It has been my experience from years working in parish life that the time immediately following the Christmas season is a time when many people desire to return to the Catholic faith. For many, they have a moving experience attending their first Mass in a long time at Christmas. For others it is an experience of the holiness of Advent and the Christmas season. Regardless, we need to be aware of this reality and not only be prepared to welcome those who desire to return to the Church, but to even be proactive in providing an opportunity for those who have this desire on their heart to return to the loving arms of the Church.
The great news is that FORMED is the perfect resource to help us accomplish this due to the rich resources available as well as the flexibility. The first and most important step that I would recommend is to start hosting monthly “Welcome Home” sessions at the parish. Advertise these in the bulletin inviting anyone who is desiring to return to the faith to come. Also, be sure to let your parishioners know about these sessions and encourage them to invite anyone that they might know that has fallen away from the Church to attend.
These sessions can be very simple to run as well. I would recommend that during each session you show a session of Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained. Be sure that you provide a very welcoming environment and be open to any questions or concerns they may have. Also, be sure to give anyone who comes the parish code to access FORMED, then be ready to guide them to any resources on FORMED that may help them with any questions, concerns, or struggles they may be having. I would encourage you to keep running these sessions throughout the year and see what the Holy Spirit can do with the invitation!
