Why Do People Leave Mass Early?

[maryjk]

the final prayers and a blessing come after communion!

I like to go back to my pew, kneel and pray. I have just received Christ, I’m not thinking of beating the crowd in the parking lot!

It’s not just announcements and singing. I can’t imagine just up and leaving without taking the time to at least thank God for giving His Son to us!
I understand if you are ill or really need to get to work, but outside of that, I can’t think of another good reason for not staying.
Is a whole hour too much to give to our Lord after all he has given to us?

At our parish, after Communion we also have all the birthday and anniversary announcements. You know, little Johnny turns 5 next week. :clapping: Aunt Norma and Uncle John’s 23 anniversary was last week :clapping: second cousin twice removed Mary’s birthday was last Tuesday :clapping: and on and on and on and on. I sit through it all, but please, I would understand if someone doesn’t want to spend 5 minutes hearing about birthdays and anniversaries of people they don’t know, and in some cases don’t attend Mass at this parish or aren’t Catholic.

But of course we don’t receive our final blessing until after the the “good news” of the week. And that includes every birthday of every person known to anyone in the parish.

 

[EasterJoy]

But of course we don’t receive our final blessing until after the the “good news” of the week. And that includes every birthday of every person known to anyone in the parish.

The thing is, the people who seem most driven nuts by this kind of announcement seem to be the most likely to stay on to endure them so as not to miss the dismissal, don’t you think?

IOW, it is the people who realize that Mass is Mass all the way to the end who only leave when there really is an unavoidable reason for it.

 

[EasterJoy]

I’ll bet at least 25% (and probably closer to 50%) leave right after communion in my parish. It’s sickening and it’s embarrassing.

OUCH!! That’s a lot!!

 

[Lujack]

OUCH!! That’s a lot!!

It seems to be a disease that strikes random parishes. I’d say 50% left one parish I went to (even on Christmas day!), and then I’ve been to other parishes where nobody leaves early.

 

[pdsgirl]

When I do leave early, it is because I have done everything in my power to contain a 16 month old from exploding into a rage. She tend to reach her limit right before Communion.

As for the announcements, sometimes they are a bit much and a bit long winded…isn’t that what the bulletin is for? It seems the days that we do chance staying it is typically on the days that there are many announcements.

 

[happymommy]

At our parish, after Communion we also have all the birthday and anniversary announcements. You know, little Johnny turns 5 next week. :clapping: Aunt Norma and Uncle John’s 23 anniversary was last week :clapping: second cousin twice removed Mary’s birthday was last Tuesday :clapping: and on and on and on and on. I sit through it all, but please, I would understand if someone doesn’t want to spend 5 minutes hearing about birthdays and anniversaries of people they don’t know, and in some cases don’t attend Mass at this parish or aren’t Catholic.

But of course we don’t receive our final blessing until after the the “good news” of the week. And that includes every birthday of every person known to anyone in the parish.

I guess I’m just happy to be in Church and I bet it makes little Johnny’s day to have everyone clap for him!
We live in a world where a lot of people can’t live their faith. We are so lucky, so blessed. But we are all in such a big hurry, so much to get done, so many places to go that we can’t just sit back and be in the house of the Lord!! It makes me sad.

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

Why do some people leave Mass early? For some it might be a matter of getting to work or back to a loved one they are caring for or possibly just to visit the lavatory. I suppose in some cases they can’t wait 12 more minutes to take medication or eat something to help their blood sugar.

What about the others?

I asked 9 people I know well why they leave Mass right after communion each week. I chose them because I knew them, I could ask them away from Mass and I knew none of the conditions listed above applied to any of them.

Not one could answer. No excuses no nothings, just faraway looks or smiles or looks of embarrassment or anger depending on the individual.

When did this leaving Mass after communion come into vogue? How come it doesn’t stop?

My dad used to want to leave all the time until my mom and I told him very sternly that it was incredibly rude to leave. His excuse? He didn’t want to get caught in the traffic outside after Church. He hasn’t left early with us since we told him.

I think people just aren’t aware that it is rude, not only to God, but to the rest of the people in the Church. No one should leave (unless for reasons you mentioned) until the priest has said the concluding prayer and has said the Mass is over.

Maybe they just need to be told like my dad??

 

[Merkel]

Its been going on for at least twenty years or so. It didn’t happen too much in the pre Vatican II days but it did happen on occasion.

I think it happens today because far too many people feel the only reason to come to Mass is to see their friends, receive Holy Communion and leave. Other than that it really means nothing to a lot of people

I don’t think VC2 has anything to do with it. I think it has to do with a growing ignorance of the Mass and general coarsening of society.

Most seem to just want to “get the host” at the Mass I attend. Coming in late for many has become the norm along with leaving right after Mass.

It’s very sad and embarrassing.

 

[Merkel]

My dad used to want to leave all the time until my mom and I told him very sternly that it was incredibly rude to leave. His excuse? He didn’t want to get caught in the traffic outside after Church. He hasn’t left early with us since we told him.

I think people just aren’t aware that it is rude, not only to God, but to the rest of the people in the Church. No one should leave (unless for reasons you mentioned) until the priest has said the concluding prayer and has said the Mass is over.

Maybe they just need to be told like my dad??

So did my dad, simply because others did it. He was reformed though…

For those that do stay, the rush to leave after Mass is sad to watch. What’s the big deal? Traffic? Sometimes I pray a decade of the Rosary after Mass, maybe 4-5 minutes. The church and parking lot are EMPTY by the time I finish.

 

[PatrickJT914]

I agree it’s not because of Vatican II. I’m sure people have been leaving Mass early for many years. It’s human nature and other responsibilities that people leave early or even arrive late.

There are outside influences that are interferring with our faith. We have in the later part of the 20th century and continuing into the early part of the 21st century. Things that are supposed to make our life easier, faster and/or more enjoyable. Heres a partial list: Microwave ovens, Internet, IM, webcams, cell phones, instant beverages (coffee, tea, Tang, etc.) food ( TV dinners, microwaveable dinners, etc.), faxes, digitial cameras, print pictures at home, home shopping, etc. Because of these and others we’re supposed to have more time to relax and enjoy. YEAH, RIGHT! In fact how many of us have actually put more things in our lives? This leads to not finding time for God, going to Church, praying the Rosary etc. We want instant results that spills over to our faith. If Mass is too long, we start to squirm, look at our watch, appear anxious, whatever. (Jesus, “You could not even stay awake for an hour.” )

 

[forever_always]

Decades ago, I saw a sign in the narthex of a church that said, “Judas left before Mass was over, too.”

Hah, funny.

I have had to leave mass early (once or twice) in order for my fiance to get to work on time. However, we stayed until AFTER the priest said the final blessing… so really we left before the final song was over (this parish is really long winded about their songs!!). Lately though, we have been going to another church with a very early mass on the Sundays that he has to work… i didn’t like leaving church early =\

 

[LighthouseRon]

Just yesterday our pastor made an announcement asking for people to stay in their pew until completion of the final hymn. There have been many leaving right after communion and about half the congregation leaves literally on the heels of the priest as he departs. While I realize mass is over after the final blessing it just seems wrong to almost chase our pastor out of the church.

 

[forever_always]

Just yesterday our pastor made an announcement asking for people to stay in their pew until completion of the final hymn. There have been many leaving right after communion and about half the congregation leaves literally on the heels of the priest as he departs. While I realize mass is over after the final blessing it just seems wrong to almost chase our pastor out of the church.

I agree with you. If for some reason, you need to leave mass early…(like work)… then go to an earlier mass!! This has been working out well for us =]

 

[PatrickJT914]

Just yesterday our pastor made an announcement asking for people to stay in their pew until completion of the final hymn. There have been many leaving right after communion and about half the congregation leaves literally on the heels of the priest as he departs. While I realize mass is over after the final blessing it just seems wrong to almost chase our pastor out of the church.

Have you ever seen or heard the phrase," Don’t drive faster than your guardian angel can fly?" Well here’s a variation, “Don’t walk faster than your priest can walk.”

 

[goforgoal]

I don’t think I’ve ever left Mass early but I’ll admit a few times I’ve been late for Mass and I feel bad for attending Mass late…

In our Parish, some people leave Mass early or they don’t bother to receive communion–Mother Angelica had a really good discussion on this on ewtn that was a few years ago.

This is my own personal opinion and I apologize if anyone seems “attacked” by what I’m going to say. But, I find people who leave Mass early (for invalid excuses) totally rude. Sorry I don’t mean to be rude or attack anyone and NO I am not Our Lord to judge only He is the TRUE judge of us ALL.

How would it be if Jesus told us, “Sorry, you didn’t have time for me so I don’t have time for you.” <–Although, I don’t think Jesus would say this.

When I’m in Church, I thank God that I have a Church I can worship and praise Him in…We don’t know how “blessed” we truly are.

The Judas Shuffle

geocities.com/peterpaulmin/JudasShuffle.html

Leaving right after Communion

ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/zlitur231.htm

goforgoal

 

[Sarabande]

I think we also have to take inconsideration those people who may have gone to a mass at another churchearlier and have just stopped in to visit and pray a little. I have done that when visiting cities and want to view many of the Catholic churches in the areas after going to a complete mass. I’ll either go in their late or leave early. This would be a consideration more so of people who you haven’t seen in the parish or even some parishioners themselves.

Also, sometimes in the past when I’ve been scheduled to cantor one mass, I used to come early to sit in on the earlier mass just to pray. Because the mass I did was in the chapel, both masses would overlap, so I’d have to leave that mass early in order to do the other mass.

 

[tundramom]

My Priest went to the same Parish as my husband growing up. Monsignor Rowan, at St. Helena’s in Mpls was of the mind that the reason to stay after communion was to allow time for the body to digest the precious body/blood.

If people left early in those days, he had two altar servers attend the person leaving with two candles to their car.

As a cantor, I see people leave after communion all the time. Part of me wants to tell them, “Stop!!” I think it’s incredibly rude and uncalled for unless there’s a reason for it. NOT every Sunday!

in Christ
Steph

 

[LeroyCRHP]

I would agree about 1 month ago our Priest gave a very stern talk ending with no one leaves ahead of me. I was so impressed when as Minister of Welcome last Sunday there were essentially no parishers leaving early at 12:30 mass. I don’t open the doors until the priest is half way down the isle anyway.

It can stop. In my home town parish the priest chided, instructed the parishioners about leaving early. This was when I was very young but every parish I’ve visited or moved to since has stood out because of the many people that leave early. I see more doing it now (hometown parish) so the effect wore off but it took about 30 years.

 

[MusicaDonumDei]

I grew up Presbyterian and I never experienced anyone leaving early from worship. Though of course, we didn’t have Communion every week. (In fact, I never figured out how it was decided that we’d have Communion this week but not again for a few months…)

In any case, I was always taught that the service starts at the organ Prelude and doesn’t end until the Postlude. Those pieces aren’t just for entertainment, they’re there to get you into a contemplative mood and then to get you into the mood to go out and serve the Lord outside of the church doors.

So for me to see people leaving immediately after Communion, let alone before the final hymn, let alone still before the Postlude is finished is quite disturbing to me.

 

[happymommy]

I grew up Presbyterian and I never experienced anyone leaving early from worship. Though of course, we didn’t have Communion every week. (In fact, I never figured out how it was decided that we’d have Communion this week but not again for a few months…)

In any case, I was always taught that the service starts at the organ Prelude and doesn’t end until the Postlude. Those pieces aren’t just for entertainment, they’re there to get you into a contemplative mood and then to get you into the mood to go out and serve the Lord outside of the church doors.

So for me to see people leaving immediately after Communion, let alone before the final hymn, let alone still before the Postlude is finished is quite disturbing to me.

sorry, time for a Protestant note they serve communion every fifth Sunday…and if these people think 1 hour is long, they should go to a Protestant service when it’s time for communion, it could very easily go 1 1/2 hours…no problem…ok back to Catholic talk!!