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 feel like I really don’t know much about Catholicism. It’s been five years/fifteen years/twenty-five years or more since I was in religious education, but I can’t not be Catholic, I guess. How can I find out more?
First: Welcome back. We missed you.
Second: Consider taking advantage of some resources at your parish: Bible study or Advent or Lenten small faith-sharing groups. Or, maybe it’s an opportunity specific to your age or life situation (parents, single people, widowed, etc.). If you have not received the sacraments of initiation (baptism, the Eucharist, and confirmation), sign up for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) at your parish, which will share information about Catholicism’s rich history through today. Programs such as Landings or Catholics Come Home provide a place to ask questions about the faith in the company of others who are away from the Church.
Third: Explore online. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Web site provides marvelous resources about why Catholics believe what they believe… and how they put it into action. The Vatican site includes the Catechism of the Catholic Church, information about the pope’s whereabouts, and so much more.
Fourth: Consider delving into the wide variety of Catholic magazines and sites. Read a few whose worldview is different from yours (if you’re more social justice oriented, read about the contemplative philosophy, and vice versa. Check out books by the saints, popes, and today’s thought leaders. Therese of Lisieux’s Story of a Soul is a good place to start if you’ve been away. It involves concepts that are simple to understand–and challenging to live. You’ll find that to be true of many things in our Church.
