Second the recommendation for an early-morning Mass. the only 30-35 min Mass I know of is a 7am one, not in this area though. There is no music.

I live in DC now and go sometimes to a majority African American parish (I am not). Those Gospel Masses are long, like 1 hour 15 min.

It's the music and terrible long pauses, and the readers not always sitting on the alter that just adds and adds to the Mass time.

I've lived in MA, NY, CT, OH, WI an TX and the only time I remember Mass taking this long was when we went to Mexican Masses.

I'd be happy with a 50 minute Mass if I could find one. So far every where we have gone has been well over an hour which makes it just too long even if we snuck out after Communion.
My SN kid is 8 so he may not be welcomed in a cry room (if I could find one of those in the area).

At my church (in Bethesda), it depends on the time of day and music. The 7am Sunday mass would be 35-40 minutes total, since they don't have any music (not even an organist). The 8:30am was about 50 minutes as they had an organist and cantor. The 10am mass ran a bit over an hour as they had a children's choir.

Maybe you can find a mass with less music?

I grew up Catholic in New England and as an adult in the DC area - never, ever been to a Sunday Mass at a parish that was less than 50 min. I think the Sat. night vigil Mass is a good idea.

St Jerome's has a toy room for kids just outside of the sanctuary. Maybe that would help.

You may want to ask some parish priests near you. Maybe they have some good ideas.

I have never been to any Sunday mass anywhere that wasn't 55min to an hour. Weekday mass is another story, but Sunday, no way.

Anonymous wrote:40 minutes is short for a Sunday. Sat evening Mass is usually 45 min. Are you willing to stay 50 or 55 minutes? If so, Holy Redeemer in College Park should be fine. Or St Jerome in Hyattsville.

Thanks. I can't make it past the 40 minute mark, not with my SN child, and I have no one to leave him with every Sunday.

I've lived in several state and I have never come across Masses that are so freaking long. Sunday Mass has always been well under an hour until I moved here. Even my parents, who LOVE church, have had a difficult time here when visiting.

I saw there was a Catholic Mass at the Greenbelt Municipal building. Has anyone been to that?

40 minutes is short for a Sunday. Sat evening Mass is usually 45 min. Are you willing to stay 50 or 55 minutes? If so, Holy Redeemer in College Park should be fine. Or St Jerome in Hyattsville.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I leave early, without the Sacraments, then what's the point of going?

Leave after communion--that should be about the 40 minute mark. Sit close to the front if you can. Most masses last an hour.

Sadly it's at the hour mark of every church I've been to in the area. I can't figure out why Mass takes so long here.

If the Sacrament is the most important part of the Mass to you (and it is to us as well), then figure out when it usually begins and arrive then. Just slip into a back pew with the kids. No one cares.

Anonymous wrote:If I leave early, without the Sacraments, then what's the point of going?

Leave after communion--that should be about the 40 minute mark. Sit close to the front if you can. Most masses last an hour.

Anonymous wrote:If I leave early, without the Sacraments, then what's the point of going?

Go late.

If I leave early, without the Sacraments, then what's the point of going?

Sure, just quietly pick up and go. Everybody knows it's hard for the kids to sit silently through an hour of not-very-exciting liturgy.

Leave when you want. No big deal.

Title says it all.

I've not been able to find a local Catholic Church that I like and part of the problem is the how long the Masses are. The 9:30 Mass often runs into the 11:00 Mass. I have one child that adores church and another who is SN and can last for a Mass that's under an hour. He loves going when we are back in my hometown.