CV NEWS FEED // Catholic bishops with the National Eucharistic Revival have published resources for inviting Catholics who stopped going to Mass to come back to church.
“A 2022 CARA study showed a 7% decline in Sunday Mass attendance compared with pre-COVID data,” the National Eucharistic Revival’s landing page said. “This significant portion of Catholics lost connection with their local parish during the shutdowns, and just never came back.”
The National Eucharistic Revival’s “Invite One Back Initiative” offers practical ways to reach out to parishioners who have stopped attending Mass. The Revival is a multi-year initiative that is promoting devotion to the Eucharist, especially through the National Eucharistic Congress set for July in Indianapolis, Indiana. Because this year has been designated the “Year of Parish Revival,” the Invite One Back Initiative aims at inviting Catholics back into parish life to encounter Jesus Christ and “experience God’s love, mercy, and goodness.”
“To do that, we all need to invite back everyone who has left in a way that makes sure they feel seen and desired as an individual member of your parish family,” the Initiative’s webpage said. “Whom are you called to invite home?”
The landing page offers training webinars and tips for inviting these Catholics to return.
- One recommendation is to hand-write a letter or a postcard inviting a lapsed parishioner to return to Mass, using one of the suggested templates on the website.
- Another recommendation is to give the parishioner a phone call. The landing page offers “call scripts” that can be a starting point or inspiration for the calls. The Initiative suggests callers give the person who used to come to Mass a chance to speak and follow up with the person after the call. It’s all wise to avoid projecting judgment and instead “assume the best.”
- The Initiative also encourages Catholics to pray in intercession for the success of the invitations, especially through a designated team of prayer warriors.
- The Initiative added that every parish community is unique. Personalized outreach is important.
- Finally, the Initiative encouraged Catholics to choose the methods of communication that they believe will be the most personal and effective for the people they serve.
“If you feel inspired to ‘invite one back’ in a different way, that works too! There is plenty of room for creativity in this campaign,” the Initiative’s webpage said. “Know that we are praying for you on this journey.”
