Returning Catholics
The parish of St. John the Evangelist welcomes all who are away from the church, or who feel they are on the fringes of the faith community to ‘come home’. The term ‘come home’ is often used to invite Catholics who have drifted away from the practice of their faith as well as those who have left abruptly because they have been hurt in some way.
Returning to active participation can be as simple as celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When it has been some time of inactivity, it is best to call the pastor, Fr. Charles Polifka, OFM, Cap, to make an appointment. In that way the person will have ample time to talk about things that concern them and Fr. Charles will have time to answer questions and give spiritual direction.
Others who are away may just want to take ‘another look’ at the Church. They may have questions to ask of people who are active in the church. They may want to update their understanding of the Catholic faith. They may want to take their time in deciding if they do want to return. There is a faith group for this purpose called ReMembering Church. It meets specifically to offer support and companionship to those who may want to be with a small group for a while. The group shares their own stories of return, tries to answer questions the returning person may have and attempts in every way to respond to the needs of the returning Catholic in feeling at home. ReMembering Church meets on the first and third Wednesday of nearly every month of the year at 7:00 pm in the small Padre Pio chapel in the north entrance of the Church building at 1234 Kentucky in Lawrence, Kansas.
Some are away from the church because they believe that they or one of their family members has been discriminated against by the Church or members of the Church because of sexual orientation. Always Our Children is a relatively new ministry of the parish which meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month in Simon Parish Center, 1229 Vermont Street, at 7:00 pm. The purpose of Always Our Children is to welcome all to be a part of our faith community regardless of sexual orientation.
A large number of Catholics have left the Church or are away from the sacraments because of divorce and/or remarriage. We hope any of those who are away for these reasons will come to explore avenues of return and help available to resolve marriage issues.
Anyone interested in learning more about any of these groups or opportunities can contact St. John Parish at or 785-843-0109 or FAX 785-749-5064.
Interested in Learning About Catholicism?
For those not Catholic but interested in learning more about the Catholic Church, there is a series of Inquiry sessions that are held once or twice a month year round. A person can begin at any time. There is no obligation. We welcome anyone interested to come to one session or the entire series. Those who complete the Inquiry series and are interested in becoming Catholic may at that point enter into the preparation process for initiation. Contact the Initiation Director for additional information.
You can find additional information on the OnceCatholic.org web site.
.