Over the last week several friends have inquired into the background of a marketing campaign now airing on television networks called Catholics Come Home. Perhaps you’ve seen it. If so, you were likely impressed, or even intrigued. And maybe, like me, you even paused for a moment and wondered, “Why did I leave the Catholic Church again?”
The Catholics Come Home campaign was founded by its president, Tom Petersen. Twelve years ago Tom returned to the Catholic Church following a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ at a men’s retreat. Sensing God’s call, Tom consecrated his 25 years of experience in the advertizing field to the task of promoting spiritual renewal among Catholics. This “apostolate” (or what evangelicals might call a parachurch ministry) is dedicated to reversing the tide of lapsed Catholics, calling them, with the warmest intonation and most technologically savvy forms of media, to “come home.”
[blockquote]Simply take note of the lawn signs outside of your neighborhood’s local parish advertising programs such as “Alpha” …[/blockquote]
Is this the Holy Trinity Brompton Alpha? Curiouser and curiouser!
#1 One imagines so:
http://uk.alpha.org/catholics
Former Roman Catholics aren’t “coming home” because they don’t know where the Catholic churches are; they’re not “coming home” bcause they know where the Catholic Church stands.
But some former Piskies are, jhp, and glad for it! 🙂
jhp,
actually the response in some markets where the program first rolled out last year, such as Phoenix, was quite impressive.
As a Catholic convert, I think CCH epitomizes the Catholic approach to evangelism that I’ve experienced — warm, low key, and positive. The Epic video — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gu3UOoLcos&feature=related — never fails to bring tears to my eyes.
Yeah, I think the reference to Alpha program is probably a mistake, since Alpha was founded by an Anglican but is essentially non-denominational. The rest of the article was interesting though. Pastor Castaldo’s point about gracious response is well made.
#7 I am not so sure that it is a mistake – the Catholic Church has actively embraced the Alpha Course, which has been specifically adapted to Catholic doctrinal needs, much as other denominations have. At the last International Conference for Alpha in London half of the 75 bishops present were Catholic.
http://www.htb.org.uk/htb-news/alpha-international-week-news-round
and another one in Bogota:
http://www.htb.org.uk/htb-news/30-catholic-bishops-attend-bogota-alpha-conference