You’ll Never Guess What’s Keeping Some Catholics Out Of The Church

You might be familiar with my brother Patrick Madrid’s daily radio show on Immaculate Heart Radio and if you are, you know his primary goal in getting behind the microphone is to bring souls to Christ. I listen frequently and love hearing the discussions that take place with callers from all faith backgrounds; Catholics, former Catholics, protestants, Mormons, atheists, etc. It’s always educational to hear those conversations and the perspective of those who aren’t Catholics.

One day as I was shuttling my kids to their various sports and activities and listening to the show, there was a caller who really grabbed my attention and made me sit up in my seat. She described how, after being raised a good Catholic by her parents, she wandered away from the Church as a college student and stated she had been away for some 35+ years. It was Pope Francis and his welcoming tone that had caught her eye and was not only making her think twice, but really made her want to come back home to the Church.

Patrick: “Are you in some sort of lifestyle that would prevent you from coming back to the Church?”
Caller: “No, not at all.”
Patrick: “Then what’s stopping you from coming home?”
Caller: “I’d come back in a heartbeat if someone invited me.”

If someone invited you? That’s it? I just about drove off the side of the road when I heard that. I wanted to jump through the radio and give her my personal invitation, but I just shouted instead: “Please! I invite you to come home to the Catholic Church!” The teenagers in the back seat rolled their eyes. There goes Mom… again.

Of course, my next natural thought was why isn’t anyone inviting her? To be fair, we don’t always know when someone is waiting for an invitation to join us at mass or to learn more about the faith through RCIA. Sometimes, they never say anything. Sometimes, when we do encounter someone waiting for that invitation, the timing may not be right… Or is it?

It’s always the right time to invite someone home to the Catholic faith. And, because my specialty is working with divorced men and women to help them heal, I am offering an open invitation right now to any divorced Catholic who is estranged from the Church and wants to find their way back.

Please, won’t you accept my invitation to come home?

If you feel called to come home to the Catholic Church, your circumstances might make it might appear to be too difficult to make this leap. But if you’ve felt drawn to come back, even just a little bit, I believe it is the Holy Spirit calling you back. That means no matter what your circumstances, God has a plan.

There’s An App For That

Are you in a new marriage without having gone through the annulment process and receiving a decree of nullity? There’s an app for that. Okay, not one on your iPhone, but what I am trying to say, is that as long as you are open and willing, there will be a way to make it possible for you to come back. Pope Francis, himself, has been working hard to clear the obstacles in your way, and there are many people waiting to welcome you home. All you need to do is sit down and talk with them.

Often times, people believe the divorce automatically ousts them from the Church and they promptly exit. But having a civil divorce decree in and of itself does not prohibit someone from receiving the sacraments and attending mass. On the contrary, you are welcome and encouraged to come, participate, and receive as often as possible. If that is what has been keeping you away, I encourage you, also, to make an appointment with a priest to discuss your situation. So many times, what you believe to be true about the ramifications of being a divorced Catholic are misunderstandings.

For those of us who are not separated in some way from the Church, let’s be attentive to the opportunities that present themselves to invite someone to mass, confession, adoration or a parish event. As Catholics, getting to heaven is our primary goal in life, so why not resolve not just to get there, but to bring a crowd with us when we show up at the Pearly Gates?

Got questions? Email me at lisa@lisaduffy.com.