Catholics Returning Home | St Hilary Church

Belong

Are you a Catholic who has been away?
Are you seeking answers about returning to the Church?
No matter how long you’ve been away, no matter what the reason, no matter what you have or have not done, please join us to get an update on the Catholic faith and to find a path “home”.
You will find the door open and a warm welcome!!

Catholics Returning Home is a program of informal conversations for those who are seeking answers to questions about returning to the Church after having been away. It is offered in a six-week series of small group discussions, or on a one-on-one basis.

Our next program will be offered Monday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Spiritual Center Lower Level starting May 6, 2024.

Topics scheduled below are sometimes changed to fit the needs of participants.

May 6 – Sharing Our Stories
May 13 – Sharing Stories of Faith
May 20 – Since Vatican II: The Church Today
June 3 – All About the Mass and Church Tour
June 10 – The Creed: What Catholics Really Believe
June 17 – Reconciliation: Why Bother?

Click here for registration.

We are always here for you! Please contact the Parish Office at 330-867-1055 or church@sthilarychurch.org, or click here to e-mail our ministry leader Michele Mills. All members of the team are Catholics who were estranged from the church for a time, and hope to make the journey home quicker and easier for others.

Catholics Returning Home was founded by Sally Mews, author of Inviting Catholics Home: A Parish Program. She says about her own journey:

“My ministry to non-practicing Catholics was born out of my own anger and pain. I know firsthand what it feels like to be angry and to feel separated from the Church because I was in that position for many years. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would ever return to the Catholic Church, much less actually end up leading a ministry to invite others back!

“I looked at many other religions and at times considered myself a nondenominational Christian. Eventually I started reading the Bible and concentrated on the psalms and the gospels. Throughout this process, I felt a profound sense of conversion. I especially identified with the gospel outcasts with whom Jesus was fraternizing.

“When I returned to the Church in 1980, I discovered I had missed out on the Second Vatican Council. I didn’t find the Church I had left.”

“…Our Heavenly Father in heaven allows us the freedom to make our own choices in order that we may learn, grow, and develop faith and strength of character in our own time frame and in our own unique way.”

“…The decision to leave the conventional practice of one’s faith for whatever reason may have been part of one’s own journey towards intellectual, emotional, and spiritual maturity. A decision to participate in a returning Catholics program may be seen as the beginning of a person’s adult claiming of their spiritual heritage.”

Mews, S. (2002). Inviting Catholics Home: A Parish Program. Liguori Publications (p.xix-xx; p. xii; p.3)

What are participants saying?

So friendly and welcoming! The info’ is great, and ultimately just feeling so welcome and accepted was everything (heart). – Liz

The sense of love, understanding and community. Especially feeling part of community meant a lot—knowing and meeting people who feel the same as me. – Faith

What I liked most is that I didn’t feel like an odd ball. Everyone was from all walks of life but yet we were experiencing the same struggle. – Colleen

Is this Catholics Returning Home the right fit for you?

If you can circle four or more of the following, the answer is YES! If you were:

Baptized Catholic
Received First Communion, Confirmation
Attended 1 or more years of Catholic school or PSR (Catechism)
Have been away for a significant amount of time (enough to feel “out of the loop”)
Have been engaged in another faith but “something is missing”
Denied Confession
Denied a sacrament, or were hurt when a family member was denied a sacrament
Married and divorced one or more times and have been given misinformation about
- Annulment
- Defect of Form
- Your right to the sacraments
- Being ex-communicated
Hurt by someone in the Church
Know others who were hurt by someone in the Church

For more information or to speak with a ministry leader, please click on Contact Us to the right. All ministry leaders have journeyed “home” after long separations from the Church or periods of doubt about their faith.