If you would like to
register as a Parish member please call the rectory at 846-5584 to
request a registration form.
We also offer a special program for Catholics who have lost touch with
the Church under the banner Catholics Can Always Come Home!
How to Help Someone Return
Do you know
someone who has left the Church? Most of us do not have to look very far
to find non-practicing Catholics in our circle of family and friends.
Many of us are concerned about these loved ones; however, we don’t
know how to help them. Obviously, most of them are searching, but how
can we help them find their home?
As baptized,
practicing Catholics, we have a precious gift of faith and love from the
Lord that needs to be shared with our non-practicing brothers and
sisters. First, we need to pray for them. Secondly, we need to extend a
personal invitation to them to come home to the Catholic Church. Most
non-practicing Catholics are waiting for an invitation to return. Many
mistakenly think they are not welcome to return for a variety of
reasons.
Many
non-practicing Catholics carry a tremendous amount of guilt and mis-information
about the Church so they are afraid of approaching the Church for fear
of being rejected. You can make a tremendous difference in someone’s
life simply by reaching out to them and telling them that we miss them
and would like for them to come back home to our Church family.
Here at Sacred
Heart Parish we have a special program to help non-practicing Catholics
to return to the Church called Catholics Can Always Come Home. This
program is led by parishioners who, themselves, have left the Church and
returned. This one hour time together is non-threatening and
non-judgmental. We hold a what-is-said-here-stays-here environment.
Please pass this information on to anyone who might be interested. For
more information, call 846-5301 or 846-5584.
Catholics Can Always Come
Home
No matter how long you
have been away and no matter what reason, we invite you to consider
renewing your relationship with the Catholic Church. Catholics Can
Always Come Home sessions are offered throughout Lent in a
non-threatening, non-judgmental support-group type format. The program
is led by parishioners who themselves have left the church and have
returned. Call
846-5301 or 846-5584.
COME
and TAKE ANOTHER LOOK at the CHURCH:
There are as many
reasons for leaving the Church as there are inactive Catholics. Would
you help us by extending a loving hand and a warm smile to someone you
know that might be inactive, and let them know that we have a wonderful
program? Invite them to come and take another look at the Church. It is
an informal gathering and sharing led by parishioners who themselves
have left the church (former active Catholics) and have returned. The
topics of discussion are determined by the interest and questions of the
participants. Call the Rectory (846-5584) for more information.
Catholics Can Always
Come Home is a program to help people who have been away from the Church
to come back and feel welcomed. It is designed for people who have
left the Church because of past hurt, misunderstandings, or
un-reconciled marriage situations. It is also for adults who have
just drifted away from active participation in the Church and would like
to begin again and may need some information or support.
We encourage you to
invite friends, family or neighbors who might like an invitation to
return.
This is a program that
exists all year long, not just during Lent. For more information, please
contact Jean Bissonnette at 846-5301 or the rectory, 846-5584. For
answers to the most often asked questions, Catholics Can Always Come
Home has a website: www.OnceCatholic.org.