Why is the Mass so Short

[boatbearer]

I honestly believe at least to some degree that this speed issue came to life when the Tridentine Mass was the form of the Mass most commonly celebrated. Not all that many knew what was going on so the focus was often churn-em and turn-em! That mindset is clearly part of why these insiders I am dealing with are so adamant about a fast Mass.

One of them about two years ago earnestly approached our pastor a few years ago and asked him to keep his “sermon” short because we were having a second collection and people would give more if the homily was short.

Still if you ask an individual WHY they are in such a hurry for Mass to end I don’t think most can answer other than – it’s always been that way.

 

[mcmitton]

… And St. Peter is at the Golden Gate, checking in the newly arrived. And he is only “open” for 59 minutes. So how are we going to feel? at 60 minutes?

Mass takes as long as Mass takes. I hate to feel rushed in worship, especially at the end, recessional hymn cut short, people standing and talking in the sanctuary, while a few persons are still at worship.

 

[boatbearer]

Our Sunday EF High Mass begins at 7AM and never exceeds 90 minutes. It includes 4 servers, 4 schola members, a proper sermon, incense, bells, Gregorian chant. The faithful are responsible for all altar server responses. Everyone remains to offer thanksgiving after mass as the sanctuary is silently reconfigured for the OF Mass that follows at 9AM

Our Weekday EF Low Mass begins at 7PM and rarely exceeds 45 minutes. It is also uses a dialog format with spoken responses. After Mass, the adult catechism and schola practice sessions begin at 8PM and end at 9PM.

The priest who offers our EF Liturgy is well aware of the time constraints and manages the sanctuary, his Mass and his team accordingly. He claims no authority to shorten the Mass and has on occasion cautioned us against rushing the Latin responses. His sermons are interesting and concise. Not one word is wasted.

If the Mass is of high quality - no one is thinking about the elapsed time - except the priest who is committed to maximizing the value of the experience for us all.

And?

 

[boatbearer]

… And St. Peter is at the Golden Gate, checking in the newly arrived. And he is only “open” for 59 minutes. So how are we going to feel? at 60 minutes?

Mass takes as long as Mass takes. I hate to feel rushed in worship, especially at the end, recessional hymn cut short, people standing and talking in the sanctuary, while a few persons are still at worship.

I fully agree. You outline events that stem not from a lack of knowledge of the Mass but an absence of simple common courtesy that should have been instilled in us by our parents.

 

[thistle]

Why do a half dozen or so “lay insiders” struggle so desperately to keep the Mass I attend as short at possible? It has gotten so bad that this group has resorted to gossip and deliberately trying to cause dissent in our parish because our pastor will not side with them. I wish they would simply go to another scheduled Mass.

With strong support from our pastor we have recently introduced once a month bells-n-smells Masses which includes all the pageantry allowed by the OF Mass. The Mass is extended by perhaps 10-12 minutes, up to about 75-80 minutes which still seems quite short to me.

The people who are struggling mightily to keep the Masses short have no place to be after Mass. In fact they are the ones walking around before Mass asking everyone where they are going to breakfast after Mass. Our presider is often an 86 year old priest who is also very cognizant of the time (he often starts prayers well before the responses are complete) but he enjoys the more formal Masses so it’s not the presider.

Why the desperate efforts by some to keep the Mass short?

As we have 10 Masses every Sunday to accomodate the high attendence (approx 85% of the parish attends Mass each Sunday) our Masses can’t be more than 1 hour.

 

[mick321]

I honestly believe at least to some degree that this speed issue came to life when the Tridentine Mass was the form of the Mass most commonly celebrated. Not all that many knew what was going on so the focus was often churn-em and turn-em! That mindset is clearly part of why these insiders I am dealing with are so adamant about a fast Mass.

One of them about two years ago earnestly approached our pastor a few years ago and asked him to keep his “sermon” short because we were having a second collection and people would give more if the homily was short.

Still if you ask an individual WHY they are in such a hurry for Mass to end I don’t think most can answer other than – it’s always been that way.

Why do you believe that? Is that how things were done in your parish? Is that how your EF Masses are done currently? And who are these “insiders” telling your pastor how to run his Mass? Pastors from other parishes? Bishops from the Diocese? Cardinals from Rome? Are these churn-em and burn-em attitudes common within your diocese?

When I was being trained as an TLM altar server, we could not set foot in the sanctuary unless we knew exactly what the priest was saying and doing at all times. We practiced in the parish hall with veteran [8th grade] servers helping train the [4th grade] rookies. Both my parents were able to help me with the Latin pronunciations and translations at the time. Last year, my father helped my 12 year old nephew prepare for his test to become an EF server.

Around here, the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Liturgy is still a bit rare. Those who assist are genuine enthusiasts. They realize how special it is and they can’t get enough. Many travel great distances to attend and some of us will assist two or more EF Masses on any given Sunday.

The sermon is an opportunity for your pastor to teach solid Catholic doctrine to the faithful of your parish. It should be thought of as quality time by everyone involved. He should never squander that time nor allow anyone - insider or not - to deprive his parishioners of the spiritual nourishment that they obviously need. He would do well to get a grip on himself and his program. If his sermons are unnecessarily long-winded, he should get that squared-away first. If it’s still running painfully long, he should excise some of fluff that obscures the essence of the Mass. Or mercifully find another line of work.

 

[otjm]

This is nothing particularly new. They were that way before Vatican 2, and they had their choice - a Low Mass or a High one, and wouldn’t be caught dead in a High one.

They are generally very poorly trained in the theology of the Mass - or any theology, for that matter, and look at Mass as an obligation; if they are over 50, generally they were taught an awful lot about obligation and not a whole lot about privilege. They “have to do their time” and would be of the same groupings as those who ask the old question: “How late can I come to Mass and how early can I leave and still fulfill my obligation?”.

Read the Gospels. Christ had them back then too. Read John 6 - many of his disciples parted Company with Christ when the saying got hard. Read the story of the Rich Young Man - he left (went away sad) when he heard what else Christ asked, besides following the Commandments. Talk about a guy who didn’t know how to shut up when he was ahead…

 

[ProVobis]

Just some suggestions. Get there 30 minutes early, start a rosary, and then after Mass, visit the Blessed Sacrament for 30 minutes or so. Either that or you can ask your bishop or petition Rome to introduce prayers like the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, full Offertory prayers, the Lavabo, more Communion preparatory prayers, extra readings after communion, and the Last Gospel into the Mass.

 

[Chopstick]

People are in a hurry to beat the protestants to the restaurants- some of those services are considered short if they’re under an hour and a half.

 

[Jehoshua]

I can’t see why people would actually want to spend less time in a well conducted mass.

Being one with irreligious parents and thus unable to go to mass physically for several years once i got pushed into a protestant school after primary was finished (it was closer), fortunately that experience actually strengthened my catholic faith. I got to know how special the mass actually is, as i had to go through not having it.

I cant see how people would consider spending time with God a bad thing

---

Incidentally if anyone has a video of a bells and smells OF mass I would be grateful if they posted a link here. Unfortunately my area, and country generally is lacking in reverential masses. (only 6 EF parishes in the whole country, and the majority of OF being done poorly)

 

[boatbearer]

Why do you believe that? Is that how things were done in your parish? Is that how your EF Masses are done currently? And who are these “insiders” telling your pastor how to run his Mass? Pastors from other parishes? Bishops from the Diocese? Cardinals from Rome? Are these churn-em and burn-em attitudes common within your diocese?

Because my mentor who is in his late 80’s and other priests of his age who celebrate the OF Mass at my parish burn through the Mass. They routinely continue when responses are not yet complete. They admonish themselves after Mass if they feel they have preached too long. They will skip the announcements if the Mass is going to go over that magical 1 hour mark. These are all very good priests but the self-imposed time pressure they place on themselves is obvious and it came from somewhere. And yes, our EF is burned through today.

When I was being trained as an TLM altar server, we could not set foot in the sanctuary unless we knew exactly what the priest was saying and doing at all times. We practiced in the parish hall with veteran [8th grade] servers helping train the [4th grade] rookies. Both my parents were able to help me with the Latin pronunciations and translations at the time. Last year, my father helped my 12 year old nephew prepare for his test to become an EF server.

So?

Around here, the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Liturgy is still a bit rare. Those who assist are genuine enthusiasts. They realize how special it is and they can’t get enough. Many travel great distances to attend and some of us will assist two or more EF Masses on any given Sunday.

Again, so?

The sermon is an opportunity for your pastor to teach solid Catholic doctrine to the faithful of your parish. It should be thought of as quality time by everyone involved. He should never squander that time nor allow anyone - insider or not - to deprive his parishioners of the spiritual nourishment that they obviously need. He would do well to get a grip on himself and his program. If his sermons are unnecessarily long-winded, he should get that squared-away first. If it’s still running painfully long, he should excise some of fluff that obscures the essence of the Mass. Or mercifully find another line of work.

?

 

[boatbearer]

This is nothing particularly new. They were that way before Vatican 2, and they had their choice - a Low Mass or a High one, and wouldn’t be caught dead in a High one.

They are generally very poorly trained in the theology of the Mass - or any theology, for that matter, and look at Mass as an obligation; **if they are over 50, generally they were taught an awful lot about obligation and not a whole lot about privilege. ** They “have to do their time” and would be of the same groupings as those who ask the old question: “How late can I come to Mass and how early can I leave and still fulfill my obligation?”.

Read the Gospels. Christ had them back then too. Read John 6 - many of his disciples parted Company with Christ when the saying got hard. Read the story of the Rich Young Man - he left (went away sad) when he heard what else Christ asked, besides following the Commandments. Talk about a guy who didn’t know how to shut up when he was ahead…

Maybe that’s part of it…

 

[boatbearer]

Just some suggestions. Get there 30 minutes early, start a rosary, and then after Mass, visit the Blessed Sacrament for 30 minutes or so. Either that or you can ask your bishop or petition Rome to introduce prayers like the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, full Offertory prayers, the Lavabo, more Communion preparatory prayers, extra readings after communion, and the Last Gospel into the Mass.

Why?

I want the OF as defined by the Church without this horrible driving need to “get it done!” I don’t care about the add-ons that you mention. My focus is the Mass.

 

[ProVobis]

And when they visit my services they think it’s sooooooo incredibly long. It clocks in at all of 60-65 minutes.

Sad as it is, that seems to be a common feeling. That’s why you have so many coming in late and leaving early. And even those who stay tend to stand in back to be the first ones out the door. Excuse is usually to beat the traffic but really?

 

[mick321]

Because my mentor who is in his late 80’s and other priests of his age who celebrate the OF Mass at my parish burn through the Mass. They routinely continue when responses are not yet complete. They admonish themselves after Mass if they feel they have preached too long. They will skip the announcements if the Mass is going to go over that magical 1 hour mark. These are all very good priests but the self-imposed time pressure they place on themselves is obvious and it came from somewhere. And yes, our EF is burned through today.
…
So?
…
Again, so?
…
?

A: What’s the most you ever lost on a coin toss.
P: Sir?
A: The most. You ever lost. On a coin toss.
P: I don’t know. I couldn’t say.
A: Call it.
P: Call it?
A: Yes.
P: For what?
A: Just call it.
P: Well, we need to know what we’re calling it for here.
P: You need to call it. I can’t call it for you. It wouldn’t be fair.
P: I didn’t put nothin’ up.
A: Yes, you did. You’ve been putting it up your whole life you just didn’t know it. You know what date is on this coin?
P: No.
A: 1958. It’s been traveling twenty-two years to get here. And now it’s here. And it’s either heads or tails. And you have to say. Call it.
P: Look, I need to know what I stand to win.
A: Everything.
P: How’s that?
A: You stand to win everything. Call it.
P: Alright. Heads then.
A: Well done.
A: Don’t put it in your pocket, sir. Don’t put it in your pocket. It’s your lucky quarter.
P: Where do you want me to put it?
A: Anywhere not in your pocket. Where it’ll get mixed in with the others and become just a coin. Which it is.

 

[otjm]

Sad as it is, that seems to be a common feeling. That’s why you have so many coming in late and leaving early. And even those who stay tend to stand in back to be the first ones out the door. Excuse is usually to beat the traffic but really?

And sadly, nothing new; when I was a child and my dad was an usher, he would complain later about the same group - and this was in the 1950’s.

 

[choy]

why ask for a longer mass when we can be out of the church in one hour and be feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, taking care of the sick, etc

 

[otjm]

why ask for a longer mass when we can be out of the church in one hour and be feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, taking care of the sick, etc

As if!

 

[boatbearer]

why ask for a longer mass when we can be out of the church in one hour and be feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, taking care of the sick, etc

Yeah, right…

Or scarfing down chocolate eclairs and triple caramel cafe lattes…

 

[boatbearer]

As a corollary, I wonder if Jews, the Orthodox and/or the Protestants are as driven as Catholics driven to get out of their liturgies/services as soon as possible?