Come home for Christmas

“Come home for Christmas” is the awareness initiative promoted by the Department of evangelisation and catechesis of the Episcopal Conference of England and Wales. 

As the "Come home for Christmas" website says, the initiative “aims to offer a seasonal welcome to Catholics who for different reasons no longer or rarely attend Mass.” 

The news was reported by the Holy See’s newspaper, “L’Osservatore Romano”. 

Those who wish to learn more about the initiative’s goals and get involved again with the Catholic Church and its community activities can visit the website www.comehomeforchristmas.co.uk.

In a message, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, explained that “Come home for Christmas is aimed at sending out a warm welcome to everyone, particularly those who are baptised but currently have little contact with their local communities. Whatever your story or experience of life may be – he continued – we welcome you and want to listen to your story. Christmas is family time. We welcome you with an open heart, a place is already waiting for you. Let us gather together in friendship, love and forgiveness during this joyous season, like brothers and sisters in Christ.”

This initiative comes just days after the launch of a national tour, started in York, called “Crossing the Threshold”. 

The tour was aimed at offering support to Catholics who go to Church to meet and contact all those who have been baptised but who rarely or never attend mass. The event which took place in the English Martyrs Church, gave the large number of people present, the opportunity to pray together and to address a number of issues. 

Mgr. Terence Patrick Drainey, Bishop of Middlesborough, explained that “taking part in the regional evangelisation day “Crossing the Threshold”, was an exciting experience. At the end of mass, the congregation was told to go out and spread the word of the Lord’s Gospel. Those of us who have been baptised and confirmed, have been given a task in the mission to spread the Word and build up the Church Body.

In essence, the day helped us understand that the mission is close by, it is on our doorstep and we have the ability to bring the Gospel into our life and the lives of those we meet, through simple gestures.

“One of the most simple and crucial ways – he added -  is to invite people  to come and see, to come and meet the Lord and accompany him in friendship. Meeting in York was a sign of wanting to continue the great work of sharing the Gospel with those who are open and are searching for their path towards God.”