while on vacation, the local church priest conducts daily mass in 17 minutes and Sunday Mass lasted 37!

blaskoman · #1 Feb 15, '12, 2:01 pm

Is there something wrong with this picture? of course I'd have to say that the Mass was valid, yet something just didnt seem right to me in terms of how quick the priest was. I was left wondering whether this priest does not hold the Mass in high esteem, that he seemed liked he had better things to do. His Sunday homily lasted 2.5 minutes!!!

Sarabande · #2 Feb 15, '12, 2:13 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaskoman

Is there something wrong with this picture? of course I'd have to say that the Mass was valid, yet something just didnt seem right to me in terms of how quick the priest was. I was left wondering whether this priest does not hold the Mass in high esteem, that he seemed liked he had better things to do. His Sunday homily lasted 2.5 minutes!!!

Depends on how the mass was conducted. If he was cutting things out, then there is definitely a problem. If not, I don't see the problem. Also, a long or longer homily doesn't necessarily mean that it's a good homily. Some priests are extremely good at getting everything they want to talk about efficiently in a homily. Short and to the point. Other priests can't do that and are better getting their point across in the longer homilies and then there are priests who have made their point in the first 2 - 5 minutes, but then repeat themselves over and over just in different words.

At one of the parishes where I work, the pastor gets mass done between 30 to 45 minutes. He never cuts anything out and his homilies aren't particularly short or long, but they are always thought out well and meaningful. We don't have a huge congregation, as there are two other parishes within walking distance, but it is a good size and we get a lot of tourists who attend. It's only him and one other EMHC who distribute holy communion. I think he is just an efficient person.

Brendan · #3 Feb 15, '12, 2:24 pm

When I was an altarboy, we had a retired Msgr who lived in our parish. He said Mass everyday at 8:00am, which was interesting, as a parish had a regularly scheduled 8:30am daily Mass.

Msgr was done in about 12-15 minutes.

And this was the OF Mass.

Contrast that with the Masses I went to in rural Tanzania. A regular Sunday Mass was about 3 hours long. 4 Hours long if the bishop said it.

One Mass was 6 hours long, but that was the dedication of a new parish church, and a lot happens at those Masses.

Most of the people walk to Mass, some from up to 7 miles away. They carry their chairs too and whatever produce they are giving for the offetory, or donating for lunch afterward. So if they don't get several hours of preaching for the homily, they feel 'jipped'

They will then spend the next 3 hours cooking and having a communal lunch and socializing...and then walk home. Sunday Mass is an all day affair

SMHW · #4 Feb 15, '12, 2:31 pm

This was fairly typical back in the days when the EF was THE form.

These seem like reasonable lengths of times if there is little or no singing, short homilies, and there aren't huge numbers of people receiving communion.

Julia Mae · #5 Feb 15, '12, 2:53 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaskoman

Is there something wrong with this picture? of course I'd have to say that the Mass was valid, yet something just didnt seem right to me in terms of how quick the priest was. I was left wondering whether this priest does not hold the Mass in high esteem, that he seemed liked he had better things to do. His Sunday homily lasted 2.5 minutes!!!

I knew one Franciscan who could do the noon daily in 12 flat. It was great, very well-attended by working people. Lots of extra time for prayer for folks who didn't have to rush back to work.

SonCatcher · #6 Feb 15, '12, 3:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaskoman

Is there something wrong with this picture? of course I'd have to say that the Mass was valid, yet something just didnt seem right to me in terms of how quick the priest was. I was left wondering whether this priest does not hold the Mass in high esteem, that he seemed liked he had better things to do. His Sunday homily lasted 2.5 minutes!!!

Nothing wrong with a short homily. My former pastor gave a homily at Easter Vigil once that seemed to be less than 30 seconds. I dare say it was one of his better ones (and he is renowned for his teaching).

Leon Bloy · #7 Feb 15, '12, 3:12 pm

Was there music? That makes a big difference.

Also, priests are encouraged to keep homilies short. The more you say, the less people seem to remember, sometimes.

JRRTFAN · #8 Feb 15, '12, 3:16 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaskoman

Is there something wrong with this picture? of course I'd have to say that the Mass was valid, yet something just didnt seem right to me in terms of how quick the priest was. I was left wondering whether this priest does not hold the Mass in high esteem, that he seemed liked he had better things to do. His Sunday homily lasted 2.5 minutes!!!

We had a priest here locally who regularly said daily Mass in 18 minutes, including a homily of 2 - 3 minutes which was ALWAYS "Love". Doesn't matter the readings: "Love".

He would start with "Blessed are you Lord God...we have this bread to offer..." BEFORE the server gave him the bread or dressed the altar with Corporal and elements. It was an amazing thing to see. He is retired now, a nice guy but, Yikes!

NewEnglandPriest · #9 Feb 15, '12, 3:17 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaskoman

Is there something wrong with this picture? of course I'd have to say that the Mass was valid, yet something just didnt seem right to me in terms of how quick the priest was.
I was left wondering whether this priest does not hold the Mass in high esteem, that he seemed liked he had better things to do. His Sunday homily lasted 2.5 minutes!!!

Why? As long as he wasn't rushed then all you really have as a "complaint" is that you thought the homily was too short. There is no "ideal" length of time for a homily. Its either a good one or it isn't.

garn9173 · #10 Feb 15, '12, 3:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaskoman

Is there something wrong with this picture? of course I'd have to say that the Mass was valid, yet something just didnt seem right to me in terms of how quick the priest was. I was left wondering whether this priest does not hold the Mass in high esteem, that he seemed liked he had better things to do. His Sunday homily lasted 2.5 minutes!!!

The times i've been to daily Mass, it's been over in less than 30 minutes.

Luna Lovecraft · #11 Feb 15, '12, 3:19 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaskoman

Is there something wrong with this picture? of course I'd have to say that the Mass was valid, yet something just didnt seem right to me in terms of how quick the priest was. I was left wondering whether this priest does not hold the Mass in high esteem, that he seemed liked he had better things to do. His Sunday homily lasted 2.5 minutes!!!

In a word, no.

Some priests are faster than others. And some priests, being mindful of the needs of their parishioners, say Mass in less time.

The cathedral nearest my school has a daily Mass at 12:10 p.m., and it's ended by 12:30. This gives workers in the area time to pickup some lunch and get back their jobs.

Luna

TraditonRules · #12 Feb 15, '12, 3:48 pm

We used to be called a low mass. It was cut to the chase, brief and only the requirements.

Cathryn · #13 Feb 15, '12, 5:11 pm

According to the GIRM, the homily at daily Mass is not required. It is recommended but not required.

Quote:

On Sundays and Holydays of Obligation there is to be a Homily at every Mass that is celebrated with the people attending and it may not be omitted without a grave reason. On other days it is recommended, especially on the weekdays of Advent, Lent and Easter Time, as well as on other festive days and occasions when the people come to church in greater numbers.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal 65-66

FrDavid96 · #14 Feb 15, '12, 5:19 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaskoman

Is there something wrong with this picture? of course I'd have to say that the Mass was valid, yet something just didnt seem right to me in terms of how quick the priest was. I was left wondering whether this priest does not hold the Mass in high esteem, that he seemed liked he had better things to do. His Sunday homily lasted 2.5 minutes!!!

No problem.

If it's much longer than that, it's more likely that things are dragging on, and it's no better to drag things unnecessarily than it is to rush them.

promethius · #15 Feb 16, '12, 1:01 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaskoman

I was left wondering whether this priest does not hold the Mass in high esteem, that he seemed liked he had better things to do. His Sunday homily lasted 2.5 minutes!!!

I'm left wondering why a priest who talks fast has his integrity questioned in such a manner...

And as for homilies, the best one I ever heard on perfect contrition was one sentence long: "If there was no reward of heaven, would you still love God?" was all the priest needed to say.