An Open Letter to Inactive Catholics

BY BISHOP THOMAS J. TOBIN

12/9/10

My dear Brother or Sister: In the spirit of the Advent and Christmas Season, and as the Diocese
of Providence nears the end of its “Year of Evangelization,” I’m writing this letter to inactive
Catholics of our Diocese – perhaps you’re in that category – to let you know that we miss you,
we love you and we want you to come home to the Church.

The first dilemma I faced in writing this letter was how to describe you – an “inactive Catholic,”
a “fallen-away Catholic” or a “former-Catholic.” I chose the first option.

I decided against “fallen-away Catholic” for it suggests someone falling off a fence or out of a
tree. The image isn’t helpful.

And there’s really no such thing as a “former Catholic.” If you were baptized a Catholic, you’re
a Catholic for life – even if you haven’t been to Mass for years, even if you’ve renounced the
title and joined another Church. Your baptism infused your soul with Catholic DNA – it defines
who and what you are.

Thus, I’ve chosen the title, “inactive Catholic,” because even though you haven’t been “active”
in the Catholic community for awhile, especially by attending Sunday Mass, receiving the
sacraments and otherwise participating in the life of the Church, you’re still a Catholic. Sorry . . .
you’re stuck with us!

Perhaps the exact name isn’t very important though. What’s more important is why you drifted
away from the Church, why you stopped coming to Mass, and what we can do about it.

Did you leave the Church because you disagree with some of the Church’s teachings and
practices; or because you found it boring and “didn’t get anything out of it”; or because someone
in the Church offended you or disappointed you; or because you just got a little complacent,
spiritually lazy, in the fulfillment of your obligations? Let’s look at each of these reasons.

If you left the Church because you disagree with the fundamental teachings of the Church I’m
afraid there’s not much I can do to help you. The essential teachings of the Church on matters of
faith and morals aren’t negotiable – they weren’t made up arbitrarily by human beings but, in
fact, were given to us by Christ. They can’t be changed, even if they’re unpopular or difficult to
live with. I hope that you’ll take some time to really understand what the Church teaches and
why. Sometimes, we find, good folks get bad information and that leads to confusion and then
alienation.

If you left the Church because you found it to be boring and “didn’t get anything out of it,” well,
I understand. Sometimes, it’s true, leaders of the Church haven’t fed the flock very well –
sometimes we haven’t provided sound and challenging teaching and preaching, and sometimes
our worship has been banal and bland. Perhaps we haven’t been very kind or welcoming. I
apologize for that; we can and should do better.
On the other hand, when you attend Mass it shouldn’t be all about you – the focus is God! You
should attend Mass to give, as well as receive – to worship the Lord, to ask forgiveness of your
sins, to thank Him for His gifts and to pray for others. And for Catholics the most important
reason to attend Mass is to receive the Holy Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, the Bread
of Life. You can’t do that anywhere else!

If you left the Church because another member of the Church offended or disappointed you, I’m
truly sorry for that offense and in the name of the Church I sincerely apologize. I hope you’ll
forgive us and give us another chance. Members of the Church – including priests and bishops –
are completely human. Sometimes we say things and do things that are totally unacceptable,
even immoral. But let’s face it – we belong to a community of sinners – that’s why we begin
every Mass by calling to mind our sins and asking for God’s forgiveness. The virtue of
forgiveness is an essential part of the Christian life – we all need to seek and grant forgiveness
now and then.

Finally, if you left the Church because of your own spiritual laziness – complacency – I guess
the ball’s in your court. I can only encourage you to start over – to think about your relationship
with God and try to understand how important the Church is in helping you fulfill your God-
given potential and, more importantly, helping you achieve eternal life.

You see, the Church isn’t just another human organization, some sort of social club. We believe
that the Church has divine elements – that it was founded by Christ and is guided by the Holy
Spirit. You need the Church – you need the teachings of the Church, the life-giving sacraments
of the Church, and the support of a community that shares your faith and values. But the Church
also needs you – we need the gifts of your time and talent, your faith and commitment. The
Church has an awful lot to offer you, but if in fact we’ve been imperfect fulfilling our mission, in
serving the Lord and caring for one another, perhaps you can help us to do better.

The irony of this letter, of course, is that if you’ve been an inactive Catholic, you might not see
it. But I’m counting on a Catholic member of your family, or a friend, neighbor or co-worker, to
see it and share it.

The Christmas Season is a wonderful, grace-filled time, a time when we remember that the Word
of God became flesh and that Jesus is “Emmanuel” – God with us. God came to earth to search
for us, to embrace us, to lift us up, and to take us with Him to eternal life. He came to invite you
to be His friend and companion along the way.

Dear brother or sister, if you’ve been away from the Church for awhile, it’s time to come home.
If there’s an issue or a problem we can help you with, please contact your local parish, or contact
me here at the Diocese of Providence. I might not be able to solve every problem and meet every
need, but I’ll try. Please know, however, that we miss you, we love you and we hope to see you
soon.

Your brother in Christ,

Bishop Tobin