“I had been away from the Catholic Church for 30 years, and a few years ago, I began feeling a yearning to return to my faith. I wasn’t sure where to begin, and a few churches I had visited didn’t seem right for me. I happened to drive past St Brendan the Navigator, and a sign was outside that said “Inviting Catholics Home,” so I decided to go to mass that Sunday. What struck me the most was being greeted and welcomed when I arrived.
I realized I had forgotten, or hadn’t learned, quite a bit about the richness of the Catholic Faith and the celebration of the Eucharist at mass. I began my journey back by participating in the Inviting Catholics Home program, and the support and education from the team helped to ignite a new-found love for the Faith. The team provided an open, non-judgmental and supportive environment for me to ask questions and learn. Some of the team members had also returned to the Church, and it was great to be with others who supported my goals of returning.
The participation in this program was the first step in gaining a stronger appreciation for the beauty of the mass, and the blessings received from the sacraments. It was just what I needed and has led to a desire to learn more and to continue to grow in my faith. St Brendan the Navigator offers many ministries to help bring people closer to Christ and I continue to develop great relationships with the church family. I am very thankful that I took the first step to reach out to the Inviting Catholics Home program.”