Welcoming Returning Catholics: Beginning a New Parish Program
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Author
Noguera, Karen
Date
1992
Degree
Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology
Abstract
During the last two years while working with the R.C.I.A. program at St. Francis
de Sales Parish, Holland, Michigan, a special need has become evident. A program
which was intended to serve people who desired to become members of the Catholic
Church through the sacraments of initiation has been used to renew and update the faith
of returning Catholics. This situation has proven to be unacceptable because the needs of
those who are already Catholics are not being met, since they are different from those of
the catechumens and candidates.
Generally speaking, the greatest need experienced by returning Catholics is one of
reconciliation, because of the amount of time away from the Church community, and
because of the hurts or misunderstandings which caused the separation initially. In some
cases, there is an element of dissatisfaction or even anger over past incidents, policies,
and personalities which were related to their estrangement from the Church. When this
is the case, pastoral skills are especially necessary to help the returning Catholic to begin
to heal the wounds of the past. Many times there is also an educational concern - a need
to refresh the elements of Catholic belief and discuss the shift in perspective and church
practices since Vatican II. In order to assist this group in making a satisfactory
reconciliation with the Church, both educational and psychological skills are necessary to
this ministry.