The Great Post-Eucharist Stampede

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Some years ago my parish instituted a new practice for the end of Mass. After the announcements and final blessing, the choir sings the recessional hymn along with the congregation as the priest and servers process out.

When the final hymn ends, everyone kneels down. Then we recites together an after Mass prayer while the servers return to extinguish the candles. After the servers leave, then everyone exits while the organist plays a final piece. I’m surprised this actually works but most people abide by it. There are still a few who leave early but it’s not a stampede.
 
Amen to all of that!!

I grew up in a ridiculously early-to-punctual family. The greatest family legend comes from my dad getting us all to a concert at the same time as the piano tuner! To say the least, it was quite an adjustment to marry my husband. :-p
 
Tis_Bearself said:
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angelic06:
Which is tantamount to kidnapping. I would be calling the authorities if the ushers did that.
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Given that after the final blessing, Father is going to be leaving within about 2 minutes, it’s not “tantamount to kidnapping” because it’s not like the person was made to stay for any significant extra time. It’s basically the same as if you were in some public place and were held back from leaving for a minute because a VIP and his party needed to leave first.
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While I totally get that people are supposed to stay put until the priest exits, if they are already ahead of the priest anyway on their way out, they don’t need to be held back. They are not interfering with the priest’s need to exit. So while I wouldn’t go so far to call it kidnapping, it does seem unnecessarily excessive to me and only serves to wield power. I understand they might be trying to express upon the attendee a certain policy. But surely there can be other ways. An explanation in the bulletin or the priest addressing the issue. But if I were blocked from exiting when I am already at the door, it would be the last time those ushers and that priest and parish would ever see me. There would be other places I could attend where I wouldn’t be kept from leaving when I am already at the exit merely steps away from the door.
 
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Come sit in my pew. I sit right in the middle and scoot down either way as needed. Our pastor once announced "No saving seats, and just move in. " So I do that all the time, not just for Easter or Christmas.

People in my parish stay til the end of mass. They sing the hymns, and even then, some don’t leave. People that remain to pray afterward just wait a few minutes til everyone else is gone and it’s quiet.
 
dochawk said:
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Spyridon:
By my estimation, about 75% stay until the Recessional hymn is over,
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It seems to me that, ideally, the people would also recess singing the hymn . . .
[as opposed to staying in the church until it is over]

And it probably makes a difference whether singing a him, or all fourteen verses of a modern song (“Yahweh and I on the log with my dog” . . .)

hawk
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I’ve had some music directors say “It’s a recessional. Go!” Others, not so much, they figure if they’ve put in the effort to learn the hymn you can at least stay and sing it.

At the cathedral parish of our Archdiocese we used to pick up our hymnals on the way in and leave using them to sing the recessional hymn as we processed out behind Father and the ministers. We’d then deposit our hymnals in the bookcase on our way out.
 
yankeesouth said:
You never see this sort of thing at the Traditional Latin Mass. It might just be a case of catechesis.
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Maybe not these days but back before Vatican II we would see that all the time, not to mention the male exodus at the time of the sermon, men who went out to the front steps for a smoke and a chat then wandered back in sometime during the Offertory. It must have been prevalent in French Canadian parishes because period TV shows show that particular phenomenon all the time.
 
Like I said…you never see this sort of thing at the Traditional Latin Mass.
 
I have 2 daughters and 5 sons. Getting ready for mass could be chaos especialliy since if one of my daughters could not find her shoes she would hide her sister’s. We were occasionally late. Then I became the lady who left early to set up the coffee and donuts. One day the deacon told everyone that if they noticed me leaving early that was where I was going. I wanted to die when people reported that to me. Now I get there early and leave late.
Not because of what he said. The deacon is my husband and he needs time to prepare for mass and to put his vestments away. It does give me time to pray.
 
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Lol…like I said you never see this sort of thing at the Traditional Latin Mass.
 
So you said, again. We get it. You do not have this issue. Is there a point to repeating anecdotes?
 
yankeesouth said:
Like I said…you never see this sort of thing at the Traditional Latin Mass.
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I was at a Tridentine Mass on Saturday. It isn’t my home parish, but I am familiar enough. I came in quite late. I wasn’t there for Mass, but I wanted to pray, so I slipped into the back of the church during Mass. It was surprising how much was going on back there. People coming in and out for confession, people popping their heads in, presumably to see how far along the Mass was. I came in just before the homily. Some people apparently just came in from the homily and then left afterwards. After Mass, about half stayed to make a Thanksgiving and about half left right away. Some people left early. I assume, because it was a Saturday morning, people just came and gave what are they could give on this busy day. Some people only had 15 minutes, so they dropped by for confession or to hear a homily to inspire and teach them something.
 
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Maybe people already went to mass and just came for confession. Maybe non-Catholics were visiting and stayed for the Homily.

The point is, we don’t know why people do what they do. Why not assume the best scenario instead of the worst? It’s none of our business what they do, and honestly, it sounds kind of judgemental to assume they are doing things because they don’t wish to spend time or have better things to do.
 
In my parish, some people leave directly after receiving Holy Communion. Most stay for the recessional hymn. Very few stay behind to pray. It is sad to see that maybe these people were not taught to stay after Mass if possible and pray. All we can do is pray for our fellow parishioners. God bless.
 
Apparently some don’t get it because they bring up what they saw 50 years ago. The problem is happening now and if the problem is not prevelant in the TLM then why not see if the fix to the problem might be found there.
 
I’m not sure if this reply was directed to me, but I really wasn’t being judgmental. I’m one of those who wandered in for just a few minutes of the Mass. I was actually feeling a little conspicuous for doing that and was pleasantly surprised at the large number of people who just dropped in to spend a few minutes of their day in church.
 
I’m going to have to mirror the folks saying don’t worry about others… worry about yourself, since you don’t know what the situations are.

I knew a non-Catholic lady who used to come to Mass. Sometimes a bit late, usually left around communion time. Until someone told her she really must stay for the final song, otherwise it was rude. I heard that conversation, and probably should have interjected myself into the conversation. I didn’t. She never showed up again. I often wonder how many potential RCIA candidates we drive off. I never did get a chance to ask her.
 
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