Bringing Back Fallen-Away Catholics To The Church

It is well known that the church is losing its youth and young adults in massive numbers. Many of these students leave church shortly after they “graduate” CCD (receive the Sacrament of Confirmation), and mistakenly perceive such as a finish line in their journey, and not a starting point.

I think we can get them back. This post details one such strategy.

It Starts Now

But if you want to reach those lost congregants of your parish, the time to start is now.

This post is especially relevant for those who are you are in youth group ministry, but it can very well apply to pastors, and those looking to get involved with lay ministry.

But I insist, the time to start is right now. (This is posted in the first week of Lent).

Step 1: Organized Prayer

The first act of outreach, as it always should be, is Prayer.

Studying the beginnings of all major revivals throughout history, it is known that these awakenings were sparked from the actions of a concerted effort of praying individuals, all joined together for a specific cause.

As Catholics, we have the benefit of praying directly before the Blessed Sacrament. Why not schedule an adoration service with considerable quiet time? Why not have a novena network? Have people pray specifically for a successful outreach project.

And it goes without saying, praying involves both active petitioning our Lord, and listening. Perhaps He will inspire ideas amongst the team. Perhaps He will awaken specific needs amongst those whom you wish to target your outreach. It will be different for nearly every parish community.

2. Focus on the A & P Catholics

Every year it’s the same thing. These lost church-goers—wherever they are at—the vast majority of such congregants always come to at least four liturgies a year:

• Ash Wednesday

• Palm Sunday

• Easter Sunday

• Christmas Eve.

They have earned the term “A & P” Catholics, because they like getting ashes and palms. But they will most likely go to mass on Christmas and Easter as well.

Perhaps there is still a spark of faith in such individuals that they will go to mass each year, and then be “done.”

What needs to be done for the outreach community is to provide something—anything, that these individuals would feel invited to.

Now I get that many parishes will work very hard to ensure that the liturgies of these weeks will be at their highest quality, especially in terms of having the best music they can muster, or the best homilies that the priest can deliver. And I certainly hope that being in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist would spark a renewal of faith, a sense of homecoming.

But that said, since there is usually a drop-off of attendance between Easter Sunday and the second week of Easter, it is likely that there needs to be something more that can be done.

Ideas For Follow-Up

How, then, to invite such individuals back to Church?

I don’t know. (But you probably will).

By saying “I don’t know”, I mean this is something that will be different for every parish, depending specifically upon the needs of those individuals who will attend those liturgies, and nothing more.

This is why prayer is so important. God may spark ideas in your prayer walk that will give form to a plan that will best serve those individuals.

But that said, here are a couple of examples that can very well play out.

Idea 1: Start a Young Professional Group

You may live in an urban area where there are a lot of young twenty-something professionals. You may sense that the needs of these individuals is that they are lonely and desire to connect to their community, but when they go to church, they feel vastly outnumbered by those of different age groups.

When they arrive on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, announce from the pulpit, and put in the bulletin, a beginning social hour to meet other young professionals in your area. Provide a talk for that evening that speaks to them… like How to Follow God Through Social Media or How to Find Your Spouse, God’s Way… something along those lines.

When they come, get their names and email addresses, and survey them periodically on topics that they would want to hear.

Idea 2: Start an Outreach Series

In my book 24 Unique Ways to Upgrade Your Catholic Youth Group, I detail a list of series that one could attend to help them grow in the faith. Among these I include both Catholic and non-Catholic outreaches, from The Life In the Spirit Seminars to The Purpose Driven Life.

Why not start one of these series directly after Easter, and make a big push for them during the weeks of Palm Sunday and Easter?

And if the entire parish is invited, make it known that there will be a small group set up specifically for those who are youth or young adults.

The benefit of these programs is that a lot of the work has been done upfront, and you do not need to reinvent the wheel. And they have had a powerful success rate.

Idea 3: Provide a Great Resource For Them (And Build Your Email List)

If you are unable to get organized for a big series in time, you can still craft a PDF resource specifically for those whom you are targeting for outreach.

Why not craft an article of the Top Ten Ways To Know God Today or How to Be Filled With Joy? Or, find a novena that will speak directly to the needs of the youth/young adults in the community and have that prepared.

In the past, these would be ordered for the parish, and handed out at the end of mass. Instead, mention from the pulpit and the bulletin that there is a great series that can be emailed directly to them.

This “lead magnet” can be set up and delivered directly to those who ask by filling out their name and email list. Assure them that the email list will be used ethically, and you will not spam them.

But once you have the email list, then you can begin surveying them directly as to their needs and concerns, and create events or formulate talks that will speak directly to their needs.

Conclusion

As you can see, this takes effort and planning. It takes volunteers. It takes a concerted effort of prayer. And it takes time.

Whatever road you take, do not be afraid to try new things, to try new approaches to help increase your outreach. But these decisions should be made in the midst of a praying community, active and purposely focused.

Being that those whom you are targeting will likely come to mass five or six weeks from now, you have that amount of time to have something—anything—ready for them, so that there may be a connection made, and they may be inclined to return for something speaking directly to them.

It starts now.