How Late Is “Too Late” When You’re Late for Mass?

and Holydays be fulfilled certain conditions are required on the

part of the Mass and on the part of the attendants. – One may be

excused from assisting at Mass for a proportionately good reason.

 

I. On the part of the Mass of obligation the following

is required:

 

1. It must be a complete Mass, i.e., assistance at it

must extend from the beginning of the Mass to the

last blessing.

 

A venial sin is committed by voluntarily omitting an unimportant

part of the Mass, e.g., from the beginning of the Mass to the

Offertory exclusive, or the part that follows the Communion, or

even the part which precedes the Epistle together with that which

follows the Comm union.

 

A mortal sin is committed by missing an important part voluntarily,

e.g., that which precedes the Gospel together with what

follows Holy Communion, the part extending from the beginning

of the Mass to the Offertory inclusive, the part of the Canon that

precedes the Consecration, or the part between the Consecration

and the “Pater Noster,” or the Consecration alone; but probably

not the Communion alone. It is held that momentary and necessary

withdrawal during the Consecration would be excusable. – Whoever

misses an important part must supply this part in a later

Mass on the same day.

 

The obligation to hear Mass is not fulfilled by him who is not

present at the Consecration. But if one is present at the entire Mass

except the Consecration, it may be presumed that the Church would

not oblige him to attend another Mass. – If one, even t!.ough he

be late for Mass arrives before the Consecration he must remain

for the rest of the Mass in case he cannot assist at a later Mass,

since he can still essentially fulfill his Sunday obligation; but if

one were so late as to miss the Consecration he would not be