How to Return to the Roman Catholic Church
When people leave the Catholic Church, they may feel something tug at their heart. This tug or pulling at the heart is directly from God as they continue on their journey of faith to find purpose and happiness. However, they may wonder how to return to the Catholic Church. If you have left your Catholic faith, it is important to know how to return to the Roman Catholic Church.
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Instructions
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Prepare yourself to go to confession. If you are not sure about what to do when you go to confession, you can speak with the priest and he may be able to guide you through venial and mortal sins that you may have committed during your absence. You might begin by saying, "Father it has been three years since my last confession. Please help me so I may make a good confession." Priests can help returning penitents make a thorough confession. You will be given a penance, which may consist of prayers or acts of charity, depending on your confession. You may feel weighed down by the trials and bad choices made, as well as how they affected others after you left the church.
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Speak with a priest to answer your questions about the Catholic Church. Find encouragement and know that you are not alone in your journey back to the Catholic faith. If you have been married during the time that you were away from the church, you will need to have your marriage blessed.
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Study the doctrine of the Catholic faith and gain knowledge about the sacraments, Mass, the profession of faith and other areas. When returning to the faith, it is important to become knowledgeable about the truths of the Church. If you have been absent from the church from many years, make sure that you familiarize yourself with the prayers and the liturgy of the Eucharist.
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Tips & Warnings
When you return to the Catholic faith, you may consider participating in a Bible study group to have the support and encouragement that you need as you come home to the faith.
You cannot receive Holy Communion until you make a full confession.
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Before going straight to confession, begin by talking to a priest or lay ministry leader about what you are feeling called to do. Besides thinking about the ways you drifted from the faith, it is good to spend time identifying what pulled you in the first place, why you responded the way you did, and what has changed or needs to change to truly recommit to God and/or the church. More and more parishes have teams who are focused on journeying with those returning to the faith, offering one-on-one help or group sessions with others making the same spiritual journey; see if there are any near you. Also try internet searches and on-line book sellers for resources and prayer ideas - try words like "returning catholic" and you should find lots out there that might be helpful. Heed the call, pray and reflect, and know you can find friends to help you home. You are precious and you are missed!
