What are your pre/post Mass rituals?

[Solomonson]

What are your pre/post Mass rituals?

Do you typically arrive early, prompt or a bit late? Do you engage in any preparatory prayers or visiting with others? Do you always sit in the exact same place? Do you take part in any liturgical or hospitality ministries? Do you take part in post-Mass prayer or fellowship opportunities? Do you share a meal with other Catholics, etc?

What changes would you like to make in your own personal routine? What changes or additions would you like to see your parish realize? Thanks.

 

[ConfusedLucy]

I don’t really have any right now apart from attending tea and coffee when it’s on and I’m available. When I was at uni there was a wonderful tradition where a Sunday meal was held at someone’s house and some of us went after mass, along with others to eat together.

 

[Solomonson]

Also, I’m curious, do you have a meal or something to eat before Sunday Mass – especially if it’s a special meat, or anything special to eat after Mass on Sundays?

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Also, I’m curious, do you have a meal or something to eat before Sunday Mass – especially if it’s a special meat, or anything special to eat after Mass on Sundays?

If attending Saturday vigil Mass, we eat nothing after lunch. If attending Sunday morning Mass, we eat no breakfast at all. I can’t even imagine eating before Mass, even if it’s 10 or 11 AM. What we do afterwards depends on what else the day holds.

 

[Crusaderbear]

Saturday attendee here. Arrive early, usually no pre meal, say one decade of rosary. After, bless myself from the baptismal font, go out, say a few words to those I know, go eat, then home with my wife.

 

[WilliamE]

What are your pre/post Mass rituals?

Do you typically arrive early, prompt or a bit late? Do you engage in any preparatory prayers or visiting with others? Do you always sit in the exact same place? Do you take part in any liturgical or hospitality ministries? Do you take part in post-Mass prayer or fellowship opportunities? Do you share a meal with other Catholics, etc?

What changes would you like to make in your own personal routine? What changes or additions would you like to see your parish realize? Thanks.

From a non-Catholic who attends Sunday Mass with his Catholic wife:

I’ve never really considered my Sunday routine as a “pre/post Mass ritual,” but…I usually get up early and go to the gym, go home and have a big breakfast, then leave for Mass in time to arrive at the church early. By early I mean about 15 minutes early. (The church is usually empty at that time and doesn’t really fill up until the first reading at the earliest.) I enjoy the quiet of the church before the crowd arrives - it’s very relaxing. After Mass I beat feet over to the parish hall for coffee and doughnuts. I enjoy this “ritual” and don’t anticipate or desire any changes.

 

[adamhovey1988]

Prayer and fasting.

 

[babochka]

What are your pre/post Mass rituals?

Do you typically arrive early, prompt or a bit late? Do you engage in any preparatory prayers or visiting with others? Do you always sit in the exact same place? Do you take part in any liturgical or hospitality ministries? Do you take part in post-Mass prayer or fellowship opportunities? Do you share a meal with other Catholics, etc?

What changes would you like to make in your own personal routine? What changes or additions would you like to see your parish realize? Thanks.

Pre- Divine Liturgy - I try to get 6 kids and a husband fed, dressed appropriately, and out the door on time without completely losing it. This is easier said than done, as only 3 of us are blessed with the gift of punctuality naturally. For the others, it is a work in progress.

If I am successful in my morning ritual (I’m usually successful, but I do sometimes lose it in the process), we arrive at the church about 5 minutes early. This works well, as the Divine Liturgy usually starts about 5 minutes late. My teenage son serves at the altar and the rest of us usually sit in the same place, unless somebody else is already there, which is rare.

Sometimes we drive separately so that one or more of us can get to confession, but not force the whole family out of the house an hour early, but its a 27-minute drive, so we try to go together. Also, if I’m cooking lunch that day I’ll take a kid or two and go early to prepare.

After the liturgy, we have lunch together as a parish and we usually stay for an hour or so. I’m often involved in some sort of parish "ministry, such as cleaning the bathroom or supervising the parish kids playing outside. Such is life in a small parish. Everybody gets involved.

Someday, in a different season of life, I’ll be able to arrive early and spend time in prayer. Someday, I won’t have to worry about a last-minute poopy diaper thwarting my plans. For now, it works.

 

[babochka]

Also, I’m curious, do you have a meal or something to eat before Sunday Mass – especially if it’s a special meat, or anything special to eat after Mass on Sundays?

I don’t eat before Divine Liturgy, but I do feed the children.

 

[victrolatim]

I tend to arrive 15-20 minutes early, spend around 10 minutes in prayer, look over the readings, then sit quietly and just clear my mind. I spend around ten minutes after Mass praying or just sitting quietly. If there is an organist playing I listen to the postlude. After weekday mass I stay with a small group and pray the rosary. I generally drive to and from in silence (no radio or music). I also like to match the liturgical color so I will wear a shirt or tie which matches the correct color for that particular Sunday. My Blessed Mother tie comes out on Marian feasts

 

[Solomonson]

I tend to arrive 15-20 minutes early, spend around 10 minutes in prayer, look over the readings, then sit quietly and just clear my mind. I spend around ten minutes after Mass praying or just sitting quietly. If there is an organist playing I listen to the postlude. After weekday mass I stay with a small group and pray the rosary. I generally drive to and from in silence (no radio or music).** I also like to match the liturgical color** so I will wear a shirt or tie which matches the correct color for that particular Sunday. My Blessed Mother tie comes out on Marian feasts

I like to do that as well – particularly on violet and red days…

 

[Maria_K]

No breakfast or other pre-meals. Arrive 20 minutes early and pray the Rosary. If I didn’t finish all 5 decades I do it after Mass. If I should pray something as a penance I do it right after Mass too. Or I can pray with my own words in front of the Tabernacle for some time. When I go by metro I read Bible there or/and pray the LotH (not aloud ).

 

[Horton]

Also, I’m curious, do you have a meal or something to eat before Sunday Mass – especially if it’s a special meat, or anything special to eat after Mass on Sundays?

Why would you ask this question? Even poorly catechized Catholics know one is to fast before Mass.

I like to get to Mass early, 15-20 early, spend time in prayer and contemplation, giving thanks to God for the blessings in my life. After Mass I tend to leave after the choir has finished. I was taught that to leave before the choir finished was rude.

I generally stop to get a coffee from a local coffee shop then go home to work on any projects I may have going at the time.

 

[Phemie]

Also, I’m curious, do you have a meal or something to eat before Sunday Mass – especially if it’s a special meat, or anything special to eat after Mass on Sundays?

I don’t routinely attend Mass on Sundays because I’m often a reader at the Saturday evening Mass.

When I do attend on Sunday I fast from food, though not from coffee, and eat only after Mass. Before anyone asks, yes, I do observe the 1 hour fast.

Nothing special to eat after Mass.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Depending on how you define “before Mass.” I start on Tuesday night when my small faith community meets to read and discuss the Sunday readings. I then have a few days to absorb them before Mass. If I attend an evening Mass I plan to arrive early enough to pray Vespers before. If I attend a morning Mass I usually go out to brunch with a friend afterward.

 

[Solomonson]

Why would you ask this question? Even poorly catechized Catholics know one is to fast before Mass.

I ask because legally the minimum fast is ~15 minutes or less before Mass begins, in other words, one hour before receiving Holy Communion.

 

[peter26]

I like to arrive about 10-15 minutes early and use canticles such as the Venite and the Te Deum as preparation.

 

[Horton]

I ask because legally the minimum fast is ~15 minutes or less before Mass begins, in other words, one hour before receiving Holy Communion.

You are making an assumption that every Catholic will only fast the minimum requirement. I believe it is clear from the responses here that many hold to a much longer fast than the minimum. I don’t know many Catholics who attend a morning Mass who would plan a special meal before going to Mass.

I’ve been on retreats that end with an evening Mass and food/snack will not be offered in the couple of hours before Mass. While I’m sure there are people out there who check their watch for the exact minute, many more would refrain from the Eucharist if they weren’t sure they maintained the fast.

 

[GoGoDiego]

For Sunday Masses, if I arrive pretty early (30 minutes before the 9:00 am Mass in the parish), I pray Lauds, unless if I prayed it before leaving the house.

After the Mass, I have a chat with my fellow youth ministers. On first Sundays, we have a general meeting after the 9 am Mass. I attend the meeting after the Mass on those days

 

[Solomonson]

You are making an assumption that every Catholic will only fast the minimum requirement. I believe it is clear from the responses here that many hold to a much longer fast than the minimum. I don’t know many Catholics who attend a morning Mass who would plan a special meal before going to Mass.

I’ve been on retreats that end with an evening Mass and food/snack will not be offered in the couple of hours before Mass. While I’m sure there are people out there who check their watch for the exact minute, many more would refrain from the Eucharist if they weren’t sure they maintained the fast.

I made no assumption.

I answered your question. One which I wonder why you even asked?