On Mondays, I answer questions frequently asked by those considering a return to the Catholic Church. How do I know this stuff? I was away for more than 30 years myself, and am the co-author of When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics, a book for pastors and parish leaders interested in this ministry.
I want to be Catholic again, but I don’t know how.
It’s easier than you think. Really.
You may want to start by checking out the Catholics Come Home Web site. You may get some of your questions answered and concerns addressed there without interacting with a live person.
A next step could be checking the bulletin for the parish nearest you (Mass Times is a good way to determine the closest parishes) for programs with names like Alpha for Catholics, Catholics Returning Home, Coming Home, or Landings, or call the parish office
and ask if such sessions are offered. Generally, these six-to-eight-week courses provide a safe place to ask questions about our Church and to share your story about why you left and why you’re thinking about coming back. Typically, what’s said in these hour or two sessions is kept completely confidential. Ask in advance if you’re not sure.
If you decide to participate, you’ll be in a small community with ten or so other people exploring a return, along with two or three facilitators, most of whom were also away from the Church for some time. Typically, the programs are run by laypeople for laypeople. Sometimes, a priest is asked to attend a specific session to answer questions or to celebrate a home Mass with the group.
Topics that might be discussed include who is Jesus; what being “saved” means; the Eucharist; reconciliation; death, dying, and suffering; vocations; and social issues. You also may be asked to share your faith journey, such as whether you went to Catholic school and what sacraments you receive;, who your spiritual role models were; why you stopped having an active faith life or left Catholicism; and what is causing you to consider changing that decision.
If the parish doesn’t have a specific program for returnees, don’t despair:
- Go to coffee and doughnuts after Mass and join a table of people who seem particularly talkative. Share just a little about yourself; saying you’re new to the parish is certainly true. Do this a few weeks, then when you’ve made a new friend, ask if the person can recommend someone to show you the ropes of Catholicism.
- Read the bulletin, and find something that is your passion. It might be an upcoming rally for immigration reform, or a march to protest legalized abortion, or a lecture on learning more about the Bible. Go to the event, and strike up a conversation with someone else who is there by himself or herself.
- Consider making an appointment with the parish’s adult faith formation director. This person likely will be very busy. He or she also will be very tuned into the congregation, and may be able to suggest someone who would be a good mentor. The person also may know of formal programs at nearby parishes for those considering a return.
