Parish Guide for Implementing Catholics Returning Home Ministry: Outreach to Non-Practicing Catholics

by Sally Mews

Overview

People drift away from the Church for all sorts of reasons, often due to disappointments and hurts related to Church experiences. Jesus, the good Shepherd, models how we as disciples can reach out to our non-practicing brethren and help them return to their faith community.

The Catholics Returning Home ministry guides them along in a kind, compassionate, nonjudgmental manner. It is a time-tested, proven, step-by-step parish-based ministry that does this in a simple, practical manner.

Catholics Returning Home is designed to reach non-practicing Catholics during Christmas, Easter, and in the fall, when most of them are open to an invitation, The outreach publicity, put out during Advent, Lent, and late summer, consists of signs, banners, flyers, brochures, and bulletin articles.

The six-week series is designed to welcome returnees back, help them overcome their difficulties with the Church, facilitate development of trust in the faith community, and then update them on the basics of Catholicism in order to help them reattach and bond. Many become very active and involved with the Catholics Returning Home ministry and other parish activities. They change from completely estranged and detached to relaxed, friendly, and eager to re-join their Catholic faith community.

Parish Guide for Implementing Catholics Returning Home Ministry is the tool you need to start this ministry in your parish.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781942190455
Publisher:	Leonine Publishers
Publication date:	07/30/2018
Pages:	166
Sales rank:	500,032
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.38(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 1

Chapter 1 ~ Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Is Our Model

for Outreach to Non-Practicing Catholics . . . . . 5

Chapter 2 ~ Overview and Key Elements of the

Catholics Returning Home Program . . . . . . .19

Chapter 3 ~ Basic Program Requirements for

Starting Catholics Returning Home . . . . . . . . 39

Chapter 4 ~ Publicity for Outreach . . . . . . . . .55

Chapter 5 ~ Details of Sessions 1 and 2 . . .. . . 79

Chapter 6 ~ Details of Sessions 3-6 . . . . . . . . . . 101

Chapter 7 ~ A Final Word of Encouragement . .. 127

Chapter 8 ~ Program Resources . . . . . . . . 129

Testimonials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Editorial Reviews

CRH provides a friendly and supportive pathway for those desiring to reconnect with their Catholic Faith -- it is a journey of mercy and love.
Mike Humphrys, Evangelisation Brisbane
Archdiocese of Brisbane

I've been very blessed by starting Catholics Returning Home at St. Pius X in Lafayette, Louisiana. For over six years we have offered CRH twice a year and now three times per year, all the while witnessing a beautiful, spiritual transformation in those participating. Just recently I turned over the reins to a fellow facilitator, Phyllis Comeaux, who is very excited.
Souls returning to God and the Church, what a joy witnessing the process. Also have been privileged to help other parishes start their CRH programs by hosting Sally Mews for a Diocese of Lafayette CRH Conference at St. Pius X.
Many Thanks to Sally Mews and the USCCB for presenting and approving CRH!
Ashton J. Mouton Jr.
Minister of Evangelization, Lafayette, Louisiana

Sally's Catholics Returning Home program is a must have in all of our parishes. Easy to implement and life changing for Catholics finding their way back to the Eucharist!
Mike Browning
St. John Apostle & Evangelist Church
Mililani, Hawaii

When I served at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, we used Catholics Returning Home as an instrument of reaching out to our brothers and sisters who had fallen away from the practice of the Catholic faith, and it was very fruitful. God bless Sally Mews for her contribution to the important work of the New Evangelization!
Reverend Ronald T. Kunkel, S.T.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Dogmatic Theology
Mundelein Seminary, Illinois

Sally Mews began outreach to alienated Catholics many years ago, when no one was talking about it. She was an alienated Catholic herself and experienced what they were going through.
For many years, the Church has prayed to find a way to bring former Catholics back to living their faith. Parishes have sought to discover a program they might use to bring these Catholics back home.
It is my impression that parishes offering Catholics Returning Home as Sally describes in her newly revised book Parish Guide for Implementing Catholics Returning Home will bring many back to the Church.
Bishop Roger W. Gries, O.S.B.
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland, Ohio

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