Awakening Faith: Reconnecting to
Your Catholic Faith
This new apostolic approach responds to the widespread impression that many pastors have: Catholics are not so much "leaving" the faith as they are weakening their identity with their Catholicism. As a result, it does not make a lot of sense to talk about Catholics coming "home" to the faith; or to appeal to people to come "back" to the faith. There was not that strong an identity for people to "return" to it.
Nevertheless, religious sentiments and a prayer life still remain as a positive force in these people; and they would undoubtedly, if asked, identify themselves as Catholics. Some of the weaker identity can be attributed to the way children grow up in the post-Baby Boomer years, with loose association with many things.
How to respond? "Awakening Faith" employs a model of structured conversations to build bonding between people, using that bonding to help people see their connection to their Catholic faith. With six basic modules, and four optional follow-up modules, people have a chance to explore faith by reacting to a short, accessible essay. Dynamics of sharing in an open and confidential way, with strong welcome and hospitality, reinforce the sense of connection. . . and re-connection.
Awakening Faith can be ordered from PNCEA, the Paulist apostolic evangelization arm (www.pncea.org). The Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association is encouraging a movement to invite Catholics to reconnect with their faith.
Using the large numbers of Catholics who show up for Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday and Easter, parishes are urged to invite Catholics to become more active in the practice of their faith; Awakening Faith is available as a six week program for the weeks immediately after Easter.
The Awakening Faith website has a host of things, including training for group leaders and explanations by me about the program.
Initial results appear to demonstrate a lot of interest in Awakening Faith, with some parishes drawing larger numbers than expected, and a mix of active and inactive Catholics. At the very least, the program has attracted numbers of inactive Catholics who are joining in the conversation and exploring a return to the practice of their faith. A few parishes wish the program had more catechetical content to it--but that's what follow-up is all about. Some parishes are thinking about using Awakening Faith as a program for their whole parish community.
Many parishes have now ordered Awakening Faith. Most of them have not utilized it, however. Initial feedback from parishes that have used Awakening Faith has been quite positive. So PNCEA is making an attempt to communicate to parishes that have purchased the program to begin using it.
Awakening Faith workshops for dioceses are available
by calling the PNCEA office. Ask for Fr. Ken or Fr. Frank.
202-832-5022