Dear Friends:
In this message, I would like to set down some suggestions and reminders about attendance at Mass, or better still, participation at Mass. Of course, all Catholics are obliged to be at Mass each weekend and only for the gravest of reasons may they absent themselves. This is not merely a matter of Church law, but a clear message about the centrality of the Eucharist in our spiritual lives. We cannot live without the Bread of Life and we should never try to go it alone, by remaining absent or distant from the Lord or from the assembly of fellow believers.
Given the importance of the Mass in our lives, it seems reasonable to express the following points for us all to consider:
Be on time for Mass and remain until the end. On many weekends, I notice people coming into church as late as the reading of the Gospel and many leave on receiving Communion. We should be present for the opening hymn and depart after the priest leaves the altar at the end of Mass. There might be serious reasons to leave early, but they should be rare.
Dress appropriately. When we come to Mass, we come to encounter the Lord himself. The way we dress says something about our understanding of and our attitude toward the Mass. While it is not necessary to dress in a suit and tie or a dress or skirt, what one wears to church should be at the very least what we call “smart casual” and modest. There is no place for tank tops, flip-flops, or very short shorts in church. What one wears to the beach one should not wear to church.
When arriving in church, spend a few minutes to quiet yourself, to prepare for the Mass, to prepare to meet the Lord. When we come to church, we must separate ourselves from the noisy world outside. That means we do not talk to others in church and we certainly make no use of cell phones. At the end of the Mass, talk to fellow parishioners and friends outside of the church so that others who need time and silence for prayer in the church may have it.
When coming to receive Communion, walk in line up to the minister of Holy Communion and when you approach to receive the Eucharist, make a slight bow of the body (genuflection should not be done), and have both hands extended, one on top of the other. When the minister says to you “The Body of Christ,” respond audibly so the minister may hear you, “Amen.” Then receive the host, step aside, take your bottom hand and pick up the host from the palm of your other hand, and consume it. If you receive on the tongue, please extend your tongue sufficiently so that the minster may easily place the host on it after you respond, “Amen.” Then return to your seat and make some act of thanksgiving for the gift you have received.
Two points need to be made in addition to the above. First, one should not be concerned with receiving Communion from a specific minister, such as a priest, rather than from a deacon or an extraordinary minister. Our focus should be always on the One whom we are receiving and not on the person from whom we receive the Eucharist. Second, the bishops of the United States have determined that the proper bodily gesture for the reception of Communion is a slight bow of the body. Genuflection disrupts the procession and as a rule is required of the laity only two times at Mass. Genuflect to the tabernacle when you come into church before taking your seat, and genuflect to the tabernacle at the end of Mass before you leave. No other gestures or postures are mandated.
I offer these thoughts with the hope that our celebration of the Mass will always be worthy, reverent, and orderly.
Have a good week!