How to convert "lazy" Catholics?

[Charlemagne_II]

Evangelization, like charity, begins at home.

At our parish there are quite a few “occasional” Catholics who come to church for Christmas and Easter, for their wedding or for their funeral, but not much more often than that.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to reach out to these “occasional” Catholics and get them more involved in the life of the Church?

Any literature on the subject that you can point out to me? Thank you so much!

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I think I might start by calling them something other than “lazy.” Demeaning people is not a good way to attract them.

I have heard of parishes offering various celebrations during the year that might serve to draw people back.

How about an annual celebration of baptism where you would invite all the families who had babies baptized during the year to come to a certain Mass followed by a reception. Or a similar Mass and celebration for all the couples married during the year…or the people confirmed during the year…or received into the church…or the families whose children made their First Communion.

Just getting people INTO the church gives you the opportunity to attract them with a vibrant liturgy and friendly community and maybe give them an incentive to come back the following week.

 

[Charlemagne_II]

*How about an annual celebration of baptism where you would invite all the families who had babies baptized during the year to come to a certain Mass followed by a reception. Or a similar Mass and celebration for all the couples married during the year…or the people confirmed during the year…or received into the church…or the families whose children made their First Communion.

Most of those people are already coming to Mass. I’m talking about lazy Catholics … the ones who call themselves Catholics but can’t seem to get it in gear. Why does the word “lazy” offend you when it best describes the kind of Catholics they are?

Do you also object to “cafeteria” as a way to describe certain kinds of Catholics?

C’mon. Give me some real advice … please???*

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

C’mon. Give me some real advice … please???

Sorry, that’s what I thought I had done. Those are the kinds of things I had heard about elsewhere and want to try in my parish to attract inactive Catholics…the kind who have their babies baptized and then disappear until it’s time for First Communion…or the kind who get married in church and then disappear until it’s time to baptize a baby.

Best wishes to you in your efforts.

 

[Highwayhound]

At St. Patrick’s where I attend mass and teach the children have to attend at least two years of classes before going for a sacrament class.

Also, as the teacher of the high school class I have my students assigned to serve one Sunday as an altar server. The experience has been positive for them. I know some of them will stick with it.

Having some events other than mass - a family night, a fundraising auction, prayer service, etc. that will get people into the church would be good. Being willing to go to people’s homes to talk to them would also do some good. Being active in the faith in a public manner is also a way to get people to notice or have a chance to talk to them.

Those are a few of my thoughts.

God bless

 

[Charlemagne_II]

Being willing to go to people’s homes to talk to them would also do some good.

That’s an interesting technique. Have you used it? If so, can you share the type of conversation you would get into? Would you just knock on the door or would you call first and make an appointment? If the latter, how would you explain your reason for wanting to visit? How would you get your foot in the door without getting it slammed on you?

What do you think of sending them some literature about the dire need of Catholics to be supportive and serving in their parish?

Does such literature already exist?

 

[Iamnotafraid]

Evangelization, like charity, begins at home.

At our parish there are quite a few “occasional” Catholics who come to church for Christmas and Easter, for their wedding or for their funeral, but not much more often than that.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to reach out to these “occasional” Catholics and get them more involved in the life of the Church?

Any literature on the subject that you can point out to me? Thank you so much!

The more they know, the better the chance of them deciding that it is not for them. I think you should think long and hard before deciding to start evangelizing and educate the once or twice a year Catholics.

Everyone should think long and hard why the priests don’t remind everyone of their duties and obligations at Xmas and Easter.

If not during the Mass, then after, in the form of a pamphlet, again, educating the once or twice a year Catholics of their duties and of the various activities in their normal lives, in which they may partake or omit, and are considered mortal sins by the Church.

If not the priests, then perhaps the most devout of the Catholics in a particular Parish, should make it their duty to ensure that every once or twice a year Catholic is aware of the fullness of Catholic Truth.

I have a good inkling as to why the Priests don’t take the opportunity to remind the once or twice a year Catholics. I only knew of one priest, who made a point of making a light hearted joke directed at all of the once a year Catholics at Xmas.

For the Church, it would have better had I remained a casual, lazy Catholic. I’d still be on their roles, they’d still be getting my donations and I’d still profess as believing.

I stopped being, lazy, tried to embrace Catholicism and let’s just say, it was exactly that, which lead to my complete departure.

Why do the Priests, Bishops and Popes, not take the opportunity to remind all of the twice a year Catholics of their duties or at least, hand out a handy information pamphlet at the end of the service?

I suspect why, but do you?

What kind of a Church do you want?

A near empty Church filled with devout believers or an occassionaly packed Church filled with Casual Christians?

I think the decision has already been made.

 

[kage_ar]

I choose the real option, a Church that is packed to standing room only for most Masses every single Sunday.

Faith is contagious. A good holy Priest, who is not afraid to preach the truth. People who love being at Mass. 24X7 Adoration.

ASKING people to come back to Mass can be wonderful. Take the time, ask a fallen away Catholic to go to Mass with you. If we all did that, what a better world we would live in!

 

[Charlemagne_II]

iamnotafraid

I stopped being, lazy, tried to embrace Catholicism and let’s just say, it was exactly that, which lead to my complete departure.

Are you saying that trying to be a good Catholic is what persuaded you not to be a Catholic at all? I’m wondering how that could happen … unless the effort was more than you could stand.

No one denies that the Christian life is a strenuous life.

Trying to read between your lines … are you suggesting that confronting the “occasional” Catholic might be dangerous because such a Catholic is just as likely to take a hike as return to the Church?

 

[Iamnotafraid]

Are you saying that trying to be a good Catholic is what persuaded you not to be a Catholic at all?

Not completely, but it was absolutely a huge role in my eventual departure and eventual arrival at unbelief.

If I had not caught the fire of the " Holy Spirit " for about 5 or 6 years, I am fairly certain I would still be one of those lazy twice a year casual Catholics.

 

[Highwayhound]

Being willing to go to people’s homes to talk to them would also do some good.

That’s an interesting technique. Have you used it? If so, can you share the type of conversation you would get into? Would you just knock on the door or would you call first and make an appointment? If the latter, how would you explain your reason for wanting to visit? How would you get your foot in the door without getting it slammed on you?

What do you think of sending them some literature about the dire need of Catholics to be supportive and serving in their parish?

Does such literature already exist?

I guess my situation is different.

First, I go visit people in the local nursing home. Second, when I go out on my bicycle rides (1 to 2 months long) I am often invited into people’s homes.

I have yet to go around the local towns. I do not know of literature specifically for this purpose. Now, when I go to officiate sport games (volleyball, basketball, etc.) I get there early and read either my Bible of an apologetics book. People notice and are curious. They ask questions and this is an opportunity to talk to them about faith.

I do agree with the idea that Catholics need to be supportive and serving in their parish. I know at my parish the parish hall is empty too much. I am thinking up ideas of various activities to host in the hall.

Also, merely by being active in some endeavour, no matter how simple, gives a person a launching pad because when people ask, “What are you up to now?”, the person then has a ready and interesting answer.

What activities do you do, or is this thread a starting point for you and a way to gather information?

God bless

 

[Charlemagne_II]

Highwayhound
*
What activities do you do, or is this thread a starting point for you and a way to gather information?*

Good question.

This thread is a sort of starting point for me. At our parish I don’t know of any particular technique the pastor has endorsed. We put out a quarterly newsletter and the editor said they were looking for a way to use the newsletter to reach the “occasional” Catholics. I suspect those Catholics don’t even open the newsletter (6-8 pages long) if they’re not regularly going to Mass. I’ve thought of writing a one-page appeal of some sort anyway on the chance that several might happen to read it and at least start thinking about whether they should be more active in Church life.

By the way, yesterday (Palm Sunday) the church was nearly full for the first time since Christmas. After Easter I have no doubt it will go back to half full … even less. Apathy seems to be pandemic in America … and not only in the Church. Perhaps the whole culture has been infected with a kind of “lazy” hedonism.

What to do?

 

[PJM]

The more they know, the better the chance of them deciding that it is not for them. I think you should think long and hard before deciding to start evangelizing and educate the once or twice a year Catholics.

Everyone should think long and hard why the priests don’t remind everyone of their duties and obligations at Xmas and Easter.

If not during the Mass, then after, in the form of a pamphlet, again, educating the once or twice a year Catholics of their duties and of the various activities in their normal lives, in which they may partake or omit, and are considered mortal sins by the Church.

If not the priests, then perhaps the most devout of the Catholics in a particular Parish, should make it their duty to ensure that every once or twice a year Catholic is aware of the fullness of Catholic Truth.

I have a good inkling as to why the Priests don’t take the opportunity to remind the once or twice a year Catholics. I only knew of one priest, who made a point of making a light hearted joke directed at all of the once a year Catholics at Xmas.

For the Church, it would have better had I remained a casual, lazy Catholic. I’d still be on their roles, they’d still be getting my donations and I’d still profess as believing.

I stopped being, lazy, tried to embrace Catholicism and let’s just say, it was exactly that, which lead to my complete departure.

Why do the Priests, Bishops and Popes, not take the opportunity to remind all of the twice a year Catholics of their duties or at least, hand out a handy information pamphlet at the end of the service?

I suspect why, but do you?

What kind of a Church do you want?

A near empty Church filled with devout believers or an occassionaly packed Church filled with Casual Christians?

I think the decision has already been made.

Dear friend in Christ,

You raise some very valid points, that have no single, no simple answers.

This is a complex issue, which should I believe be addressed at the Diocesian level.

In fact I think I’ll draft a letter to our Good Bishop asking if he has addressed this issue.

Armed with this information, one might then approach his Pastor (By appointment, not after Mass) and discuss what might be done.

Pray for and expect guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Love and prayers,

 

[St_Francis]

I’d say that the first thing to do is to pray.

One good thing to do would be to find 3 others who think as you do (your pastor or secretary of the parish might be able to hep you there) and form a Legion of Mary group or something similar. One of the things this group does is to create a parish census by going door-to-door. This allows them to find lapsed Catholics and invite them back, and to find people who are interested, find people in need of help, and just to keep touch with the people in the parish. They have a very good system, which means that one doesn’t make mistakes while trying to re-invent the wheel

 

[Charlemagne_II]

StFrancis

That’s an excellent suggestion. I’ll look into it!

 

[Junebug999]

We have to be praying for revival in the hearts of the Easter/Christmas crowd. We need to all be doing the work of the Lord, and that work starts with Prayer, and then when we get up off our knees we need to find something in the parish that needs to be done and help out!!!

It’s the worry and cares of the world (and other things also, sinful things sometimes) that distract people from carrying out God’s work. But if we are not doing our part in God’s work, we have our priorities really messed up. I’ve been there before. I hope I never am there again.