The Power of a Sticky Church
Catholics Come Home initiated a national campaign to invite inactive Catholics to return for Christmas. This is already a high volume time for guests and returnees to our parishes. So what do we do when they show up? How do we welcome and engage Catholics when they return? How do we make it stick this time? And what about those who are already returning throughout the year? We need a sticky church.
The reasons for leaving that are given by former Catholics are many and varied. One of the few constants in most of these accounts is that their absence went largely unnoticed. As a result, most Catholics who return do so quietly throughout the year. Occasionally Catholics visit a church website incognito. Some may read our blog and become curious. They can show up on such holidays as Christmas. They can attend a wedding, funeral or baptism. They can view us on Youtube or listen to a homily podcast online (if we have one). We have plenty of opportunities to re-engage these curious Catholics. Some basic strategies include:
Thriving parishes know how to make the experience sticky when people return. These parishes:
Make Holy Days Sticky- Returnees often show up at milestone moments – holidays, weddings, births, sickness and death. These moments also draw friends and extended family to the church. Many of those who come to baptisms, weddings and funerals are returning. Some return for a visit on holy days, like the ‘Ash and Dash’ Catholics who show up on Ash Wednesday. The real question: Are we ready to welcome and engage those who return? Do we have someone or some way to welcome people when they arrive? Why not place a Welcome card in the pews for Advent? Does the parish have a host on hand to greet people who come to celebrate a family milestone. Outreach publishes very attractive holiday gift booklets for visitors. One of these is entitled, “Christmas Begins with Christ” (a copy is available for review by calling 716-847-5531). These booklet can be personalized for your church and they cost as little as $1.59 each. The booklets can be obtained online or by calling 800-991-6011. Why not organize a welcome brunch a couple of weeks after a holiday event. Since it is usually too hectic on the holiday, just obtain the name and contact information for newcomers. You can invite them back when things settle down and your schedule clears.
Make the First Seven Minutes Stick – All that websites and invitations do is bring a person to the door. What happens when they cross the threshold? The first impression (seven minutes) is critical. Are visitors greeted at the door with a smile? Are guests treated with respect and the same hospitality that is customary for a guest at our own home – refreshments, introductions, comfortable seating? And what about the last seven minutes - Do we reconnect with newcomers before they leave to see if they enjoyed themselves? Do we offer an explanation of what else is available to them? It may also be interesting to evaluate the impression that visitor forms as they approach your location – Was the parish easy to find? Are there signs at nearby intersections with directions? Are the buildings well marked? Are worship times clearly posted? Are the grounds well-maintained and interiors well lit? Many of these experiences set the tone for visitors.
Make a Surprise Visit Sticky – How we respond to a person when they just show up can attract or repel them. The three F’s of surprise visits are - Be fast. Be friendly. Be functional. Do not delay a newcomer when they are leaving. Express gratitude for the visit, obtain some contact information and let a visitor go. On holy days you can use the gift booklets mentioned above but some parishes give out a copy of Rediscovering Catholicism by Matthew Kelly to newcomers that visit throughout the year as a token of gratitude for the visit. This inspirational book has a modest $3 price tag and creates an inexpensive opportunity to obtain contact information and conclude a first impression on a positive note.
Some parishes have a visitor center set up with simple refreshments and informational materials. This is a casual setting for newcomers and returnees to meet other parishioners or the pastor and perhaps share the reason that brought them to church or what they desire for the future. Within 24 hours of a surprise visit, the visitor will likely have forgotten about it and be back into the routine of life. It is important that they hear from your parish within 36 hours with a word of thanks for the visit and an invitation to return. Even a simple email can work, if it has a link to a survey that inquires about what the visitor noticed first, what they liked best and how the parish might pray or help them in the future. The survey should allow a guest the option of providing their name and email. This can be the first step toward a relationship of trust.
Parishes that really want to impress a visitor will deliver an invitation to attend a church event within one week of the visit. The message is simple: Thank you for coming…, we hope that you found our church to be welcoming, relevant and enjoyable…, there are a lot of great things coming up that may interest you…, in the meantime, we will pray for you. We look forward to seeing you soon… Consider including a cd from a recent talk at your church (e.g. living well, relieving stress, or time management).
Make Your Welcome Stick – Is your community as welcoming inside the church as it seems outside the church? Many parishes are unaware of how many people drift in and drift out after weeks of feeling invisible. A story is told that one newcomer went so far as to sit in the front seat wearing a conspicuous hat all through Mass. The hat was so distracting to people that the priest sent an altar server down to ask the person to take it off. The altar server discreetly whispered the request to which the newcomer shouted out loud. Thank God, I’ve been coming every week for six months and it took this hat to get someone to notice me. Some feel neglected or excluded from church simply because they cannot enter the building, or they feel invisible when they do.
One way to know how welcoming is your parish is to ask a person with disabilities. There are guidelines on worship space accessibility available from the Diocese. Can everyone use the bathrooms and hear what is happening in Mass? Is there ample parking for people with disabilities? Can a person with disabilities navigate through the front door without encountering obstacles? Are greeters equipped to welcome people with disabilities? Are there pew cuts up front for those who are in wheelchairs? Are people with disabilities encouraged to serve on the altar – distribute communion, proclaim the Word or bear gifts? Are newcomers sought out to bring up the gifts? Are there accessibility signs evident? Is there a welcome notice in the bulletin or worship aide that lists accessible features and supports that are available in the building? Identify an advocate in the parish for people with disabilities. A parish can survey parishioner needs or find group homes in the area and invite residents to Mass and other parish events. Consider all the resources that are available through the Diocesan Disabilities Action Team.
Offer Sticky Blessings – Parishes report great success when they celebrate life milestones. This can be done with a simple act of blessing. Why not offer a blessing at Mass on a quarterly basis for people who suffer with chronic health problems or face surgery? Announce these blessing Masses at least three weeks in advance to allow parishioners to invite their family and friends. Think about the other milestone moments in people’s lives. Bless the backpacks for students who start back to school. Bless those who have a new driver's license. Bless players at beginning of a sport season. Bless those in service to the community as first responders. Offer a blessing for those in distressed relationships. Bless vacationers before summer or significant holidays. And of course do not forget to offer a blessing for those who are struggling with God or the Church. Blessings can be offered either during Mass or immediately afterward. Some parishes offer additional support at the time of a blessing either in the form of information packet or the availability of a parish staff member as appropriate.
Make Compassion Stick – Many of those who leave the Church express the perception Catholics are better at praying than caring. Upon returning, they are overjoyed for the chance to practice concrete acts of compassion. Why not sponsor a neighborhood clean-up or winter clothing drive? Compassionate outreach can reap great dividends in terms of the parish’s public image. Younger people are especially captivated by a church that lives out the Gospel in such conspicuous acts of concern. St. Joseph University Parish in Buffalo is committed once a month to staff a local Habitat for Humanity project. Members of these work teams have discovered that swinging hammers with people is an ideal setting to become reacquainted and discuss life and faith concerns. This is the second year that St. Christopher Church, Tonawanda will be sending a team on Mission Nicaragua as part of a larger parish commitment to the poor in Nicaragua. Their team spends a week of cultural learning about the life and faith of people in a small community there. In stage two the team spends the entire time working on a project side by side with local people.
Make Companionship Sticky – One of the biggest reasons for the popularity of fast growing churches is that they assign newcomers with an intentional friend or spiritual companion from the community who stays in touch with them and helps them navigate the parish services, make a contribution and feel comfort and belonging. This makes their first experience of church sticky. There are some instances of spiritual companionship already in some parishes. People are given sponsors when entering the church through the catechumenate, in confirmation programs, and when preparing people for marriage. Other churches have a Stephen Ministry for those facing crisis, or groups that knit prayer shawls for those who have experienced illness or tragic loss. But people seek spiritual companions at many moments in their lives - in response to changes in employment, confronting loss, the struggles of adolescence, negative health diagnosis, financial crisis, etc. This emerging ministry can help a parish that is struggling to adjust to declining availability of priests and vowed religious.
Companions for Couples - St. Joseph University Parish is getting more proactive in the service of couples as they prepare for marriage. The parish sees itself as a resource to couples even before they set a date. In addition to the pre-marriage inventory and classes, couples who approach the church for marriage are provided with a mentor couple who invites them over for dinner and offers themselves as spiritual friends to the betrothed couple before, during and after the event.
Companions on the Phone - Catholic Charities organizes and equips volunteers for phone visitation. The goal of such calls is to eliminate some of the concerns facing those who live alone in the community, allowing them to remain independent. While these calls start simple and superficial, it is amazing how quickly a relationship can develop over the phone.
Companions in Healing - St. Joseph, Fredonia responded to the spiritual needs of women facing serious illness and their caretakers with a retreat. Some parishes have a Stephen Ministry with well organized, highly motivated and well supervised caregivers who assist the pastor in providing personal attention for parishioners who are in crisis. But what about the less noticeable highs and lows and daily struggles of our lives? People provide spiritual support for one another informally in many trusting relationships.
Companions for Youth – Some of the most vibrant youth ministry programs are built around pairing adult sponsors with interested youth. Research confirms that one of the most effective actions that a parish can do in confirming the faith of a young person is by creating a circle of care (at least five adults) for each young person. Spiritual companionship can be especially relevant today as a way of encouraging the faith of Millennials who are skeptical about church doctrines. Some colleges are investing significant resources in spiritual direction with noticeable results in terms of vocational discernment. Notable among these is St. Mary Catholic Center at Texas A&M (http://www.aggiecatholic.org/index.cfm?load=page&page=209), Notre Dame and Boston College (http://www.bc.edu/offices/ministry/faithcommunities/spiritualdirection.html) .
Some Do’s and Don’t’s for Spiritual Companions - Spiritual companions allow another person to grow in relationship with God and gain a greater sense of purpose for life. Companions encourage one another through compassionate listening which allows each partner to explore the spiritual significance of life and answer the essential questions: Am I satisfied with life? What about my relationship with God? How can I love God’s people? What is God’s will? What changes are needed in my life?
The best spiritual companions are humble, curious, trusting and patient people. They acknowledge that God makes faith grow and they allow God to bring people to a change of heart. Spiritual companions see their ministry as providing opportunities for that mystery to happen. Some parishes in this diocese offer spiritual direction to people who express the desire for it. These people can be reached through the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Diocese of Buffalo. An ecumenical approach to spiritual companionship is also described at www.stephenministries.org.
Gather in Sticky Places - At a recent study day on small church communities, Brother Robert Moriarty suggested parishes need to become more relational and reflective. One of the ways we can do this is by going off site. Quest, Lifetree Café and Theology on Tap are models for churches that want to provide a sticky experience of church in small groups. The Diocese of Des Moines is also completing a four part process “On a Journey Together” which invites people to participate in a small group faith sharing opportunities at home. The topics include: developing a relationship with Jesus, what it means to be Christian, living in Christ with the Church, living as Christ in the world. The materials are available in Arabic, English, Hmong, Spanish, and Vietnamese. The prayer services are available and you can obtain a review copy from the Office of Parish Life.
Small groups are sticky when they support people in their effort to examine life through the lens of faith. These casual conversations can be hosted simply with a topic, speaker and a host with refreshments. The topics can include illness, finances, vocational decisions, changing expectations in relationships, etc. The stickiness comes from the mix of food, folks, fun and faith in a friendly and respectful setting. Consider Alpha for Catholics as a resource for exploring meaning in life. or Faith Path: Helping Friends Find Their Way to Christby Mark Mittleberg (an eight session dvd study).
The reasons for leaving that are given by former Catholics are many and varied. One of the few constants in most of these accounts is that their absence went largely unnoticed. As a result, most Catholics who return do so quietly throughout the year. Occasionally Catholics visit a church website incognito. Some may read our blog and become curious. They can show up on such holidays as Christmas. They can attend a wedding, funeral or baptism. They can view us on Youtube or listen to a homily podcast online (if we have one). We have plenty of opportunities to re-engage these curious Catholics. Some basic strategies include:
- Equip the congregation for everyday evangelization and as ministers of hospitality
- Train the office receptionist and event greeters on the importance of a smile, extending words of welcome and ways to extend simple hospitality to visitors
- Host occasional receptions for newcomers
- Create a visitor center at the entrance to church with a guest book, simple refreshments and informational materials about the parish
- Conduct census outreach through phone, email or home visitation
- Get to know people and personally invite them to participate in a parish ministry
Thriving parishes know how to make the experience sticky when people return. These parishes:
Make Holy Days Sticky- Returnees often show up at milestone moments – holidays, weddings, births, sickness and death. These moments also draw friends and extended family to the church. Many of those who come to baptisms, weddings and funerals are returning. Some return for a visit on holy days, like the ‘Ash and Dash’ Catholics who show up on Ash Wednesday. The real question: Are we ready to welcome and engage those who return? Do we have someone or some way to welcome people when they arrive? Why not place a Welcome card in the pews for Advent? Does the parish have a host on hand to greet people who come to celebrate a family milestone. Outreach publishes very attractive holiday gift booklets for visitors. One of these is entitled, “Christmas Begins with Christ” (a copy is available for review by calling 716-847-5531). These booklet can be personalized for your church and they cost as little as $1.59 each. The booklets can be obtained online or by calling 800-991-6011. Why not organize a welcome brunch a couple of weeks after a holiday event. Since it is usually too hectic on the holiday, just obtain the name and contact information for newcomers. You can invite them back when things settle down and your schedule clears.
Make the First Seven Minutes Stick – All that websites and invitations do is bring a person to the door. What happens when they cross the threshold? The first impression (seven minutes) is critical. Are visitors greeted at the door with a smile? Are guests treated with respect and the same hospitality that is customary for a guest at our own home – refreshments, introductions, comfortable seating? And what about the last seven minutes - Do we reconnect with newcomers before they leave to see if they enjoyed themselves? Do we offer an explanation of what else is available to them? It may also be interesting to evaluate the impression that visitor forms as they approach your location – Was the parish easy to find? Are there signs at nearby intersections with directions? Are the buildings well marked? Are worship times clearly posted? Are the grounds well-maintained and interiors well lit? Many of these experiences set the tone for visitors.
Make a Surprise Visit Sticky – How we respond to a person when they just show up can attract or repel them. The three F’s of surprise visits are - Be fast. Be friendly. Be functional. Do not delay a newcomer when they are leaving. Express gratitude for the visit, obtain some contact information and let a visitor go. On holy days you can use the gift booklets mentioned above but some parishes give out a copy of Rediscovering Catholicism by Matthew Kelly to newcomers that visit throughout the year as a token of gratitude for the visit. This inspirational book has a modest $3 price tag and creates an inexpensive opportunity to obtain contact information and conclude a first impression on a positive note.
Some parishes have a visitor center set up with simple refreshments and informational materials. This is a casual setting for newcomers and returnees to meet other parishioners or the pastor and perhaps share the reason that brought them to church or what they desire for the future. Within 24 hours of a surprise visit, the visitor will likely have forgotten about it and be back into the routine of life. It is important that they hear from your parish within 36 hours with a word of thanks for the visit and an invitation to return. Even a simple email can work, if it has a link to a survey that inquires about what the visitor noticed first, what they liked best and how the parish might pray or help them in the future. The survey should allow a guest the option of providing their name and email. This can be the first step toward a relationship of trust.
Parishes that really want to impress a visitor will deliver an invitation to attend a church event within one week of the visit. The message is simple: Thank you for coming…, we hope that you found our church to be welcoming, relevant and enjoyable…, there are a lot of great things coming up that may interest you…, in the meantime, we will pray for you. We look forward to seeing you soon… Consider including a cd from a recent talk at your church (e.g. living well, relieving stress, or time management).
Make Your Welcome Stick – Is your community as welcoming inside the church as it seems outside the church? Many parishes are unaware of how many people drift in and drift out after weeks of feeling invisible. A story is told that one newcomer went so far as to sit in the front seat wearing a conspicuous hat all through Mass. The hat was so distracting to people that the priest sent an altar server down to ask the person to take it off. The altar server discreetly whispered the request to which the newcomer shouted out loud. Thank God, I’ve been coming every week for six months and it took this hat to get someone to notice me. Some feel neglected or excluded from church simply because they cannot enter the building, or they feel invisible when they do.
One way to know how welcoming is your parish is to ask a person with disabilities. There are guidelines on worship space accessibility available from the Diocese. Can everyone use the bathrooms and hear what is happening in Mass? Is there ample parking for people with disabilities? Can a person with disabilities navigate through the front door without encountering obstacles? Are greeters equipped to welcome people with disabilities? Are there pew cuts up front for those who are in wheelchairs? Are people with disabilities encouraged to serve on the altar – distribute communion, proclaim the Word or bear gifts? Are newcomers sought out to bring up the gifts? Are there accessibility signs evident? Is there a welcome notice in the bulletin or worship aide that lists accessible features and supports that are available in the building? Identify an advocate in the parish for people with disabilities. A parish can survey parishioner needs or find group homes in the area and invite residents to Mass and other parish events. Consider all the resources that are available through the Diocesan Disabilities Action Team.
Offer Sticky Blessings – Parishes report great success when they celebrate life milestones. This can be done with a simple act of blessing. Why not offer a blessing at Mass on a quarterly basis for people who suffer with chronic health problems or face surgery? Announce these blessing Masses at least three weeks in advance to allow parishioners to invite their family and friends. Think about the other milestone moments in people’s lives. Bless the backpacks for students who start back to school. Bless those who have a new driver's license. Bless players at beginning of a sport season. Bless those in service to the community as first responders. Offer a blessing for those in distressed relationships. Bless vacationers before summer or significant holidays. And of course do not forget to offer a blessing for those who are struggling with God or the Church. Blessings can be offered either during Mass or immediately afterward. Some parishes offer additional support at the time of a blessing either in the form of information packet or the availability of a parish staff member as appropriate.
Make Compassion Stick – Many of those who leave the Church express the perception Catholics are better at praying than caring. Upon returning, they are overjoyed for the chance to practice concrete acts of compassion. Why not sponsor a neighborhood clean-up or winter clothing drive? Compassionate outreach can reap great dividends in terms of the parish’s public image. Younger people are especially captivated by a church that lives out the Gospel in such conspicuous acts of concern. St. Joseph University Parish in Buffalo is committed once a month to staff a local Habitat for Humanity project. Members of these work teams have discovered that swinging hammers with people is an ideal setting to become reacquainted and discuss life and faith concerns. This is the second year that St. Christopher Church, Tonawanda will be sending a team on Mission Nicaragua as part of a larger parish commitment to the poor in Nicaragua. Their team spends a week of cultural learning about the life and faith of people in a small community there. In stage two the team spends the entire time working on a project side by side with local people.
Make Companionship Sticky – One of the biggest reasons for the popularity of fast growing churches is that they assign newcomers with an intentional friend or spiritual companion from the community who stays in touch with them and helps them navigate the parish services, make a contribution and feel comfort and belonging. This makes their first experience of church sticky. There are some instances of spiritual companionship already in some parishes. People are given sponsors when entering the church through the catechumenate, in confirmation programs, and when preparing people for marriage. Other churches have a Stephen Ministry for those facing crisis, or groups that knit prayer shawls for those who have experienced illness or tragic loss. But people seek spiritual companions at many moments in their lives - in response to changes in employment, confronting loss, the struggles of adolescence, negative health diagnosis, financial crisis, etc. This emerging ministry can help a parish that is struggling to adjust to declining availability of priests and vowed religious.
Companions for Couples - St. Joseph University Parish is getting more proactive in the service of couples as they prepare for marriage. The parish sees itself as a resource to couples even before they set a date. In addition to the pre-marriage inventory and classes, couples who approach the church for marriage are provided with a mentor couple who invites them over for dinner and offers themselves as spiritual friends to the betrothed couple before, during and after the event.
Companions on the Phone - Catholic Charities organizes and equips volunteers for phone visitation. The goal of such calls is to eliminate some of the concerns facing those who live alone in the community, allowing them to remain independent. While these calls start simple and superficial, it is amazing how quickly a relationship can develop over the phone.
Companions in Healing - St. Joseph, Fredonia responded to the spiritual needs of women facing serious illness and their caretakers with a retreat. Some parishes have a Stephen Ministry with well organized, highly motivated and well supervised caregivers who assist the pastor in providing personal attention for parishioners who are in crisis. But what about the less noticeable highs and lows and daily struggles of our lives? People provide spiritual support for one another informally in many trusting relationships.
Companions for Youth – Some of the most vibrant youth ministry programs are built around pairing adult sponsors with interested youth. Research confirms that one of the most effective actions that a parish can do in confirming the faith of a young person is by creating a circle of care (at least five adults) for each young person. Spiritual companionship can be especially relevant today as a way of encouraging the faith of Millennials who are skeptical about church doctrines. Some colleges are investing significant resources in spiritual direction with noticeable results in terms of vocational discernment. Notable among these is St. Mary Catholic Center at Texas A&M (http://www.aggiecatholic.org/index.cfm?load=page&page=209), Notre Dame and Boston College (http://www.bc.edu/offices/ministry/faithcommunities/spiritualdirection.html) .
Some Do’s and Don’t’s for Spiritual Companions - Spiritual companions allow another person to grow in relationship with God and gain a greater sense of purpose for life. Companions encourage one another through compassionate listening which allows each partner to explore the spiritual significance of life and answer the essential questions: Am I satisfied with life? What about my relationship with God? How can I love God’s people? What is God’s will? What changes are needed in my life?
The best spiritual companions are humble, curious, trusting and patient people. They acknowledge that God makes faith grow and they allow God to bring people to a change of heart. Spiritual companions see their ministry as providing opportunities for that mystery to happen. Some parishes in this diocese offer spiritual direction to people who express the desire for it. These people can be reached through the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Diocese of Buffalo. An ecumenical approach to spiritual companionship is also described at www.stephenministries.org.
Gather in Sticky Places - At a recent study day on small church communities, Brother Robert Moriarty suggested parishes need to become more relational and reflective. One of the ways we can do this is by going off site. Quest, Lifetree Café and Theology on Tap are models for churches that want to provide a sticky experience of church in small groups. The Diocese of Des Moines is also completing a four part process “On a Journey Together” which invites people to participate in a small group faith sharing opportunities at home. The topics include: developing a relationship with Jesus, what it means to be Christian, living in Christ with the Church, living as Christ in the world. The materials are available in Arabic, English, Hmong, Spanish, and Vietnamese. The prayer services are available and you can obtain a review copy from the Office of Parish Life.
Small groups are sticky when they support people in their effort to examine life through the lens of faith. These casual conversations can be hosted simply with a topic, speaker and a host with refreshments. The topics can include illness, finances, vocational decisions, changing expectations in relationships, etc. The stickiness comes from the mix of food, folks, fun and faith in a friendly and respectful setting. Consider Alpha for Catholics as a resource for exploring meaning in life. or Faith Path: Helping Friends Find Their Way to Christby Mark Mittleberg (an eight session dvd study).
More Sticky Strategies:
Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests into Fully-Engaged Members of Your Church by Nelson Searcy with Jennifer Dykes Henson describe an intentional and structured program to connect, assimilate and engage newcomers.
A Faith of Their Own: Stability and Change in the Religiosity of America's Adolescents by Lisa D. Pearce and Melinda Lundquist Denton explain the complexities and contours of the faith of emerging adults. The authors describe the spiritual longings of younger returnees with the types – abiders, adapters, assenters or avoiders. Knowing these needs is vital for creating a sticky experience of church.
When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics (Melanie Rigney and Anna M. Lanave, Twenty-Third Publ 2009)
When Someone You Love Leaves the Church (Lorene Hanley Duquin, Our Sunday Visitor, 2001)
Faith Rediscovered: Coming Home to Catholicism by Lawrence S. Cunningham (Paulist Press, 2011)
Christian Hospitality (Archdiocese of Louisville, KY, 2010)
Returning Home to Your Catholic Faith: An Invitation by Sally Mews (Liguori Publications)
While You Were Gone: A Handbook for Returning Catholics by William J. Bausch (Twenty-Third Publications, 2007)
A Time to Listen . . . A Time to Heal, A Resource Directory for Reaching out to Inactive Catholics No. 5-306 (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 800-235-8722, www.usccb.org)
Jump Start: Evangelization Starter Kit (Paulist Evangelization Ministries)
Awakening Faith (a six-week, 90 minute session program published by Paulists Evangelization Ministries) is designed to invite both inactive and even active Catholics "to feel something about their faith again"
Catholics Continuing the Journey (a faith-sharing program for small groups) by Sally Mews, is a six week, two-hour session for those who have recently returned to the Church and for others who are seeking to renew and strengthen their faith
Inviting Catholics Home by Sally Mews (a six-week session) is aimed at helping Catholics return to Church
These publications are available for review through the Office of Parish Life (847-5531).
A Faith of Their Own: Stability and Change in the Religiosity of America's Adolescents by Lisa D. Pearce and Melinda Lundquist Denton explain the complexities and contours of the faith of emerging adults. The authors describe the spiritual longings of younger returnees with the types – abiders, adapters, assenters or avoiders. Knowing these needs is vital for creating a sticky experience of church.
When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics (Melanie Rigney and Anna M. Lanave, Twenty-Third Publ 2009)
When Someone You Love Leaves the Church (Lorene Hanley Duquin, Our Sunday Visitor, 2001)
Faith Rediscovered: Coming Home to Catholicism by Lawrence S. Cunningham (Paulist Press, 2011)
Christian Hospitality (Archdiocese of Louisville, KY, 2010)
Returning Home to Your Catholic Faith: An Invitation by Sally Mews (Liguori Publications)
While You Were Gone: A Handbook for Returning Catholics by William J. Bausch (Twenty-Third Publications, 2007)
A Time to Listen . . . A Time to Heal, A Resource Directory for Reaching out to Inactive Catholics No. 5-306 (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 800-235-8722, www.usccb.org)
Jump Start: Evangelization Starter Kit (Paulist Evangelization Ministries)
Awakening Faith (a six-week, 90 minute session program published by Paulists Evangelization Ministries) is designed to invite both inactive and even active Catholics "to feel something about their faith again"
Catholics Continuing the Journey (a faith-sharing program for small groups) by Sally Mews, is a six week, two-hour session for those who have recently returned to the Church and for others who are seeking to renew and strengthen their faith
Inviting Catholics Home by Sally Mews (a six-week session) is aimed at helping Catholics return to Church
These publications are available for review through the Office of Parish Life (847-5531).
Sticky Church, vitality, evangelization, new evangelization, parish, Catholic, renewal, innovation, pastoral planning, faith formation, young adults, Millennials, Mosaics