Being Catholic Again « St. Elizabeth Seton Church

Being Catholic Again

A welcome home ministry run by people of our parish by which those who have been away from the Church for a while, no matter how long, can come and see. In a program of 6 sessions we will welcome, listen, discuss, help, and pray with you as well as bring you up to date with the core beliefs and changes in the Catholic Church on a journey of reconciliation.

“BEING CATHOLIC AGAIN”

NEW SESSIONS BEGIN WEDNESDAY Feb 24^TH

This Lent join us for a gentle 6 week journey of discovery and renewal in the quiet of a private home

~Have you been away from the Church for a while?
~Feel like you’re drifting and need to rekindle your faith?
~Want to return but don’t know how to go about doing it?
~Would you like to break open what means to “Be Catholic” and rekindle your faith?
~Bring a friend or relative with you.

This St. Elizabeth Seton based and developed program has been established to help both non-practicing Catholics and Catholics drifting away, to return to active participation

* Our team of caring fellow Catholics like you, will welcome, listen, discuss, share, help, and pray with you on a journey of reconciliation

* We will break open our core Catholic beliefs and also bring you up to date with the contemporary Catholic Church

For information and to help us plan
                  please call Deacon Andy Cirmo at 630-416-3325 x 772
                          or email at ancirmo@wowway.com

Welcome home!

Catholics Come Home

The parish of St Elizabeth Seton would like to extend a special welcome to all who have been away and have returned to join our faith family today. Welcome Home! Upon leaving, please stop by our welcome desk in the narthex to pick up some valuable information about our parish and receive a special welcome gift. Click the Catholics Come Home image for much more information. If you have questions or would like more information, call Deacon Andy Cirmo 630-416-3325 x 772 or email ancirmo@wowway.com

BCA Meeting Schedule

BEING “CATHOLIC” AGAIN Meeting Schedule

Note: All Sessions will be 2 hours and start at 7PM

Pre Session “Come and See Night” (at Church) open invitation to anyone who has been away or is still in the pews who has questions, needs clarification on any topic or is feeling like they are slipping away. (session feeds into 1st session of BCA or to RCIA or to other RE formation or to private meetings)…

Session 1. (at a team member’s private home)

Welcome and Overview… (1Prayer Type & 1Sacramental Type )

Personal stories, Description of the Program, Ground Rules, List of Attendee Questions Captured for Downstream Answering.

Session 2. (at a team member’s private home)

Frequently Asked Questions… (1 Prayer & 1 Sacramental Type)

Video “Common Ground”(Nineveh’s Crossing Publ.) / Discussion

Session 3. (at a team member’s private home)

Scripture, Tradition and Magisterium (1 Prayer &1 Sacramental Type )

Role of Scripture, Role of Tradition, Teaching Authority of the Church (discussion)

Session 4. (around the altar at Church)

The Eucharistic Celebration (1 Prayer Type & 1 Sacramental Type)

The Mass (the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist), Tour of the Church, Chapel, Church Calendar, Liturgical Colors, and Holy Days

Session 5. (at a team member’s private home)

The Sacraments… (1 Prayer Type & 1 Sacramental Type)

Focus on Reconciliation, and Overview of Sacraments of the Sick, Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders (Discussion)

Session 6. (at a team member’s private home)

Roles and Responsibilities… (1 Prayer Type & 1 Sacramental Type)

The Clergy, The Laity, Our Call to Service (Discussion), Closing Ritual..What now

Post Session Activities:

Post Sessions Gathering Pot Luck
Invitation to Group Attendance at Mass
Invitation to Group Attendance at Communal Reconciliation Service
Introduction to Small Christian Community

Grant for “Being Cathoic Again”

“Being Catholic Again” Program Receives Grant

We’re proud to announce that The Awards Committee of the Catholic Education Foundation of the Diocese of Joliet has awarded an “Outreach Initiative” grant to our St. Elizabeth Seton based “Being Catholic Again™” program which provides outreach to inactive Catholics.

This grant will enable our team to formalize all materials for publishing, broaden our communications outreach in the community and potentially even offer this program to other parishes in the diocese who may be interested in addressing this critical need.

“Being Catholic Again™” is a program developed by Deacon Andy Cirmo and a team of dedicated parishioners consisting of: Nancy Cirmo, Tom and Barb Smith, Kathy Lutgen and Alice Meister. This unique program was developed by our team upon determining a strong need to not only reach out to totally inactive Catholics as our previous program “Catholics Returning Home” indeed did, but also to parishioners “in the pews” who are feeling separated and needing to reconnect with their faith.

“Being Catholic Again” consists of a series of six sessions starting with a “Come and See” night with an open forum for any questions or concerns about the Church. This is followed by five sessions in a private home during which participants participate in an informal small group environment bringing their further questions and concerns to the team and each other to work through. And during these five weekly sessions participants receive a high level review of all major aspects of our Catholic faith today.

Our goal is to offer loving and welcoming hearts to help others fall in love again with “Being Catholic”. Over 60 people have been through these sessions in the past 4 years but even if “one lost sheep is found” we celebrate. And we’re proud that many of our participants have not only returned but some have gone on to active ministry participation, becoming Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Greeters, RE Teachers, Marriage Prep couples and more.

The Fall Session (there are two per year, tied to Advent and to Lent) begins in November and will be announced in our parish bulletin and in the community.

If you or someone you know (you need not be from our parish) could benefit from this faith renewal program or has any questions please contact Deacon Andy Cirmo today at 630-416-3325 x 772 or ancirmo@wowway.com .

Christian Formation Commission