How Do I Come Home to the Catholic Church?
You can always come home to the Catholic Church. True, the journey home might be long or difficult, or even painful, or it may be quick and easy, but you can do it. And the Good Lord wants you to come home.
Pause and think for a minute about Christ's parable of the Prodigal son. The young man had walked away from his father, certain that he was doing the right thing by leaving. But eventually, he had a change of heart and made his way back home, tentatively and full of doubts about whether his father would accept him back.
The story has a happy ending. Not only did the father welcome his son home again, he threw a party in celebration of the event! You can be sure that the angels and the saints in heaven (not to mention more than a few of the saints here on earth) will rejoice on that happy day when you come home to the Catholic Church.
This section will provide you with some helpful resources to assist you with coming home. Whether it's finding out where and when you can go to confession or Mass, or how to resolve other issues, you should be able to find it here. And, as ever, if you have questions or need information that isn't covered here, you can ask a caring catholic here.
Parish Finder and Mass Times
Okay. So you want to take the next step and start going to Mass. Great! But you'll want to know where all the local Catholic parishes are in your area. So check out the online Parish Finder You can search by area code, zip code, or city.
Many parishes offer a program for Catholics who have been away from the Church and are discerning a possible return. If you call a parish, ask if they have such a program. In addition, the parish staff will be willing to set up an appointment to meet with you to assist you in your discernment in any way they can
If the parish you call does not have a "Coming Home Director", ask for their "RCIA coordinator" who will be happy to help you, without any pressure or obligation.
Parish Finder can also help you get back into the very good habit of going to Mass regularly. With the Parish Finder, you can pinpoint the exact scheduled time for any Mass (and confessions) at just about any Catholic parish in the entire world!
Catholic Scripture Study
St. Jerome, one of the Church's most brilliant Scripture scholars once remarked that “ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Well, there's no need for anyone these days to be ignorant of either! The problem for some people, though, is where to start their study of the Bible? While there are a myriad of options out there, and not all of them are trustworthy and solidly rooted in the 2000-year tradition of the Catholic Church's biblical teachings.
The good news is, if you'll forgive the pun, there are some truly excellent Bible-study programs out there for Catholics. One that we recommend especially for those who are just getting started in their study of God's written Word is Catholic Scripture Study (CSS).
Their web site explains that CSS “is ideal for any parish or group looking for an inspiring Bible study that is completely faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
The study commentaries are written by leading Scripture scholars and authors, and each study contains references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, papal encyclicals, and writings of the early Church Fathers and the saints. Additional resources are available to study leaders and students on the CSS Program Web site, including an Ask the Author forum, as well as maps, pictures, and articles. . .” (read more)
Read the Catechism!
This one's a no-brainer. You want to know what the Catholic Church really teaches? (As opposed to what some people will say it teaches.) Then go straight to the source. The online Catechism of the Catholic Church will provide you with all the straight answers to your questions about what the Catholic Church teaches and why. Check it out!
Testimonial Videos
Teaching Videos
Resolving Other Issues:
Marriage, Divorce and Annulments
This section of Catholics Come Home will guide you to many resources that will help answer your questions, give you practical and specific things you can do to improve your marriage, and resolve marriage-related issues that may be standing in the way of (or which you may think are standing in the way of) your coming home to a full and vibrant marriage.
Morality and Ethics
Answers to your questions about contraception, abortion, homosexuality, and other issues of ethics and morality.
