Why is the mass so long

[Wired]

Wow. I want to spend an eternity with Jesus. You want me to second guess how long a priest should take to recreate Calvary on the altar and change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus for me so I can hurry up and get on in my life to something more important? I wonder what that could possibly be??? If my schedule and my time with Jesus conflict, I’ll pick Jesus.

 

[Contarini]

Why is the mass so long?

That has to be one of the weirdest questions I’ve seen on here.

45 minutes for the main liturgical act of a Christian community is ridiculously short. An hour is extremely short. I think it’s pretty hard to do all the things a Christian church needs to do on Sunday morning in an hour. I can’t imagine how you could do it in 45 minutes.

If you are so spiritual and spend that much time daily in prayer, why on earth do you consider an additional 15 minutes on a Sunday morning “wasted”?

I don’t get it. Do you think individual prayer is more important than corporate prayer with the rest of Christ’s Body? How do you square that with Catholic teaching?

Edwin

 

[EasterJoy]

Wow, and here I’ve been thinking how short the Catholic Mass is at just an hour long! The Assembly of God church I attend runs 1 1/2- 2 hours. I bet Father could double the length of his homiles and still get finished quicker than that.

The question isn’t how long a service runs, but whether or not it is true and gives just worship to God. I’ve been to a Church of God service in which the minister was of the “name it and claim it school”, which holds that God’s big desire is to rain material wealth down on his beloved. A message like that is worse than a waste of time.

Given the choice between a short homily done well and a long one done well, I’d personally take the long one, but if a priest can preach the Gospel for five minutes and give me something to reflect on for a week, that is fine with me. I won’t complain I’ve been given short shrift.

I’d go back to some of the original points made at the beginning of the thread, though. I think the best remedy for a sense of impatience and boredom at Mass is to study the Mass. It is dense with meaning, almost beyond belief. If it seems to take too long, sometimes stepping back into what is going on, even if not done as well as you might like, can make a huge difference in how much profit you gain. If you aren’t paying attention, it is hard to lose sight of how much is bein offered, and it is much easier to pay attention when you deepen your appreciation of what it is you’re paying attention to.

As also pointed out, time spent in Eucharistic Adoration is another practice that is even more to be recommended if one is tempted to impatience at Mass.

 

[Famule]

the time wasters, i believe, are many. and, to me, they add nothing. let’s start with processing. i don’t know when it started, or why, and it’s ok, but… the music starts and the priest, altar servers, et al stand there until after the first verse and chorus…THEN start the procession. doesn’t add anything to me.

at the end, yesterday, they stand on the alter facing us while we sing the first verse and chorus, then they come down turn around and face the altar while we sing the second verse. THEN they come down the aisle. adds absolutely nothing. start the song, and start up the aile, do the same at the end.

period of silence? after the homily, and after communion, doesn’t do anything for me. one of my best friends is a priest, he says he likes it, being able to sit down and reflect after communion. it’s not about him, it’s about us. we have been sitting, praying reflecting after communion.

period of silence while the gifts are being presented, with no activity. again, just more window dressing.

one place has the lector come up out of the pews, bow, go up read, then comes down, bows, THEN the psalm. then for the second reading, THE SAME GUY comes up, bows, etc. time waster.

the irish priest i liked, all his priests after the homily, would say, “please rise.” and that was fine with me. i never asked him, but he must have instructed the music ministry folks, because it was well choreographed. the music always ended when he was finished doing whatever.

someone said it’s not about the choir. i agree. i’m not there for the choir. we had 3 songs during communion yesterday, one which started, just as the priest was sitting down.

the irish priest’s muscial person, would have just continued struming the guitar, playing the piano, etc, until he sat down, and then in dignified fashion, stop.

i’m 55 and hate to refer to “back in the day,” but we had more people in the church, fewer people to give out communion, and it usually ended in 40 or 45 minutes.again, it seems like we have gone to great lengths to make it longer, just to make it longer.

it’s as if people sat around, and brainstormed how to make it longer.

my wife is from ireland. we were there last summer. mass: 45 minutes. no fluff, no parading around, very little periods of silence. nice singing, good homily, good mass.

i like some of the suggestions for helping me deal with this, and prayer will help.

Problem #1: “its about us.” It is not about us. It is about God. Offer it up.

 

[stephraim]

You must have 3 OT, plus the Epistle plus the Gospel.

From 2002-2009 we had all the readings and all the psalms. This year the pastor decided that was too much and we went back to 3 OT readings. You could hear my sighing for miles.

Same at my parish. SIGH

 

[po18guy]

Seriously? I was under the impression that we had to have at least four.

I’d love to go to one where they have all seven. That would be glorious.

The priest who married us 30 years ago has simply beautiful masses on feast days. The reverence, the vestments, the incense, the majesty, Gregorian chant. He’s too far away for us to attend regularly, but special trips are just that.

 

[GwenL]

We had only two OT readings at Easter Vigil, plus no litany of the saints, plus no sung Exultet, plus abbreviated entry with the candles (and it was still light out). I think our pastor was worried that people wouldn’t come to the Mass if it was too long. Or perhaps he was going for the world record shortest Easter Vigil Mass ever.

 

[desertPavel]

Seriously? I was under the impression that we had to have at least four.

I’d love to go to one where they have all seven. That would be glorious.

The parish’s liturgical committee or pastor decided on 2 Old Testament readings for some reason. I was under the impression there had to be 7 and they are glorious and edifying, especially when the Church is illuminated with nothing but candles. I, especially, like the Creation story read

It is the holiest night of the year and surely people can make the sacrifice and sit through 7 OT readings. Maybe I’m becoming a curmudgeon in my old age!

 

[puzzleannie]

Then that priest retired, and sure enough, his replacement started lengthening the mass. I started thinking more about the length of the mass, and it started to bug me that these guys (the priests) were wasting my time by lengthening the mass.

(.

since you ask, and only because you ask, if your reason for choosing a parish is to find the shortest Mass, and that because it is a waste of your time, I wonder why you have decided to become or remain Catholic at all? May I suggest How To Book of the Mass from Our Sunday Visitor because at least in your post you exhibit no understanding whatever of what is happening at Mass and why.

on reflection, though, you may be right, 3 hours on the cross was needless for Jesus, and thoughtless for all those who waited and watched with him, standing in the heat the entire time, he could have saved us in 15 minutes so everyone could have gotten home sooner for the passover celebration, so why didn’t he?

 

[desertPavel]

since you ask, and only because you ask, if your reason for choosing a parish is to find the shortest Mass, and that because it is a waste of your time, I wonder why you have decided to become or remain Catholic at all? May I suggest How To Book of the Mass from Our Sunday Visitor because at least in your post you exhibit no understanding whatever of what is happening at Mass and why.

on reflection, though, you may be right, 3 hours on the cross was needless for Jesus, and thoughtless for all those who waited and watched with him, standing in the heat the entire time, he could have saved us in 15 minutes so everyone could have gotten home sooner for the passover celebration, so why didn’t he?

Good post! It’s amazing how many people take Christ’s passion for granted.

 

[ccolley]

Do you happen to have a reference for this?

Yes, It is from A Concise History of the Catholic Church, by Schreck, Alan, PhD;St. Anthony Press; 2009. Sorry I can’t find my copy to give you the exact page number, but if you look under the 4th Century it should be fairly easy to find.

My notes on this time period:

AD 381 – Emperor Theodosius declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire and moved to end paganism/

At this time, the number of Christians soared and now you have a problem with people joining the church for Political reasons……It was now easier and more comfortable to be a Christian.
Sunday sermons were 2-3 hours long and were intended to instruct the new Christians.
Rite of Christian Initiation….developed by St.Cyril of Jerusalem.

CC
[SIGN] I love my Papal Papa! [/SIGN]

 

[mick321]

[NOTE: As part of a TLM community, I normally assist an EF High Mass on Sunday morning. It is against this standard that I compare every Mass in which I attend. In recent months, I have also begun assisting daily Morning Prayers and OF Low Mass at a retreat center run by a religious order. The chapel also serves a small community of retired priests and religious brothers who’s residence house is located there.]

I read the OP Sunday morning. At that point, it would have been easy to jump on the bandwagon of outrage which had already begun. But I had to leave for Mass. As it turns out, my mother was in the hospital on Mother’s Day. I arranged to pick up my sister, attend Mass at her Church and then visit our mother at the hospital.

Her church is less than ten years old, very nice, had beautiful artwork, a pipe organ and seating for 1200. By the time the 10am mass began, every seat was taken and many stood along the walls. The pipe organ remained silent. Music was performed by a six-piece band with contemporary instruments. A choir of about twenty provided the voices. There were scriptural readings by four different lay parishioners, and a “green” sermon by the deacon. Eighteen EMHC’s helped distribute Holy Communion. The priest remained seated for more than 50% of the 70 minute service. To his credit though, he did walk around the pews offering the sign of peace to a number of folks. Many parishioners did not return to their seats after communion. The went directly to their cars in the parking lot. The priest dismissed those who remained and led them in a round of applause.

OK, I had fulfilled my Sunday obligation as part of the Body of Christ. I sang the hymns, read the responses and participated in every activity that was available to a visiting layperson. But I felt as though I has missed something that everyone else “got”.

Later that day, I attended Mass with my father at his parish, ten miles south. Very similar layout and work flow. New, expensive building and fixtures, 1000+ in attendance, standing room only, readings, EMHC’s, band, choir, and all the rest. The sermon was given by a guest speaker. The topic was Arizona’s new immigration laws and ways to make them “pay” for their unfair treatment of illegals. Cheers from the congregation. After communion, they charged the parking lot just like the earlier group.

Looking back, these were not the longest or shortest masses I have attended. They were not particularly complicated nor did they require one be familiar with a foreign language. Even one with EF sensibilities would be hard pressed to find anything abusive in either service. To me, both these OF services felt as if they were either light on genuine Catholic content, or that content was buried so deeply beneath other stuff that the essence of our Holy Faith could not shine through.

By putting too much emphasis on the number of hours we spend in church, we run the risk of getting MORE of what does us no good, and much harm: the religious pursuit of superficiality as an end in itself.

Faithful Catholics have no time for that.

 

[ProVobis]

Looking back, these were not the longest or shortest masses I have attended. They were not particularly complicated nor did they require one be familiar with a foreign language. Even one with EF sensibilities would be hard pressed to find anything abusive in either service. To me, both these OF services felt as if they were either light on genuine Catholic content, or that content was buried so deeply beneath other stuff that the essence of our Holy Faith could not shine through.

By putting too much emphasis on the number of hours we spend in church, we run the risk of getting MORE of what does us no good, and much harm: the religious pursuit of superficiality as an end in itself.

Faithful Catholics have no time for that.

Good points.

 

[puzzleannie]

maybe this is my day to be cranky, but as much as I thank everyone for their stories of excellent, satisfying experiences at Mass, I am compelled to point out that 90% of the discussion here has revolved around the subjective experience, expectations, and satisfaction (or disgruntlement) of individuals attending Mass at various times and places. That should be a factor in 10% or less of what makes a “good” Mass. 90% of the focus is and always should be on Jesus and his action, through the priest, and thanksgiving and grateful reception of and response to that action. Jesus is there, up close and personal, in every Mass, and he speaks to each of us personally, at every Mass, no matter how insipid the sermon, slovenly the servers, untalented the musicians, and especially, no matter how fervent or inattentive the congregation. Every time we leave Mass with our attention on the peripherals, what people did or did not do properly and ignore Christ and what he always does properly, the Enemy has won a victory, and detracted from the benefits we receive.

 

[jmcrae]

maybe this is my day to be cranky, but as much as I thank everyone for their stories of excellent, satisfying experiences at Mass, I am compelled to point out that 90% of the discussion here has revolved around the subjective experience, expectations, and satisfaction (or disgruntlement) of individuals attending Mass at various times and places. That should be a factor in 10% or less of what makes a “good” Mass. 90% of the focus is and always should be on Jesus and his action, through the priest, and thanksgiving and grateful reception of and response to that action. Jesus is there, up close and personal, in every Mass, and he speaks to each of us personally, at every Mass, no matter how insipid the sermon, slovenly the servers, untalented the musicians, and especially, no matter how fervent or inattentive the congregation. Every time we leave Mass with our attention on the peripherals, what people did or did not do properly and ignore Christ and what he always does properly, the Enemy has won a victory, and detracted from the benefits we receive.

Thank you for the reminder.

 

[mick321]

maybe this is my day to be cranky, but as much as I thank everyone for their stories of excellent, satisfying experiences at Mass, I am compelled to point out that 90% of the discussion here has revolved around the subjective experience, expectations, and satisfaction (or disgruntlement) of individuals attending Mass at various times and places. That should be a factor in 10% or less of what makes a “good” Mass. 90% of the focus is and always should be on Jesus and his action, through the priest, and thanksgiving and grateful reception of and response to that action. Jesus is there, up close and personal, in every Mass, and he speaks to each of us personally, at every Mass, no matter how insipid the sermon, slovenly the servers, untalented the musicians, and especially, no matter how fervent or inattentive the congregation. Every time we leave Mass with our attention on the peripherals, what people did or did not do properly and ignore Christ and what he always does properly, the Enemy has won a victory, and detracted from the benefits we receive.

I agree. When we let unwholesome and unholy peripheral elements infect our worship space, degrade our sacraments and obscure the message of Christ, the enemy has already won a victory. We should pray for the wisdom to recognize the enemy - whatever form he takes - and the courage to eject him from our Holy Church.

 

[mick321]

maybe this is my day to be cranky, but as much as I thank everyone for their stories of excellent, satisfying experiences at Mass, I am compelled to point out that 90% of the discussion here has revolved around the subjective experience, expectations, and satisfaction (or disgruntlement) of individuals attending Mass at various times and places. That should be a factor in 10% or less of what makes a “good” Mass. 90% of the focus is and always should be on Jesus and his action, through the priest, and thanksgiving and grateful reception of and response to that action. Jesus is there, up close and personal, in every Mass, and he speaks to each of us personally, at every Mass, no matter how insipid the sermon, slovenly the servers, untalented the musicians, and especially, no matter how fervent or inattentive the congregation. Every time we leave Mass with our attention on the peripherals, what people did or did not do properly and ignore Christ and what he always does properly, the Enemy has won a victory, and detracted from the benefits we receive.

I agree. When we let unwholesome and unholy peripheral elements infect our worship space, degrade our sacraments and obscure the message of Christ, the enemy has already won a victory. We should pray for the wisdom to recognize the enemy - whatever form he takes - and the courage to eject him from our Holy Church.

 

[UncommonGrace]

I think the OP sounds like a Type A personality. It’s hard for these people to sit still and just “be.” They always feel as though they should be accomplishing something tangible. Type As sometimes feel that sleeping is a waste of time, so they try to get by on as little sleep as possible. And the idea of sitting on a beach doing nothing is intolerable to them–their idea of a great vacation is one with an action-packed itinerary!

I would suggest that the brothers and sisters on this thread ease up a little. I think this is a case in which the personality type is making it difficult for the person to experience Mass the way many of the Type Bs experience it–as a restful, fulfilling, restorative time. For the Type A, Mass just seems like a total waste of time, except for the “good part”–receiving the Lord. If a Type A could speak with the Lord Jesus, they would probably ask Him to eliminate all the “fluff” in Mass and just skip to the Main Event!

So I have a few suggestion for the OP.

First, go to the doctor and make sure that your blood pressure and lipids are healthy. Type As are often dangerously close to having a stroke or a heart attack.

Second, buy a good book about Mass and read about all the different parts of Mass and what they mean. Knowing exactly what the purpose of each part of the Mass is will help you to not feel as though you are wasting your time. I would suggest Scott Hahn’s The Lamb’s Supper. It’s short, so it shouldn’t take you long. But it’s pithy, so very worthwhile. Read it while you are in the bathroom, or waiting in line at the grocery store.

Third, try to find ways to double your time at Mass. E.g., during the hymns, pray over each phrase in the hymn. Think of someone (yourself?) that the phrase applies to and then pray for that person. During the Scripture reading, use your OWN Bible and highlight the verses that you like, and then jot the verses that you REALLY like down in your PDA or Daytimer so you can read them when you have a spare moment (in a line at the store, etc.). During the homily, take notes–buy a little notebook exclusively for this purpose and keep a record of the homilies. Again, anything that you especially like should be put into your PDA or Daytimer for encouragement at a later time. During the Sign of Peace, make it a goal to really NOTICE who you are offering the peace to, and after Mass, meet them in the lobby or parking lot, ask their name, and write it down in your PDA or Daytimer; soon you’ll feel a lot more like part of the family as you know lots of names.

etc. You get the idea.

Finally, do NOT pray for God to help you change unless you are prepared for Him to answer that prayer! Many a busy Type A person has been forced to slow down or stop altogether when a stroke, heart attack, arthritis, nervous breakdown, or some other physical manifestation of their dangerous lifestyle forces them to grind their activity-driven life to a halt.

Cat, This is such good advice and so charitable!

I haven’t read the entire thread because it’s too long, but I just wanted to say that 45 minutes sounds unusually short to me. I’ve always experienced 60-75 minutes masses, since we because Catholic when I was 6.

Prior to that, we were in the Orthodox church where the liturgy was much longer, and the adults did stand the whole time. So we don’t have it so bad in the Roman church!

My current parish has two excellent priests and I actually find that I’m disappointed if they say a “short” homily, and happy if they say a “long” one, although I know my husband feels differently sometimes. It’s funny how we can have very different perspectives of the same homily experience!

Anyway, I would just say to the OP that Cat’s advice seems very good. It’s easy for me to really enjoy mass because that’s how I am and also where I am in my life. But I can also see how a person who is type A, prone to rushing, etc., might feel differently.

Blessings!

 

[EasterJoy]

Cat, This is such good advice and so charitable!

I haven’t read the entire thread because it’s too long, but I just wanted to say that 45 minutes sounds unusually short to me. I’ve always experienced 60-75 minutes masses, since we because Catholic when I was 6.

Prior to that, we were in the Orthodox church where the liturgy was much longer, and the adults did stand the whole time. So we don’t have it so bad in the Roman church!

My current parish has two excellent priests and I actually find that I’m disappointed if they say a “short” homily, and happy if they say a “long” one, although I know my husband feels differently sometimes. It’s funny how we can have very different perspectives of the same homily experience!

Anyway, I would just say to the OP that Cat’s advice seems very good. It’s easy for me to really enjoy mass because that’s how I am and also where I am in my life. But I can also see how a person who is type A, prone to rushing, etc., might feel differently.

Blessings!

I grew up with 45 minute Sunday Masses. The pastor was reverent and thorough, but his delivery moved right along, his homilies were concise, the organist was quite adept at making songs end when whatever action they accompanied ended, and the congregation was small so the Holy Communion didn’t take a long time.

It wasn’t rushed, but it had this unfortunate effect: a great many people who have been in that parish for a long time formed the mistaken impression that since that priest could do Mass well in 45 minutes, every priest ought to not only be able to, but should desire to. They got that particular time frame in their heads as “how long Mass should take.”

Mass ought to take as long as it takes to do it well. If that is a very long time or a surprisingly short time, then so be it.

 

[ProVobis]

I grew up with 45 minute Sunday Masses.

I think most, especially in the pre-Vatican II days did too. Mass was primarily a Sunday morning event and to accommodate everyone, Masses were scheduled on the hour every hour with some even celebrated at the side altars. If you came in late, you stayed for part of the next Mass. As most walked to church and traffic was not a worry, It seemed like a pretty efficient system.

Today, however, you find most parishes have at least one-and-a-half to two hour time allotment between Masses so you can lengthen the Mass a little and not have to worry about crowds waiting outside for the previous Mass to finish, although this is still common at places like Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, especially if the Cardinal says Mass there.