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ProVobis
Guest
Yeh, to scarf down chocolate eclairs and triple caramel cafe lattes with the Catholics.
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ac_claire
Guest
I still prefer a shorter, straightforward Mass (in the OF), with nothing added or taken away. Not sure if thereâs anything inherently wrong with thatâŚ? 
Or is there? I mean, inherently. Obviously if you want the Mass to be short because youâd rather be shopping, or something, that would be a bit more clear-cut.
Or is there? I mean, inherently. Obviously if you want the Mass to be short because youâd rather be shopping, or something, that would be a bit more clear-cut.
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Musicadmirer
Guest
What ticks me off is how some people treat the Church as a boring classroom that they canât wait to leave, and when the professor talks into overtime, they are about to rip their hair out.
Jesus didnât complain about the time it took to die on the cross for the salvation of our souls.
Jesus didnât complain about the time it took to die on the cross for the salvation of our souls.
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ProVobis
Guest
And yet how many would even come if there were no obligation and distribution of communion.
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puzzleannie
Guest
because whenever the Mass is shortened deliberately by leaving out something optional, choosing the shorter option, or even worse leaving out what is required, the motive is âsaving timeâ to do something, anything âmore important than Massâ. That the concept of âtime could be better spent by people outside of Mass so letâs crank this upâ speaks volumes about the attitude and understanding of the celebrant who officiates and the people who demand it.
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Lost_Wanderer
Guest
Or how about cutting down that never shrinking pile of school/office/paper work that comes with a lot of 21st century occupations?
Seriously dude, I thank GOD that He only demands one hour a week from me. My timeâs spread thin enough as it is. -_-;;
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choy
Guest
my point was, you guys are getting to caught up about mass length, thinking its the only holy thing you can do during a day or a week
being closer to Jesus is more than just being at mass and praying. thereâs work to be done out there
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boatbearer
Guest
No, I donât think there is anything wrong with that. But to put up HARD resistance when the length of a Mass is extended by 5-10 once in a while is just wrong.I still prefer a shorter, straightforward Mass (in the OF), with nothing added or taken away. Not sure if thereâs anything inherently wrong with thatâŚ?
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boatbearer
Guest
You see that in folks who are paid by the hour. They sign-out for the day and they STRUGGLE to hurry out of their place of employment. Many have no place special to be or anything pressing to do but they have been programmed to HURRY out and away from work.
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boatbearer
Guest
Thatâs scary. Maybe you need to plan your life a little better while making God a higher priority? If youâre hurrying away from Mass on Sunday to deal with âthat never shrinking pile of school/office/paper workâ then I am amazed how you found the time to come here and post on CAFâŚ
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Lost_Wanderer
Guest
Oh I see, so youâre saying God would rather have me coop myself up in a chapel instead of fulfilling my obligations as a son, a student, and a citizen of my country is that it?
Besides, Iâll have you know that coming here is in fact part of the homework. Iâm an English major so learning how to write argumentative essays is crucial in my course. Where do you think I practice? Thatâs right: forums. This one is obviously included which makes your comment about me being here a moot point.
Not to mention my lifeâs stressed out as it is with me nearing my last year and on my last chance to graduate.
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boatbearer
Guest
On come on now you know better than that. Going to Mass is not a zero sum game. While your attempt at a false diatribe may be amusing, itâs not sellingâŚ
One needs to learn how to think before they can mount an effective/logical argument â verbal or written. Along with your English classes you might see what the philosophy department at your school is offering next termâŚ
What level of school are you in?
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Lost_Wanderer
Guest
Oh no, itâs just that Iâm not fond of people implying that we oughta be more excessive with our religion when we canât afford that excess at all.On come on now you know better than that. Going to Mass is not a zero sum game. While your attempt at a false diatribe may be amusing, itâs not sellingâŚ
Excuse me, holds up mirror, can you repeat that. I only take advice from people who practice it.
Iâm in my last years in college with a thesis being an upcoming requirement. -_-
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mellowcalico
Guest
Speaking as a parent with a young child, I tend to âGet moreâ out of shorter Masses only because I can actually pay attention for the entire Mass.
My Church has Masses ranging from 60-90 minutes, depending. My motherâs Church is usually 45 minutes. My daughter (who is now five) starts getting restless about around the 45-60 minute mark. She is very good at the start of Mass (and participates) but itâs very hard for anything to hold a young childâs interest for that long. At around 45-60 minutes she gets restless, fidgety and most of my concentration is trying spent trying to keep her behavedâto the point where I donât even hear or see whatâs going on at the alter any more. As she gets older, she gets a little more patient (when she was very young the mark was about 30 minutes before my focus was on her and not the Mass).
When I go to my Momâs Church I really do get more out of the Mass since itâs over by the time the restlessness starts.
Now I donât have anything against longer Masses. I used to love Easter VigilâI still do. But at this point in my daughterâs life, I donât really consider it. Itâs just that for me, the quality of the time spent is better with shorter Masses.
While I am sure some people want the Mass to be shorter so they can âgo get breakfastâ or whatever, thatâs not necessarily the case for all who are seeking shorter Masses. And one thing to point out about older people, some of them have medical issues that make longer Masses uncomfortable and distracting. Like another poster said, as long as nothing is âtaken awayâ maybe they too get more out of a shorter Mass because they can stay focused as well.
PS- I see other parents in Church and they bring video games for their children to play with. While I think itâs okay to bring in religious books or âquiet toysâ for younger children, if you can keep their attention with a shorter Mass, I think thatâs better.
My Church has Masses ranging from 60-90 minutes, depending. My motherâs Church is usually 45 minutes. My daughter (who is now five) starts getting restless about around the 45-60 minute mark. She is very good at the start of Mass (and participates) but itâs very hard for anything to hold a young childâs interest for that long. At around 45-60 minutes she gets restless, fidgety and most of my concentration is trying spent trying to keep her behavedâto the point where I donât even hear or see whatâs going on at the alter any more. As she gets older, she gets a little more patient (when she was very young the mark was about 30 minutes before my focus was on her and not the Mass).
When I go to my Momâs Church I really do get more out of the Mass since itâs over by the time the restlessness starts.
Now I donât have anything against longer Masses. I used to love Easter VigilâI still do. But at this point in my daughterâs life, I donât really consider it. Itâs just that for me, the quality of the time spent is better with shorter Masses.
While I am sure some people want the Mass to be shorter so they can âgo get breakfastâ or whatever, thatâs not necessarily the case for all who are seeking shorter Masses. And one thing to point out about older people, some of them have medical issues that make longer Masses uncomfortable and distracting. Like another poster said, as long as nothing is âtaken awayâ maybe they too get more out of a shorter Mass because they can stay focused as well.
PS- I see other parents in Church and they bring video games for their children to play with. While I think itâs okay to bring in religious books or âquiet toysâ for younger children, if you can keep their attention with a shorter Mass, I think thatâs better.
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mick321
Guest
I agree that Catholics should not think of Holy Mass as they would a day harvesting tobacco in the Deep South. It is unfortunate if your pastor has allowed that mindset to become entrenched to the point of preempting or otherwise obstructing the worship of God in his parish.
Perhaps all your parish needs to do is reorganize its Sunday Mass schedule. At 0600 and/or 0700, offer standard, by-the-book, option-free, low masses. At 0800 and/or 1000, add music, lectors, EMHCâs, etc. The last offering of the morning can be an all-out, no-holds-barred, no-expense spared, battle of the bands, blow-out OF Mass.
Then, monitor the attendance of each and make changes to the schedule as needed.
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Bluegoat
Guest
A friend of mine who had been Catholic theorized that many people were taking a kind of âmagicalâ attitude to the Eucharist. He felt this accounted, for example, for so many people leaving church as soon as they had received, or why in many places only one stanza of each hymn is sung, or why there seems to proportionally be more bad homilies - as long as the Eucharist is there the rest is seen by some to be superfluous.
I doubt this is the only issue at play, but I think it might be part of it.
At my church the main service on Sunday is an hour and a half. My son was baptized this past Easter, and friends of ours came - a Baptist and a Catholic. The service was two and a half ours, and their eyes were bugging out of their heads in amazement.
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boatbearer
Guest
âExcessive?â How did you happen to work that word into the conversation? Weâre not talking about âexcessiveâ anything until nowâŚ
Nice retort â not. Is that the sort of rejoinder you have been taught in your school?
I seeâŚ
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boatbearer
Guest
That mindset is at least 50 years old at my parish. In all reality Iâm betting itâs closer to 100+ years.
Our Masses are already licitly tailored to different groups.
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boatbearer
Guest
Itâs not uncommon to run into people from my parish around town. If the conversation heads towards the Church itâs not unheard of for people to talk about how great so-an-soâs short Masses are or how so-and-so preaches too long making his Masses too long. Itâs nutty but itâs real.
I also attend a Byzantine parish from time to time. One of my Latin Rite friends said âI hear you can be in and out on Sundays in 40 to 45 minutes!â I smiled and said she needed to give it a try for herselfâŚ
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mick321
Guest
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