good Missa Cantata. However, I also like this Mass for its purpose (in case something came up where I simply wasn’t able to go during the day).

This is interesting, too, a 7:30 p.m. Mass. The last one at our church is at noon.

I’d like to see something like that.

I’d really try not to get into the habit of not going on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning and putting it off until Sunday night. Still, it would be nice to have it as a backup in case of an emergency situation Sunday morning.

 

[Gidge]

I am curious to know the view of the “people in the pews”, about this question. I often hear that a priest who has a “short Mass” on Sunday (maybe only 45 minutes long!) gets higher attendance. These Masses cut out singing to get the length down. So, are Catholics more interested in a “short” Mass rather than a Mass with a considerable amount of singing? That seems to be the “vote” of the marketplace, since the “short” Masses get quite popular. Why are short ( Sunday) Masses so popular? Would you personally rather have a short Mass, or a sung Mass, please also say why!

This depends on the people. Many parishes offer Masses of different length/solemnity.

We attend the EF, so you can tell what kind of Mass is going to be celebrated by the number of candles on the altar (2 for low – 6 for high).

From my observation of OF parishes, Saturday vigil Mass tends to be older people and the mass seems to be quite short . We once had a solemn high EF Mass ( visiting FSSP Priests) in a reverent OF church we attend and you wouldn’t believe the amount of people sighing and looking at their watches as that Mass ran a full 2 hours. For myself, I don’t notice the time at Mass, you’re in the presence of God, and He is outside of time.