“Lapsed Catholics,” those who have drifted away from the church for a variety of reasons, are being invited by into the faith by Catholic churches across the nation, including some of those in Kitsap County.
And they’re using, among other things, creative television commercials which began airing on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, and continue through Easter, April 4. The commercials direct viewers to an interactive Web site, CatholicsComeHome.org, or to CatolicosRegresen.org (Spanish Web site) to learn more about the Catholic faith and how easy it is to return to their Catholic family.
The Rev. Derek Lappe, pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Bremerton, said his parish is one of several which will participate “as a Catholic parish that wants to be welcoming and friendly and wants to be a place where people can encounter Jesus Christ. Through prayer, education and outreach we want to help people to come back to the practice of the faith and the encounter with Jesus through the Sacraments.”
Catholics fall away from the church for several reasons, Lappe said. “Some people have been hurt by the Church or her ministers, or have been disappointed by the Church or priests, or even can feel that God has forgotten about them and their needs. Some people have left the Church because they don’t feel like they are ‘being fed’ or that they are getting closer to God in the Church. Some people, because of divorce and remarriage issues, have been embarrassed or felt cut off from their community.”
Some, he said, just seem to wander away and suddenly find themselves in the “lapsed” column.
Lappe said many Catholics, including those at Our Lady Star of the Sea, are hopeful that non-practicing Catholics can rediscover the Catholic faith.
“The Catholics Come Home Campaign, through the TV commercials and advertising, aims to reach out to those who want to come back, but just don’t know how,” he said. “... in the hearts and minds of people, God is always at work, and is drawing them back to Him. In his loving and gentle way he nudges people and keeps calling them back, never giving up on them.”
Catholics Come Home is a lay, not-for-profit Catholic organization which creates and broadcasts media messages extending an invitation to inactive Catholics and others to join the Catholic faith family. “Our invitation is simple,” said president and founder Tom Peterson, “God loves you. We miss you. Welcome home!”
