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Returning Home

I used to be Catholic and am Considering Returning to the Church

Why should I come back?  Perhaps you have been away from the church a short while or a long while.  The reason you are asking about coming back is because you’ve come to realize that the things of this world, success, money or material things, do not bring peace and fulfillment.  You’ve been feeling a pull inside you, hearing a little voice beckoning for you to turn back to the Lord and rejoin the Catholic Church.  These are the urgings of the Holy Spirit. We pray that God might provide wisdom and judgment to those considering a return to the Catholic Church and give them the strength to act upon the results of their discernment.

Who should I contact to counsel me about this decision?  Seeking the advice of someone who has walked the path of having a separation and return to the church can be extremely useful in helping in your decision process.  Likewise, a priest, who has counseled many prior Catholics about returning, can be a valuable resource. To discuss with someone about returning to the Catholic Church, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our staff (see Staff page) or contact our Parish Office.  

Where can I find resource materials to help me with this decision? There are wonderful resources available on the internet to counsel you in discerning whether to come home to the Catholic Church:
Catholics Come Home
Five reasons to come home to the Catholic Church
How do I come home?

What do I need to do to come to Mass? Anyone, whether practicing Catholic, inactive Catholic, ex-Catholic, other Christian, or someone not in a church, is welcome to come to Mass.  For those who have been away from the Catholic Church or have not participated in Catholic worship, attending Mass is a very spiritual insight into the Catholic faith.  All are welcome!

What do I need to do to return to the sacraments (receive Holy Communion)?  We should start with the assumption that you have received formation and have received the Sacrament of Penance and Eucharist (Holy Communion).  If not, then sacramental preparation would be needed prior to receiving those sacraments.

Being away from the practice of your Catholic faith would normally mean that to return to the Communion table one would have to go to Confession first.  If a Catholic has re-married outside of the church, this might be an impediment from returning to the sacraments right away.

No matter your situation, attending Mass and participating in other activities at our Parish is recommended.  In many cases, a valid confession would be the only step necessary to begin receiving Holy Communion again.  The best advice would be to schedule an appointment with Fr. Mike to discuss your specific situation or contact our Parish Office.

What do I need to do about marriages occurring after I left the church? If you have married outside the Catholic Church, there are many factors which will determine what will need to happen for you to have your marriage convalidated in the church and be able to return to the reception of the sacraments (such as Holy Communion).  Contact our Parish Office with questions.

None of this stands in the way of attending Mass and participating in worship, discipleship or social opportunities offered by our Parish. 

Because of the many possible scenarios, the best advice would be to schedule an appointment with Fr. Mike to discuss your specific situation or contact our Parish Office.