Pastor's Corner
January 15, 2017
"...to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours." (1 Cor 1:2)
I recently read the results of a survey of how to help “Christmas and Easter” Catholics return to more regular practice of the faith. For those who have returned to church, many of them say it is because they have felt a need for God in their lives. This can happen for a number of reasons, including some difficulty they’ve experienced in life, like the death of someone they know, or a dissatisfaction with their life, even though they are well-off.
Those who are less involved in religious observance offer practical reasons for attending less frequently: becoming too busy, or the difficulties of getting to church. That can include having a new baby in the house, or having a job that requires work on the weekends.
What do people look for when they “church shop”? “Quality of sermons, welcoming leaders and the style of worship services tend to be the key factors in why Americans overall choose the congregations they do, but for Catholics, nothing is more important than location.” This reflects the Catholic practice of attending the parish church in whose boundaries you live.
Religious education opportunities, especially for youth, are an important consideration when people look for a new church. This is especially true for the parents of minor children. 65% of them said educational opportunities for their children were key.
Not surprisingly, young adults are far more likely than older people to have searched online for information about a new congregation. Just under 60% of adults under 30 say they have incorporated online searches when looking for a new congregation, compared with just 12% of those ages 65 and older. Still, all people looking for a church, no matter their age, will attend worship services at congregations they were considering, and talk with congregation members about their experience at the church.
Having a new website, strengthening our RE program, improved preaching, and being able to talk to visitors about how you have encountered Christ here at St. Dominic’s are all ways we can encourage the visitor to become “part of the family”!