Last week we held the second of three One By One events. Since we’ve asked everyone in the parish to be on the lookout for one person they know who has become distant from the practice of the Catholic Faith, I thought you should hear about what’s been happening.
The first evening was called “Let’s Play”. Twenty-three invitees joined their Holy Trinity friends for an evening of food (pizza) and fun competition at Trivial Pursuit. There was a brief talk by a HT parishioner who told us about his journey away from the church, and after a few years, why he returned. One comment that cracked us up was, “Nothing smells like a Catholic Church.”
The next event was called “Let’s Talk“. This evening was a bit more serious as we began to tackle some of the issues that caused people to step back from their Catholic practice.
The guests grew in number (26), and after some delicious rigatoni and meatballs, we broke up into discussion groups asking each table to share their thoughts about:
- In your opinion, what is the most common reason for people to stop practicing their Catholic Faith?
- Would you care to share what caused you to step back from the Catholic practice?
- What keeps you away from coming back to the Catholic Church?
Then, Jim from the Cathedral Community, told his story of Catholicism to atheism in his 20’s, and his return to the Catholic Faith with the birth of his first child. It was a fascinating example of how God uses the things right in front of us (family, friends) to touch our hearts and bring us to HIM.
We ended the evening with a Q and A with Fr. John and me. Any question was fair game (and boy we got some good ones). One person asked if women would ever become priests in the RC Church. (Fr. John thinks “Yes, but not right now” – Fr. Tim thinks “No”). Another wanted to know if gay couples could come to mass as a “couple”; (Of course they can. All are welcomed here).
But, the one that stopped me was, “About our religion . . . belief in Christ (as opposed to other faiths) . . . how do we know we’re right?” There’s a lot of things to say here, but for me, in the end, there is a “grace” from God that brings a quiet confidence that Christ is the answer. It’s not a feeling of superiority. It’s a quiet trust, like a child hearing her parents voice.
So . . . . it’s been wonderful so far! There is one more evening on March 21 called “Let’s Pray”. After a dish to pass, we’ll spend time in church with Fr. John and me walking and talking through what is called a “Dry Mass”. People are encouraged to ask questions or stop the lesson at any point for clarification.
There is still time to invite someone to this most enjoyable evening. It will be a great help to those who have been away and would like to start again. What a better time since Holy Week begins the next Sunday!
Lastly, I want to thank you for making your invitation to someone. Even if they chose not to come, you’ll never know what your words may mean to them over time. Thanks also, to the great committee that worked so hard to make the One By One Mission possible. You know who you are. Thank you so much.
Blessings to you this Fourth Week of Lent. Hang in there.
Fr. Tim
- Visit our web site at www.holytrinityweb.com
- Stop by the Welcome Desk after Mass
- Call the Parish Office @265-1616
- Email: HTOnebyOne@outlook.com
Not sure if you can come to all three events at this time– no problem! You can register for one event at a time and come back to register for the other events, or you can register for all events at once.
ONE by ONE lineup:
Saturday, March 21, 6:15 pm. “Let’s Pray”
- Pot Luck Supper (bring a dish to pass) and welcome.
- Move to church for an informal conversation and walk through of the Catholic Mass.
- Brief description of upcoming Palm Sunday and Holy Week.
- Invitation to join us for Holy Week and Easter Sunday.
