Catholics Come Home: Part 5

Today I continue the “Catholics Come Home” series which began a few days ago. Today the evangelization suggestions focus around parish life…

10. Your parish
It’s important to support and build up your parish home. It is to your parish that you will be inviting people. Just as you would prepare your home if you had people coming over to visit, you should help make your parish a vibrant and welcoming place.

“As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another“ – John 13:34-35

Serve your parish in whatever way you think appropriate. I’d invite you to get creative! Think about what you love and then consider how this could this be used for the glory of God and for drawing people to Jesus and His Church. For example, do you love board games? Organize a board game night!

11. Your priest
Priests have a tough job, needing expertise in many different areas. Support your priest where you can, thanking and encouraging him whenever possible.

12. Welcome visitors
The importance of welcoming people to the parish cannot be stressed enough. It is the first impression someone will have of your parish. It is not just the responsibility of those parishioners specifically assigned to this ministry; it is the responsibility of every member of the parish.

13. Get connected
People often return to the Church in order to get married or to have a child baptized. Make the most of such moments and connect them into the life of the parish. The same goes for those who attend Church only two or three times a year (Christmas, Easter, Ash Wednesday). The parish should be ready to make the most out of these opportunities, to help draw these occasional parishioners into parish life more deeply.

14. Be attentive at crucial moments
There are certain points in someone’s life when they are in more likely to slip away from the Faith: after Confirmation, going to University, first job, moving to a new town, unemployment, an illness or the death of a loved one. Be especially attentive to the needs of your brothers and sisters in Christ at these moments. It is extremely helpful if the parish and diocese have programmes and ministries to support people at these transitionary and testing periods of life.

15. Be attentive
Keep your eyes open for those who are feeling disconnected and drifting away. It is far easier to stop them leaving than to try and bring them back once they’ve left.

16. Seek out the lost
Sometimes we miss the signs and people just slip away. Help draw them back. If you haven’t seen someone in a while, give them a call. Let them know they are missed.

17. Support the weak
Become a Barnabas for those who are weak in faith. Don’t be stingy with words of encouragement!

The final round of suggestions will be tomorrow…

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

The article Catholics Come Home: Part 5 first appeared on RestlessPilgrim.net