When does mass start?

[jmcrae]

Hello Everyone on CAF,
I would like to know when does the Mass start? Is it when the Entrance hymn is being sung or is it when the priest makes the the Sign of the Cross? I went for Mass today, but as I go by walk, it takes me 15 minutes to get to Church. When I got there they were still singing the hymn, so the priest hadn’t made the sign of the cross yet. Did I fulfill my Sunday obligation or do I have to go again in the evening? I read that you have to be there for the whole of the Mass in order to fulfill the obligation, Can I Arrive at Mass Late and Still Receive Communion?

so I’m worried about this. Please answer if you have any idea about this, thanks.

In an ideal world, everyone would arrive about ten minutes before the entrance hymn to recollect themselves in silent prayer, and remain for a few minutes afterwards to let the whole thing sink in before moving on to the next activity.

However, we do not live in an ideal world, and each of us is called to do our best (not someone else’s best) - and in this case, the best you could do was to arrive 2-3 minutes later than you had hoped to - don’t stress about it, and plan to do better next time.