MERRILLVILLE – Catholics in the Diocese of Gary can expect to see some extra worshippers in the pews for weekend Masses on Sept. 14-15 – especially if they become the evangelists they are being asked to become.
Back to Mass Weekend is an initiative scheduled as part of the diocesan “Summer of Eucharistic Revival” with hopes to capitalize on the enthusiasm generated by local events and the five days of inspirational speeches, Masses, adoration and fellowship with other Catholics from around the country during the recent National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis.
The diocesan Office of Missionary Discipleship and Evangelization is providing resources parishes can use to encourage parishioners to walk together with family and friends, and to especially invite loved ones who have stopped attending Mass regularly to return home to the Eucharist, especially during the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14-15.
“If it’s true …It changes everything” is the theme, reflecting the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
“We must continue to come to each Mass and moment with holy joy!” said Father Declan McNicholas, Office of Missionary Discipleship and Evangelization team leader. “Greet one another with this joy and love of Christ and cultivate a welcoming presence within our communities and to those who will experience our faith for the first time. We are called to go outside the walls of our parish churches and extend the love of Christ to those who do not know Him. Pray for more people within this diocese to encounter Him each and every day. We rest in His presence so we can go forward to serve Him as missionary disciples.”
The four principles of the Back to Mass Weekend, Father McNicholas outlined, are:
1. Welcome – “It is all about the feeling people have, so lower the barriers,” he said. Pastors should specifically welcome everyone at the beginning of Mass, and walk visitors through the space and rituals – bathrooms, bulletins and seating options.
2. Hospitality – “Have friendly people with smiles on their faces engaging people after Mass,” he noted, “and that personal invitation makes it so much better.”
3. Homily – “The power of storytelling is strong, and the meaning of a story will stick with people,” Father McNicholas suggested. “Homilists should think, ‘How would this land if I wasn’t a churchgoer?”
4. Next Steps – “What are you welcoming (your visitors) into?” asked Father McNicholas pf both pastors and parishioners. He suggested focusing on one or two events or ministries – Alpha, a service project or Bible Study – to introduce to guests, hoping to interest them in returning to the church.
“I think we can have a fruitful weekend. The goal is not to argue (with anyone), not to get involved in apologetics, but to say to someone you care about, ‘I want you to experience what I have experienced,” said Father McNicholas. “Make it a positive experience. Many parishes will offer coffee and donuts after Masses to welcome people, but you might take your guests out to brunch after they come to Mass with you.”
Father McNicholas said there are five steps Catholics can follow to embrace the Back to Mass Weekend opportunity, which can be applied to the events scheduled for Sept. 14-15.
“First, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to identify who you should invite back to Mass,” he said. “Second and third, pick two to four people and personally invite them to join you at a specific Mass. Fourth, make it a positive experience, not a ‘project,’ by inviting them to dinner or brunch after the Mass.”
The fifth and final step, the associate pastor at St. John the Evangelist in St. John, added, is to share your faith. “We’ve encountered Jesus ourselves, (so think about) how your life has changed for the better, and share that with the others,” he urged.
Sean Martin, Office of Missionary Discipleship and Evangelization coordinator for faith formation and catechesis, recently hosted a webinar to prepare for the Back to Mass Weekend. “Know your faith and be able to study the Gospel message and live out your faith,” he urged faithful Catholics. “You may want to draft a testimonial, 3-5 minutes is recommended because you need to be prepared to evangelize. You never know when the opportunity will present itself.”
Jesus’ followers are called to evangelize, Martin said, and as Pope Paul VI said in Evangelii Nuntiandi, no. 41, “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.”
During a three-night mission last month at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Student Center in Valparaiso, chaplain Father Jacob McDaniel shared practical ideas for convincing adult children, grandchildren and other family members and friends to: “Return” to the Catholic Church.
He urged them to bolster their own relationship with God before setting out to evangelize others by embracing at least several of the seven steps that include morning prayer, conversing with God during the day, devotion to Mary, scripture reading, Mass attendance, regular confession and penance, and a general examination of your day each night.
“Before you talk to a child/grandchild or another loved one about their faith, revisit your faith and pray for them,” said Father McDaniel, who offered three steps to follow in evangelizing. “Build trust by learning the other person’s interests and likes and dislikes… take the leap by opening up a conversation about the Church, but not in a group setting … and make clear that you want to listen to their feelings.”
Father McDaniel stressed that patience is the key to having a productive experience. Don’t be confrontational, he noted, rather “Give them something that might stick with them, something they might think about later. Pray for three things – prudence, courage and patience.”