“Lord, you have made us for yourself, and therefore our heart is restless until it rests in Thee.”
St. Augustine’s words ring true nearly sixteen centuries later. Even if we attain wealth, pleasure, power, and honor, they only satisfy us for a time, and then we need more.
We need to keep going “back to the well.” Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)
God never stops pursuing us because he made us for himself. Still, some people find it uncomfortable to return to the practice of their faith after a time away and may not know for sure where to start. Others may have been hurt or angered by the Church—do not allow humans' failure to cause you to miss out on the blessings from God that are found in the practice of your Catholic faith.
In January and February of 2020, before the pandemic shut down, Holy Family Parish conducted their first “Catholics Returning Home” program for Catholics who were returning or thinking of returning to their Catholic faith. This is a beneficial program, and participants enjoyed it very much, but of course, it is not required to return to your faith. Participants in our first “Catholics Returning Home” program met with the same four parishioners (some of whom were also people who had previously returned to the faith) once a week for six weeks. Due to the pandemic, our plan to schedule more series of “Catholics Returning Home” during the year was put on hold. However, if you have been away from the church completely, or only attend occasionally, and have been considering returning, we would like to help.
If you would like to talk to our pastor, Fr. Slezak, about returning, call the Parish office (315) 823-3410. You can make an appointment to speak to him or schedule Confession. If you would like to talk to one of the people who conducted the Catholics Returning Home sessions, we would be happy to help you. If you would like to be informed when the next “Catholic Returning Home” series is scheduled, please call the Parish Office. Please know that many people in the church have returned to the faith even after even decades away—so don’t feel alone!
Catholics who have left their Catholic faith have many different reasons for having done so, and their reasons for considering returning are just as varied. Sometimes returning Catholics become some of the most faithful Catholics as they discover their faith's richness they never knew before!