The Catholic Church celebrates converts coming into the faith. But what about Catholic reverts who spent years away, finally came home, and discovered they were largely left to figure out their spiritual formation themselves?

I'm Roxie Beckles, a cradle Catholic revert who returned to the Church after nearly 20 years away. And I think we need to have a serious conversation about how the Church supports Catholics who return.

Research suggests that millions of Catholics have left the Church and subsequently returned. Yet their experiences are often overlooked in conversations about Catholic growth, conversion, and evangelization.

In this video, I'm challenging our parishes and dioceses to take adult faith formation seriously. But I'm also challenging my fellow Catholic reverts to stop waiting for somebody else to take responsibility for their spiritual lives.

We're getting into:

• Why Catholic reverts deserve greater attention
• What the research actually tells us about Catholics leaving and returning
• The gaps in adult faith formation
• Why returning to Sunday Mass is only the beginning
• Seven commitments to help you grow deeper in your Catholic faith
• Confession, the Eucharist, daily prayer, and serious study of Catholic doctrine
• What St. Josemaría Escrivá meant by alter Christus, ipse Christus

The goal isn't simply to become a practicing Catholic again.

THE GOAL IS TO BECOME A SAINT.

And that means taking responsibility for your spiritual life, cooperating with God's grace, and pursuing the fullness of the faith you've inherited.

CHAPTERS:
0:00 - The Forgotten Catholics
0:29 - Where Is the Support for Returning Catholics?
1:56 - The Statistical Blind Spot
4:42 - My Journey Back to the Catholic Church
6:40 - Why Familiarity Is Not Faith
8:26 - The Adult Faith Formation Problem
10:33 - Heaven Knows You Came Home
12:27 - Seven Commitments for Catholic Reverts
19:10 - The Universal Call to Holiness

WATCH NEXT:

I've attended Mass for more than 1,500 consecutive days. Here's what that experience taught me about living a Eucharistic life:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrWNGGbX8RM

RESEARCH & CHURCH DOCUMENTS:

CARA: The Reverts - Catholics Who Left and Came Back
https://nineteensixty-four.blogspot.com/2012/06/reverts-catholics-who-left-and-came.html

Pew Research Center: Half of U.S. Adults Raised Catholic Have Left the Church at Some Point
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2015/09/15/half-of-u-s-adults-raised-catholic-have-left-the-church-at-some-point/

USCCB: Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us - A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation
https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/catechesis/adult-faith-formation/our-hearts

LET'S TALK IN THE COMMENTS:

Are you a Catholic revert?

How long were you away from the Church? What brought you back? And when you returned, did your parish provide resources to help you deepen your faith?

I genuinely want to hear your experiences.

SUPPORT THAT BLACK CATHOLIC CHICK

Subscribe for substantive conversations about Catholic theology, apologetics, spirituality, and living the Catholic faith.

You can also support this apostolate by becoming a channel member. Click the Join button to help make this work possible and receive access to exclusive members-only content.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

#CatholicRevert #CatholicChurch #CatholicFaith