Catholic Commercials Attract 3,000 to Church - But That's Not Enough
Catholics Come Home is set to premiere its first commercial Dec. 18. One critic, however, says that the commercials are not enough - follow-up, he says, is crucial.
Catholics Come Home (CCH)’s website states that the organization “creates effective and compassionate media messages and broadcasts them nationally and internationally.”
The commercials will air from Dec. 16 to Jan. 8 on national and international TV channels. The goal is to encourage inactive Catholics to return to church.
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In 1998, the CCH says, “3000 inactive Catholics returned to their local parishes” as a result of its campaign and media messages. But that can be a problem if those people do not receive proper support during their transition, says Tom Gibbons.
Gibbons is studying to become a priest and has worked with returning Catholics for the past two years. He told The Christian Post, “The commercials in and of themselves do a very good job of communicating not only the positive aspects of the faith as well as offering a welcoming invitation for people to reconsider their Catholic faith.”
He also stated that it is crucial for people returning to church to receive follow-up.
“While there have been some who have simply drifted away, there have been a lot of others who have been specifically hurt in their experiences of the Church, whether from an inconsiderate priest or real disagreements with some of the actions within the Catholic Church over the past number of years.”
One organization, Landings, specifically deals with these issues and helps people ease back into the church. It is an international group that “reaches out to inactive Catholics and empowers laity to welcome them home.”
“In parishes, groups of active Catholics join together with those who are returning. Over the course of 8-10 weeks, group members listen to one another tell their faith stories.”
That support can make all the difference between one who returns and stays with the church and one who walks back out again.
