If I were to ask randomly, “Where were you on May 8, 2025, at 1:23 p.m. Eastern Time?” most people would probably respond with another question: “What happened on May 8 at 1:23 p.m.?” On this day and at this time, Pope Leo XIV walked out onto the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and was introduced to the world as the next successor of St. Peter. Cardinal Robert Prevost, having been elected by his brother cardinals roughly an hour and 20 minutes earlier, addressed the Church and the world for the first time. His memorable first words echoed Jesus: “Peace be with you all!” It was a historic moment. Shortly after, the Holy Spirit stirred hearts in the Diocese of Portland in ways that continue to shape our path forward. One fruit of that inspiration was the decision to embark on an evangelization campaign to invite disengaged Catholics back to the Church. Another was a renewed commitment to the mission entrusted to us. And through it all, an important question began to emerge: “What’s next?”

I was first exposed to Catholics Come Home 17 years ago in my home diocese of Providence. Our bishop and diocesan leadership embarked on a campaign, relying on Catholics Come Home to lead the effort. Founder Tom Peterson’s vision was to use videos, shared on television and other media, to evangelize and reach hearts. The videos are informative and engaging, actively inviting Catholics to consider returning to Mass and the sacraments. Watching some of these videos for the first time made me both proud and grateful to be part of our Church. Since 1997, Catholics Come Home has helped dozens of dioceses reach out to inactive Catholics. These efforts have led thousands to return to the Church.

Preparing for our Advent 2026 Catholics Come Home campaign has also helped me to focus more intently on mission. The mission of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel, to lead people to encounter Jesus Christ, and to build the kingdom of God. Why are we given this mission? Because our God loves us so much that He desires eternal communion with us. God made us for this. This mission of proclaiming through word and action the Father’s unconditional love for each human being belongs to every baptized person. Fashioning our parishes into communities of love, authentic Christlike love, communities that support all vocations, strengthen our families, and offer role models for our children, is urgent.

Catholics Come Home is an opportunity not only to invite Catholics who have stopped coming to church back to our communities but also to look honestly at ourselves. Is the kingdom of God evident in the communities of faith that we call our parishes? Are the values of the kingdom — love, peace, justice, and mercy — evident in the hearts of those who comprise our parish communities? Vibrant communities of faith are places where the values of the kingdom of God are readily identifiable in the lives of the people who worship and serve there. If we are not striving to create communities where we and others encounter Christ in the sacraments and in our relationships with one another, why bother inviting people back? Why invite Catholics home if the house is in disrepair?

So, as we embark on this campaign to invite disengaged Catholics back to church, let’s take heart. In an introduction to Catholics Come Home, we learned that most Catholics who are away from the Church are not angry with the Church or her teachings. Many Catholics who do not go to church today simply stopped coming over time. That is a very interesting reality. As we invite them back through this evangelizing effort, please note that others who are not Catholic but are curious will also be led to come and experience our parish communities. Curiosity is growing as confusing ideologies and self-centeredness leave people searching and unfulfilled. What’s next? I think every Catholic in the Diocese of Portland who attends Mass should ask that question. What is next for our communities as we prepare to invite people back to church? What are we inviting them to? Will they stay? If you were in their place, would you stay if you came back to church after many years and visited your parish community?

As we prepare for the Catholics Come Home evangelization effort, I am grateful for the ways the Holy Spirit has inspired us since the election of Pope Leo XIV. His leadership over these 16 months has been strong and clear, particularly in his teaching on artificial intelligence, the dignity of the person, and his call for peace. He leads a Church entrusted with a precious mission: to proclaim a timeless message forever revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God loves us! Through our baptism, we are all called to be heralds of this message, creating communities of encounter and building the kingdom of God together. We cannot do this unless we ourselves believe the message: we are unconditionally loved by the Father. Finally, as we prepare for this important opportunity to invite Catholics and non-Catholics into our parish communities, I humbly suggest that we all continue on the path of conversion, asking the Father to make our hearts more and more like the heart of Jesus and taking concrete steps to allow this transformation to happen. What’s next is very hopeful. Please pray and work with me for the success of our Catholics Come Home outreach.

Returning Catholics Prayer

Dear Lord, may our hearts and minds be nourished by your sustaining love. May our words and actions be guided by your ever-present grace, that all who seek to know you encounter you in our parishes. That all who seek to serve you be welcomed to the vineyard. That all who seek to love you know that they are loved. That all who seek to return to their Catholic faith be welcomed and received. Amen.

(Adapted from Catholics Come Home)