Connection The
KING’S
Catholics Returning Home Ministry Offers a Warm
Welcome Back
to the Church
Y
ou’ve probably seen some variation have fallen away in the last five years.” of a study documenting the Catholics Returning Home is a number of those who grew up six-week course, hosted several Catholic but have since left times a year, for those who the faith. Recent research have been baptized Catholic, tells us that 13 percent of but are no longer practicing. adults in the United States The group discusses the fall into the category of fundamentals of our faith, “former Catholic.” Many of answers questions, and us could probably point to seeks to provide a support people in our lives — family system for those who are members, friends, coconsidering “coming home” workers, and others — who to the Catholic Church. were raised Catholic, but no “It’s more of a relonger identify as such, or at introduction to the faith and the very least, aren’t actively why we believe the foundational practicing their faith. things we believe,” Whitney But what if a person in this says. “The intention is to situation noticed a tugging at bring people back in, to create their heart when they drove past community for them, and give Parishioner Whitney Allen returned to her a Catholic Church? What if they them a resource.” faith several years ago and loves having the opportunity to welcome others back realized that something about Although she now serves as through Catholics Returning Home. the rhythm and the ritual felt the coordinator of the ministry, like home, and a sense of longing it was only five years ago reminded them of the ache for God deep within? Here that Whitney was on the other side, considering at Cathedral of Christ the King, we hope to create a returning to the faith. Those who serve as part of place for those who have been away from the faith the team can share similar stories of having been to come back, without judgment or expectation and away from the Church for a time. experience the loving return to a relationship with “I had stopped practicing my faith for about 20 Christ in His Church. years, since right after high school,” Whitney says. “Catholics Returning Home is for the person “But five years ago, I was in a very challenging time who has fallen away from the Church and is in my life and I decided I couldn’t do this alone. I starting to become curious about returning,” says was finding myself going to the church to pray and parishioner Whitney Allen, who helps to coordinate there was this tug. I drove by the cathedral one day the ministry. “It is for baptized Catholics who have and saw this great big banner that said ‘Catholics stepped away from the Church for a while — people Returning Home’ and I was very curious. It was who have been gone for 50 years or people who very uncharacteristic of me to see something like continued on page 5
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