So why DO people leave Mass early?

[JamesCollins]

It’s none of our business.

 

[KimberlyCat]

It’s very distracting when people come in late and leave early. I’ve noticed it happens the most during the 11:30a.m. Mass. My church is semi-circle so you can see the entire church out of the corners of your eyes. A LOT of people are still arriving during the Homily and A LOT of people leave directly after Communion. I have to really pay attention to what pew I’m in before I go up (for a blessing) because when I return most of the pews are empty. I’ve started attending the 7:30a.m. Mass on Sunday’s because of this and only a few leave early and most arrive on time. It’s much more meaningful. A lot of young families attend the 11:30a.m. Mass so I can see that things come up with young children and social obligations so they might need to leave early from time to time.

 

[St_Francis]

At one church I went to, they would say, Don’t eat and run…

 

[Big_Feet]

I honestly do not understand why people here try to judge other’s actions.

I trust that people who come to Mass late and leave early feel they have to do so for whatever reason. This is for them to handle with God, and God with them. I am honestly just glad that they are making the effort to be there for sometime in worship of God.

What WE, OURSELVES need to do is look interiorly and understand why WE are there. We should not be sitting there in judgement of other’s motives, weather it is them leaving early or holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer. We should concern ourselves with OUR relationship with God, no one else’s.

If others ask us how we pray or act, because they are looking to us for guidance, then explain away, but we should not sit in judgment of anyone else. This is not our given task in this life, or the next.

 

[ccmcmg]

I know some people want to ‘beat traffic’.

I myself don’t mind avoiding traffic either. However, I’ll just wait until everyone else leaves!

 

[pianistclare]

My sister’s parish in Albuquerque has this cross-stitched over the back doors of the church:

JUDAS WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO EVER LEAVE MASS BEFORE IT WAS OVER

I’m told that this has been very effective there.

 

[jediliz]

Unless they have a medical emergency, are a doctor or nurse or police officer or fire fighter that is on call…there is really no excuse for leaving before the final blessing. Judas left the First Mass early. Don’t be like him!

 

[3DOCTORS]

Personally I do not find any social engagement is a reason to leave early. We are talking about less than 10 minutes! Even care for the sick seems to be a weak reason except in extreme cases. This practice should be extremely rare, but as the OP said, it is a huge issue! (Yes, there are legitimate reasons- but make sure that 10 minutes is truly necessary.)

The final portion of the Mass contains one of the most important messages of the liturgy- thanksgiving! If people throw a birthday party for you at a friend’s home, do you leave immediately after receiving your gifts? Do you race out telling your well-wishers, sorry but I’ve got something more important to do? What is more important than praising the glory of God?

In my parish a tiny handful of people leave early. Mostly because **our priests have regularly reminded us of our duty to stay through the end of the final song. Because of this kind instruction people get to Mass on time and leave appropriately.

It is only a few minutes for our Lord who offers us ETERNITY!
**
Side note:
I have worked in a parish where the laity was afraid to leave early! Father knew EVERY name and would say aloud, “Mrs. Jones, I see you are unable to complete your obligation today?” (I was horrified that he would do this!) He also called parishioners if they missed more than one or two Sundays in a row. He was a SPITFIRE, but amazingly well-loved and respected! (At least by those who didn’t leave the Parish! )

Our pastor has been strict and I’m glad. He’s gotten the majority of the congregation now to kneel back down and pray until the servers extinguish the candles, basically. And with our parish at first that was like herding cats. At the risk of being thought judgmental, I’ll just say my observation - the ones who persist in leaving after Communion on the whole don’t appear to me to be in a hurry to leave to care for a sick relative. They just casually saunter out.

Besides, if your relative is that ill that it’d be risky to leave him or her, you’d be within moral justification to have the Eucharist brought to you and the sick person and not obliged to attend Mass. Not saying you wouldn’t wish you could attend, but I think this case scenario can’t possibly explain the phenomenon of people jumping the gun to leave. :nope:

 

[savedbygrace71]

It’s none of our business.

The reason I asked is because it contributes to the atmosphere of the parish. If the congregation at our 9:30 mass is 500 people, at 200 or more are dashing out ASAP to get somewhere else, whatever the reason, it feels very different than if everyone waits reverently until the ACTUAL end of the mass.

I get that there may be some reasons for some people that are legitimate including a work schedule. In fact, there are always people in their work clothes, so it’s pretty clear they are on their way to work. But 2/5 of the congregation? I’m not so sure they all have to head to work. Not in their football jerseys.

 

[robwar]

I know some people want to ‘beat traffic’.

I myself don’t mind avoiding traffic either. However, I’ll just wait until everyone else leaves!

That’s the ticket! Stay back and beat the traffic!
The question is good but the answers are as plentiful as the people that leave Mass after communion and how does one determine what reason is valid? Some leave to get to work on time, some leave to change a diaper or their toddler has had enough. Some leave to get back to care of someone sick at home. Some of us have had to leave due to obligations like sports or as one person said a social obligation. I know some Churches have posted above the door, “Judas left early too”. There is no way to judge anyone for this.

 

[Book_Worm]

I’m sure many people have a valid reason for leaving early. Some however are just in a rush to be the first out I notice so many keep their coats on during Mass as well…I believe it was Scott Hahn who asked, do you go a friends house for dinner and keep your coat on so you can hurry out?

No, but then none of our friends live in large, poorly heated stone buildings.

We never leave before the end of the closing hymn. We’re often the last ones out of the door. So, if once every two or three years we leave after Communion so we can be in two places at the same time, I’d like to think I wasn’t being judged by those around us.

I know that if a friend had conflicting social obligations and said to me, “I’d love to accept your dinner invitation, but I’d have to leave before dessert,” I’d say that it was perfectly fine and that having them there was more important than staying to the end if the meal.

 

[Maria1993]

I don’t see how there can be a valid reason to leave early.

All God asks for is ONE HOUR on a Sunday.

One hour.

That last blessing at the end of mass, that could be the last blessing by God in your earthly life you will ever receive. Tomorrow or later that day is not guaranteed. If you have social duties to do, look for an appropriate mass time so your plans don’t interfere with going to Mass.

Imagine calvary, jesus being crucified, many watching…then people are like “ooop gotta____” and turn around and leave. Not a very nice thought. Unless it is a medical emergency I really see no point in leaving. I am guilty of doing this as well

 

[CB_Catholic]

My sister’s parish in Albuquerque has this cross-stitched over the back doors of the church:

JUDAS WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO EVER LEAVE MASS BEFORE IT WAS OVER

I’m told that this has been very effective there.

Yes, but Jesus TOLD him to.

 

[chefmomster2]

I honestly do not understand why people here try to judge other’s actions.

I trust that people who come to Mass late and leave early feel they have to do so for whatever reason. This is for them to handle with God, and God with them. I am honestly just glad that they are making the effort to be there for sometime in worship of God.

What WE, OURSELVES need to do is look interiorly and understand why WE are there. We should not be sitting there in judgement of other’s motives, weather it is them leaving early or holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer. We should concern ourselves with OUR relationship with God, no one else’s.

If others ask us how we pray or act, because they are looking to us for guidance, then explain away, but we should not sit in judgment of anyone else. This is not our given task in this life, or the next.

I think in this case the responses you see are related to the question that was asked. It is up to each person’s conscience what they do on this issue. We are not judging the people so much as the possible reasons. Many here are also trying to offer instruction to others about what may or may not be appropriate. They can take it or leave it as they wish.

I don’t find it affects me at all unless the people are leaving in a conspicuous way which can then be a distraction from the liturgy. I agree our attention should be focused on the mass and not on our neighbors.

 

[pnewton]

I will tell on myself, namely, it provides a rather unique solution to the problem. First I hardly ever do this. In ten plus years, I have left early three time. The first two, I had no say. I was with others who left, and thus it was my only ride home.

This Sunday I was out of town. I had my Mass stop scheduled by looking up times on the internet. I stopped by a rather small but quaint church. The homily was difficult. I tried my best to understand but the English was so hard. And it went on. Now when I was a Baptist, a thirty minute homily was nothing, but this twenty minute job was very tough and I had to work hard to stay awake. I found the energy just zapped out of me and realize Mass here was going to run around an hour and fifteen minutes to and hour and a half. Now I could say that leaving was a matter of safety (I still had far to drive). I could say it was because I was hurting. The truth is, I just wanted out. So I left after communion. Well, I tried to leave after communion. This Church stationed Eucharistic ministers at the only exit door, blocking anyone from leaving. I felt so stupid just standing there. By the time communion was ended, I was just embarrassed and scurried out the door.

I think that will be my last time. I do not know if I would do the same thing again, after all, I was wrung out, but I will at least check communion patterns in a strange church.

 

[k5rakitan]

Football! Really, though I don’t think that’s an excuse. It infuriates me that people have to rush to their cars and beat the traffic instead of maybe spending a bit of time talking with their friends.

 

[robwar]

I don’t see how there can be a valid reason to leave early.

All God asks for is ONE HOUR on a Sunday.

One hour.

That last blessing at the end of mass, that could be the last blessing by God in your earthly life you will ever receive. Tomorrow or later that day is not guaranteed. If you have social duties to do, look for an appropriate mass time so your plans don’t interfere with going to Mass.

Imagine calvary, jesus being crucified, many watching…then people are like “ooop gotta____” and turn around and leave. Not a very nice thought. Unless it is a medical emergency I really see no point in leaving. I am guilty of doing this as well

Maria,
some people who work weekends may work some crazy 12 hours shifts. The Mass they attend may be the only one. it is none of anyone business why someone may have to leave early for Mass. Everything being perfect, people should stay for the entire Mass. But things aren’t and maybe having a more compassionate attitude to others in in store here.

 

[SMHW]

I know that others have shared reasons why people leave Mass early.

I think the vast number of people who leave Mass early probably do so because that is what their parents and grandparents did; it seems normal to them.

I know of one case at the parish I attended when a child. A parishioner was a famous sports coach and he usually arrived late and left early because he believed it would be a distraction to other parishioners if he was seen there before or after Mass. (I imagine he preferred having his privacy too.) The layout of the church was such that it was relatively easy to slip in and out without disturbing others.

I think at many parishes there are people who don’t actually leave; they just choose to hang out in the narthex after communion and then they slip out when the priest leaves the sanctuary after the dismissal.

 

[mommamaree]

I cannot answer for others, but I have left Mass early sometimes. It usually has to do with restraining an unruly child just long enough to get through the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and then I slip out the door to remove the child to another place so she doesn’t get loud and disrupt the Mass. Sometimes, I am in and out through the Mass with said child. Othertimes, my husband and I are going to separate Masses, and in order for both of us arrive on time to our respective Masses, one of us must leave the Mass before final procession, especially if Father’s homily is a long one. It is a balancing act. We know it is a sin to leave early without serious reason, but sometimes we do have such reasons and must leave early.

 

[Maria1993]

It’s not judging, it’s admonishing and advice. Something we are supposed to do.