Major reasons why Catholics are returning to the Church in the USA

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Onedayatatime

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This thread is the other side of "why Catholics are leaving the Church in the USA.

Reasons for Catholics returning might include:
  • New Evangelization efforts are working
  • Inculturation
  • Spirituality
  • More welcoming parishes
  • Other ministries that are engaging lapsed Catholics
  • Hispanic or country specific services and programs
  • Adult Catechisis programs such as Cursillo, Alpha, Renewal etc
Again, would be interested in any other areas that I have missed, and any supporting research to back up your observations.
 
What about “personal tragedy” or “ageing?”

There was an article in the papers a few weeks ago about how older people are more likely to go to Mass than younger because they are more aware of their own mortality. I suppose the same may apply to those who have suddenly lost a relative or had a near-death experience.
 
I almost added “aging” or some other “stressful” experience. But thinking about it that would be a Spiritual renewal, so falls into that category. Some people return to Church for a short time when something bad happens to them, but doesn’t always stick. e.g. 9/11 filled the Churches for a while there, but many did not stay.
 
How about, “Had a religious experience”? or does that fit in under “spirituality”?

God bless
 
  1. Found themselves unfulfilled while away from the Church and so return to be reconciled with the Father as in the Prodigal Son story. ("I will arise and go to my Father … ")
  2. Hunger for the Eucharist … Jesus the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
  3. The Holy Spirit leads them home.
 
Use of more Latin in the Mass.

More emphasis on confession and penance.

Restoration of Catholic identity.
 
I believe it’s spirituality and in their personal quest for the TRUTH that it is in the Catholic church that is originally established by CHRIST himself. Allelulia! Christ is truly risen!!!
 
Why isn’t there an illegal immigration and/or the massive increase in hispanic population in this country, especially the Southwest as an option on the poll? The major life-saver numbers-wise is the Hispanic population in this country, not evangelization or EWTN.
 
Onedayatatime said:
I would put him in the New Evangelization category, even though he was the sandwich between Paul VI and Benedict XVI
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True, the Theology of the Body is meant to be the Gospel preached in the context of the 21st century man. Hopefully TotB gets taught more widely that more people are evangelized by it and come/return to the Church.
 
Why isn’t there an illegal immigration and/or the massive increase in hispanic population in this country, especially the Southwest as an option on the poll? The major life-saver numbers-wise is the Hispanic population in this country, not evangelization or EWTN.
 
gurneyhalleck1 said:
Why isn’t there an illegal immigration and/or the massive increase in hispanic population in this country, especially the Southwest as an option on the poll? The major life-saver numbers-wise is the Hispanic population in this country, not evangelization or EWTN.
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This is very true from the demographics of the Church in the USA, however, my question was more to those who have left and are returning.
 
I became Catholic because of the deeper spirituality and higher level of thinking it provides in comparision to protestantism. Another reason I became Catholic is the rigor that most Christian communities have seem to have forgotten.

So I would say Spirituality
 
I came back to the faith because in the lives of the saints I found very strong examples of what authentic Catholicism could be like and what it could offer.

I saw an inner beauty of such a life as well as an outer beauty. Compared to modernist Churches with distorted stained glass windows and hardly a statue in sight, the beauty of the Church of the past, in all its splendor that it established over the centuries, appealed to me.

Such beauty in the liturgy and all the externals of the faith spoke to me of a symbolism for the inner life. Such a beautiful, profound inner life of LOVE.

I find symbolism to be a very effective tool in the spiritual life, and when I saw all the deep symbolisms that the saints of old were surrounded by, and how that spoke to their deep, intense inner lives, I saw a beauty in the Church I had never seen before in all the sterile modern churches and the empty examples of others.

The Catholic faith is so rich in both spirituality and tradition, and together they form a powerhouse for leading souls to God. Finding this non-watered down version of the Church, both internal and external, brought me back and helps me cope with so much of the watered down versions that I still have to deal with.
 
I came back more out of the famous “Catholic guilt” and a lot of sentimentality I have for the religion honestly. If I had not been a cradle Catholic, there’s little chance I’d be Catholic at this point I think…
 
Redbaron998 said:
I became Catholic because of the deeper spirituality and higher level of thinking it provides in comparision to protestantism. Another reason I became Catholic is the rigor that most Christian communities have seem to have forgotten.

So I would say Spirituality
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Beautiful
 
I’m not sure exactly why but here’s my thoughts as a newly confirmed Catholic:

#1- I found the Church to be very welcoming.

#2- I fouind the Church to be much more “modern” than most people think. By this I mean that the teachings are not outdated, in fact I found that they are exactly what we need right now.

#3- I came to realize that this is the Church that was Started by Jesus himself and passed down over the years to our current Church leadership. IMO, if I was going to become Christian this was the best source.

#4- RCIA. I loved the program that taught me what it meant to be Catholic and to welcome me into the Communty.

#5- Community. I feel that by being Catholic I’m part of a greater thing. It’s not just about my faith, not just about my Church, it’s about the millions and millions of others around the world with the same Faith as me. I can go anywhere in the world an attend church and feel like I belong there. All Catholics in the world are my brothers and sisters in faith.

#5- Tradition. Going back to #3, many, many, many years of experience, theology and tradition. Nobody has a greater knowledge of the Christian Faith than the Catholic Church does, IMO. I may not understand all of the rules and theology but I feel I can trust some of the greatest minds in Christianity who are blessed by God to lead us.

#6- Family. I think the Catholic faith is increadibly centered around the family and I love that.

#7- The richness and depth of the faith and church. I’m convinced now that I can spend the rest of my life studying and not know more than 50% of the total make up of the church and our faith. All of the difference groups involved, prayers, traditions.

These are the things that I find very attractive about the faith.

As to what got me to start looking:

#1- Internet sites like this. Without CA, I probably wouldn’t have looked much further. My wife is a cradle Catholic, so I have to say that was the primary motivation but this site helped me more than anything decide if it was right for me.

#2- Catholic radio. I spend a ton of time in the car driving. Relevant Radio, EWTN and Sirius Catholic Radio have been huge in my conversion as well. I spend a good 15 hrs per week driving, so I get a lot from these sources.

So, I’d say for me that the more modern evangelization on radio and internet were probably the biggest reason.
 
mcrow said:
I’m not sure exactly why but here’s my thoughts as a newly confirmed Catholic:

#1- I found the Church to be very welcoming.

#2- I fouind the Church to be much more “modern” than most people think. By this I mean that the teachings are not outdated, in fact I found that they are exactly what we need right now.

#3- I came to realize that this is the Church that was Started by Jesus himself and passed down over the years to our current Church leadership. IMO, if I was going to become Christian this was the best source.

#4- RCIA. I loved the program that taught me what it meant to be Catholic and to welcome me into the Communty.

#5- Community. I feel that by being Catholic I’m part of a greater thing. It’s not just about my faith, not just about my Church, it’s about the millions and millions of others around the world with the same Faith as me. I can go anywhere in the world an attend church and feel like I belong there. All Catholics in the world are my brothers and sisters in faith.

#5- Tradition. Going back to #3, many, many, many years of experience, theology and tradition. Nobody has a greater knowledge of the Christian Faith than the Catholic Church does, IMO. I may not understand all of the rules and theology but I feel I can trust some of the greatest minds in Christianity who are blessed by God to lead us.

#6- Family. I think the Catholic faith is increadibly centered around the family and I love that.

#7- The richness and depth of the faith and church. I’m convinced now that I can spend the rest of my life studying and not know more than 50% of the total make up of the church and our faith. All of the difference groups involved, prayers, traditions.

These are the things that I find very attractive about the faith.

As to what got me to start looking:

#1- Internet sites like this. Without CA, I probably wouldn’t have looked much further. My wife is a cradle Catholic, so I have to say that was the primary motivation but this site helped me more than anything decide if it was right for me.

#2- Catholic radio. I spend a ton of time in the car driving. Relevant Radio, EWTN and Sirius Catholic Radio have been huge in my conversion as well. I spend a good 15 hrs per week driving, so I get a lot from these sources.

So, I’d say for me that the more modern evangelization on radio and internet were probably the biggest reason.
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Thank you so much for this, so often new Catholics are so much better at articulating the faith and why it’s important. And congratulations and blessings on your journey.
 
I reverted because I was finally exposed to orthodox Catholicism, thanks to Catholic radio. 👍
 
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