Some never really started. Perhaps you were baptised as a Catholic, even made your First Communion, but you were never much part of the family of the church. Your parents rarely came to Mass so you didn’t either.

Perhaps you stopped coming as a teenager even after being confirmed. You found it boring. It wasn’t “cool” to come to Church. It was so easy just to drift away quietly.

Perhaps you were hurt by something said or done by someone at Church. You may still feel angry about it. We want you to know we are very sorry.

Or perhaps you felt unworthy because of something you did. You felt uncomfortable being there because you knew deep in your heart that you were doing wrong or at least that the Church disapproved.

Perhaps your marriage broke down. You are now in a new relationship, even married again. Perhaps you cannot receive Communion, so you don’t see the point of coming.

Whatever the reason you left, please come back to Church and join in your parish community.

We miss you. You are a vital part of God’s family and we want you to come home to your Christian family, the Church.

Perhaps not, though you may be surprised. Don’t be worried that people will look at you. There are lots of ways of meeting others and feeling you belong.

Don’t worry about that for the moment. Just come along to Mass and get used to what goes on. Get the feel of the Church and its worship. Come forward for a blessing at Communion time if you would like to (just bow your head and cross your arms across your chest to indicated that you would like a blessing). When you are ready, come to the great Sacrament of Reconciliation (often referred to as confession). It may seem rather daunting but tell the priest it’s a while since you’ve been and ask him to help you. God will give you his forgiveness and peace as he lifts past burdens of sin from your heart and gives you a new beginning.

You may have heard that you cannot receive Holy Communion and perhaps you can’t do much to change how things are. Come and talk it through with your priest to clarify the situation. Even if you cannot receive Communion, coming to Mass is still a wonderful thing to do. There are lots of people at Mass every Sunday who can’t receive Communion - not just children who haven’t made their First Communion, but also non-Catholic husbands and wives, and perhaps people in the same situation as you. You are still part of our family, and you will receive many blessings by coming to Church. There’s a deep pain in not being able to receive Communion, but an even greater loss in not being part of the Mass and the Church at all. Try to be as fully involved as you can in our life and worship.

It is Jesus himself who says to us about the Mass: “Do this in memory of me.”

Jesus calls us his friends. We are his family.

The Mass is our Lord’s most precious gift, because there he gathers us together and shares his life with us. There he fills us with his life and his love, and gives us a peace no-one else can give.

It is the Risen Jesus himself who stands in your Church, with his arms open in welcome, inviting you to join his group of friends who gather close to him.

No matter how long you have been away, you rill be very warmly welcome - by the Lord and by his Church.