Benedictine U Study:Creating More Welcoming Atmosphere Would Bring Ex-Catholics Back to Church

press release

LISLE, Ill., Sept. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Catholics continue to abandon the Church at an alarming rate. But according to a study conducted by researchers at Benedictine University in Lisle, there is a simple way to bring many former Catholics back to the Church – ask them. A priest making personal, friendly contact and being very careful when and how to judge the person involved (would be one way to bring a lapsed Catholic back to church),\” said one respondent, echoing the response given by the majority of the 1,400 lapsed and active parishioners queried. \”The personal contact needs to be loving, understanding and sympathetic.\”