Contact: Ron Angner

Scheduled Meetings:  Announced as needed to support program requirements.

Mission Statement: To provide a welcoming environment to all inactive Catholics so that they can have an intimate union with Jesus Christ, for it is only He who can shatter the darkness of our lives with the light of his love.

Current Activities:  The St. Francis by the Sea Welcome Home Program (WHP) has been in existence for 3 + years.  The focus of this program is to encourage and work with inactive Catholics to return to the loving arms of our Lord Jesus and to become an active member of our Church community.  Our ministry is based on the parable of the Good Shepard and the words of St. James:  "Remember this:  the person who brings a sinner back from his way will save his soul from death and cancel a multitude of sins."

About the Welcome Home Ministry:  The Welcome Home Program at St. Francis by the Sea helps inactive Catholics get reaquainted with the Church and to become active members of the Parish.

Jesus says:  "All are welcome at my table".  Come back to the table of the Lord and partake in His everlasting love for each of us.  No sin is too big to be forgiven.  So let your heart be open to the mercy of the Lord.  Come join us at His banquet.  If you or a loved on is yearning to come back to the arms of the Lord, please consider joining us in our Welcome Home Program. 

Our ministry holds 6, one hour sessions, one or two times a year, depending on the number of participants we have interested in the program. Thus far, we have welcomed 25+ people to the program - most of whom have come back to the Church.  Each session is focused at a different aspect of our faith and is aimed at reacquainting participants with the basic foundations of our faith and the changes in the church over the years.  The program also offers 4 optional sessions after the first six sessions and each time the participants have opted to continue with the optional sessions. 

If you know of anyone who is struggling with their faith and is just looking for an "excuse" to come back to the Church, please encourage them to "Come Home".

Current Volunteer Opportunities: Key to the success of the program is the pro-active assistance of all our parishioners. We need:

• Welcome Home Lead(s) – loving, outgoing, and welcoming folks whose faith and love of Jesus shines like a bright star – Jesus’ love for all shines thru them. These folks are responsible for being contacts for anyone showing an interest in coming back to the church. They are responsible for explaining our program and bringing interested people along and encouraging them to participate in our program. These people would also act as the program facilitators.
• Ambassadors – people with big welcoming smiles that will act as greeters and hosts during the program sessions and at various times in the narthex of the church.
• Prayer Partners – people that pray for the success of the ministry and also may be assigned to pray for a specific individual that is considering coming back or has made the decision to come back to the Church.
• Set-up/take-down – people who are willing to set up, clean-up the room(s) and provide refreshments for the sessions.

If this vibrant program at the forefront of the Church’s message of evangelization and hope “calls out to you” or you simply want to learn more, please contact Ron Angner, 843-686-6037, for more information.

Web links to other pertinent sites:

Awakening Faith Site

National Catholics Come Home Site
National Catholics Come Home FAQs

Suggested reading materials:

Rediscover Catholicism by Mathew Kelly

Welcome Home Brochure for Inquirers

Welcome Home Brochure for Parishioners