Come and See...a 'Welcome Home' Process for Returning Catholics
By Sister Rita Wenzlick
Sister Rita Wenzlick is the Director of the Office of Pastoral Planning for the Diocese of Lansing.
What is COME AND SEE ?
COME AND SEE is a tried, proven, and effective ‘Welcome Home’ process unique in its facilitation by people who themselves have been away and have now returned to the Church. Led by parish pastoral staff ministers, COME AND SEE continues to be for Catholics who want to return to the Church. What makes this process successful at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ann Arbor with occasional revision and refinement made over the past seven or eight years.
How It Works:
COME AND SEE is presented in two phases. Phase I begins around the Fourth Sunday of Lent each year by encouraging parishioners to personally reach out to inactive Catholics who may be interested in returning to full and active participation in the sacramental life of the Church. Invitations are extended through the parish bulletin, included in the weekend announcements, and conveyed by other viable forms of communication. If parishioners prefer, pew cards are also available for mailing.
In the second step of Phase I, inactive Catholics who have been contacted by parishioners are invited to attend a one-hour evening session — "We Miss You" — held soon after the original invitations are extended. They are welcome to attend this session either with a Catholic friend or by themselves. Since the evening is facilitated by people who have returned to the Church after a time away, a certain comfort level is established through their common life experiences. Members of the parish pastoral staff lead the session and join in the evening’s activities. "We Miss You" provides for an evening of story telling from those who have reconciled their reasons for leaving the Church. It is also a good opportunity for those who have come to learn what the evening has to offer them regarding their return to the Church. Topics of interest are discussed as well. To close the formal part of the gathering, refreshments are served and time is spent in casual conversation and social interaction.
The two-fold message from the "We Miss You" gathering is:
1) there is no reason why anyone cannot return to the Church
2) there is always room for everyone.
Frequently, the first phase of COME AND SEE, the invitation by a parishioner is all that is needed for a successful outreach. In this case, interested inactive Catholics are encouraged to be reconciled through the sacrament of Penance and then return to full and active participation in the Church. For others who need questions answered or desire more in-depth study are encouraged to attend Phase II, the six-week COME AND SEE series that is offered after Easter.
Phase II of the process begins with PROMINENT bulletin announcements on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Palm Sunday, and Easter Sunday. Announcements ask: "Have you been away from the Church? It’s time to return. Call the parish office for an appointment". Inactive Catholics who respond to this invitation are scheduled to meet with one of the parish pastoral staff ministers to assess individual needs and are invited to participate in the COME AND SEE sessions, when appropriate. Other returning Catholics may need individual counseling in a private setting.
COME AND SEE sessions are a reintroduction to Catholicism today and encourage participants to consistently ask, "What is God saying to me?" These sessions, too, are conducted by formerly inactive Catholics along with parish pastoral staff ministers. The first five sessions include:
COME AND SEE sessions begin about two weeks after Easter and last for six weeks. Its purpose is to give participants an updated understanding of the Catholic faith and provides an orientation to Catholicism for others in the group. Effects on those who participate in COME AND SEE can be described by three essential components of a fully active participating parishioner: inclusion, conversion and formation.
During the years since this program was implemented, key issues have helped to make it successful. These key issues include:
groups of people who are willing to share their personal experiences of having been away from the Church with those who seek to return
involvement of parishioners who initiate the outreach with personal invitations and use prominent advertising in the parish bulletin and beyond
ongoing interaction with those who have inquired about the program
Outcomes:
Although the number of people returning might be small, even one inactive Catholic coming back to the community of faith makes for a successful venture.
Having formerly inactive Catholics facilitate the process helps to deepen Catholicity and spirituality.
Because the COME AND SEE process is formative, those who have attended the sessions will tend to encourage their friends and acquaintances to also try it.
Materials needed:
COME AND SEE Manual which is used to lead this process
(the staff of St Francis of Assisi Parish has authored and designed its contents);
hospitality as needed for each session
Persons to contact at St Francis of Assisi Parish, Ann Arbor:
Reverend James McDougall, Pastor
2150 Frieze Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: 734-769-2550
Deacon Michael Sullivan
2150 Frieze Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: 734-769-2550
Ms Connie Berry
Phone: 734-769-5214
E-mail: berry@nsf.org
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