Mar 2, 2010
Last Sunday more than 1100 people who will be baptized or confirmed as Catholics at Easter in our archdiocese gathered for the “rite of the elect.” Dioceses all around the country welcome a steady stream of converts every year.
Is there anything more beautiful than a soul discovering that he or she is truly loved by God –and responding to that love by coming to the fullness of faith?
The Church is keen for converts because she wishes to bring everyone into the fullest possible relationship with God. But she is also eager for “re-verts” –anxious that those who for whatever reason have fallen away from practicing their faith may come home.
That’s why a beautiful initiative which began originally in my hometown of Washington, D.C. has spread to dioceses across the United States.
The Light Is On For You began in 2007 as an effort to bring Catholics back to the sacrament of Reconciliation –and “home” for Easter. The concept is simple. During Lent, every parish in the Archdiocese of Washington is open for Confessions and Eucharistic adoration from 6:30 until 8:00 pm each Wednesday in addition to its normal confession schedule.
The word isn’t left to parish bulletins and pulpit announcements, however. Billboards, signs on buses, and radio ads invite everyone to come. Once they arrive, they’ll find a short, informative brochure reminding them of the benefits of the sacrament and step-by-step coaching on how to make a good Confession.
The initiative has proved so successful and popular with both clergy and the faithful that word has spread and the program is not only in its fourth year in the Archdiocese of Washington, it has expanded into other dioceses as well. This year the neighboring dioceses of Arlington and Baltimore are also participating, as are the dioceses of Boston, Springfield, Baton Rouge. In all, they total about 20 American dioceses as well as some in Canada too!
Other dioceses not formally participating in the “The Light Is On For You” are instituting similar programs to make confession more accessible for the faithful. The bishop of Allentown has asked every parish to add two hours of confessions to its weekly schedule during Lent. New York’s Young Adult ministry is sponsoring “24 hours of Confession” at parishes throughout the Archdiocese on March 6-7.
I spoke with a pastor in Washington who has come to love this Lenten initiative after initial skepticism. “I admit I thought the bishop was wasting my time,” he said. “I didn’t expect anyone to come. But I tell you what, I have had some of the most beautiful experiences of my priesthood on the Wednesdays of Lent these past few years. People come back to the faith who have been away 20, 30 years or more. It’s powerful.”
In an interview with his diocesan paper, Archbishop Wuerl attributed the success of the program to our real need to be forgiven.
“…at the heart of the response is the realization we do need to hear from God that we're forgiven. Deep in our hearts, we may be sorry, but there is something intrinsic to our human nature that calls out to hear the words, 'You are forgiven.' That is what Confession is all about.”
Another pastor I spoke with said a major lesson for him has been that many people stay away from Church for no greater reason than that no one invites them back. “I give the Archbishop a great deal of credit for inviting people back.”
Of course, Confession isn’t only for the long time gone; the Church encourages frequent reception of the sacrament for everyone. Archbishop Wuerl writes, “the deepest spiritual joy each of us can sense is the freedom from whatever would separate us from God and the restoration of our friendship with so loving and merciful a a father.”
Let’s all come home for Easter…and bring some others with us. Maybe they are only waiting to be asked.