|
Reason 8: "A significant number of the inactive simply got lazy and stopped going. They may have gotten busy with their jobs and families and through their own fault didn't find the time. In a recent survey of young-adult Catholics published in America magazine, 35 percent of the inactive simply got too busy and were lazy and didn't find the time to be involved."
We may have battled this phenomenon ourselves. Faith is never static; it is growing or fading. Time is so precious these days that we can easily begin to slide. We decide there is just too much to do on a particular weekend so we miss Mass.The culture tells us we must work harder and play harder -- but nowhere does it acknowledge that, for the sake of truly human development, we must also rest better and pray better. The reasoning continues to the point where Church attendance is no longer an issue. Through friendship and casual conversation, we can help our friends and family members to begin to practice the faith again. Invite someone to Church!
Reason 9: "Others moved to new locations and never got around to finding a church in their new city or neighborhood. The America survey noted that 19 percent of the inactive young adults fell into this category."
These people work with us. We can easily work into our conversations information and enthusiasm about local parish life. Our parish welcoming committees have a special role here. So does Eucharistic adoration -- holding up before the Real Presence the physical and spiritual needs of our friends and neighbors.
A Special Word to Parents of Inactive Catholics
I know how painful it can be for you when your children stop practicing their faith. You wonder where you went wrong, what you failed to emphasize, what you failed to explain. Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, take that energy and apply it to your prayer life.
Often your adult child's inactive faith can be a difficult subject for you to broach. Defensive reactions can be quick. You may have a tendency to lecture or to nag. Often the issue of Catholic practice may be tied up with delicate emotional issues between you and your children. Still, never give up. Pray for your inactive children and model more vibrantly your own Catholic faith for them. There can be opportunities for you to talk empathetically with your children about the benefits of returning to the Church. It requires a great deal of emotional calm, a supernatural spirit, and an intuitive sense of diplomacy and timing!
Remember St. Monica, who never gave up on St. Augustine. She prayed for Augustine for over thirty years. During this period, he restlessly tried a number of intellectual philosophies and engaged in self-centered, manipulative relationships. How painful it must have been for Monica to watch her talented son walk this self-destructive path.
It was through Monica's prayer that Augustine came home. We lift up our sons and daughters to the intercession of St. Monica and St. Augustine. We never give up on them
Pray and Take Action
Having reflected with you briefly on the need of our outreach to 17,000,000 inactive Catholics, I encourage you to continue with your own reflection. Think of your friends, your family, those in your sphere of influence in this Diocese of Wilmington and elsewhere.
Think about how you can tactfully speak with them and invite them back to the Church. I will be praying for your efforts and will look forward to hearing about your experiences and benefiting from your own insights.
|
|
