Praying Prodigals Home: Ministry for families of fallen-away Catholics holds annual Mass

By Linda Oppelt

COLORADO SPRINGS. On Aug. 27, the Feast of St. Monica, the annual diocesan Mass of Praying Prodigals Home was celebrated by Bishop James Golka at St. Mary’s Cathedral, followed by a program in the parish center led by Connie Pratt.

Pratt, along with Stephanie Kemp and the late Evelyn French, founded Praying Prodigals Home in 2010 with the blessing of late Bishop Michael Sheridan, for the purpose of gathering together to pray for those loved ones who are no longer practicing the Catholic faith. Since that time they have sponsored the annual Mass on the feast of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, and have held a variety of programs after Mass to support, encourage, and uplift those people whose loved ones are, like St. Augustine before his conversion, resisting or struggling to follow and accept the Catholic faith.

For this year’s program, Pratt presented an idea that came to her when she was asked to speak to a women’s group about her own spiritual journey.

“It prompted me to look back over my life very seriously and see how key moments in my life, good and bad, were things that God had used to bring me closer to him, and also set me on the path that I know is his plan for me.”

Recognizing that while so many people, as they age, become more curious about their family’s ancestry and heritage, questions about their spiritual heritage are not asked.

“I never thought to ask (my parents) the deeper questions: when and why they first believed; how their relationship with God grew and developed; how they prayed in their private life; did they ever struggle with unbelief...”

“No matter how far [our adult children] seem to be from God now, they will begin to ask those specific questions. And they’ll look to us, their first role models, for some of those answers, but it might be too late.”

So Pratt’s talk focused on helping attendees begin to write their own journey of faith, by providing each person with a blank journal and a list of starter questions to help prompt the memories of times when God was especially present in their life. Pratt suggested presenting the story of faith at Christmas, four months away.

“It will be available to them when they need it, and when they’re finally ready.”

Stressing that there is no silver bullet to getting loved ones to return, Pratt said, “sharing our own faith journey will do something that no theological argument or explanation of a Church doctrine can do…because our loved ones can’t really argue with our own experiences, our own feelings, the lessons we’ve learned in our years of life.”

The two-page handout of starter questions includes memories of the early part of one’s spiritual journey, such as

• “Do you remember who first told you about God, who answered questions you had?”
• “Was there a grandparent or other relative who modeled faith for you? In what ways?”

Later in the spiritual journey, there are questions like:

• Did you ever stop practicing the faith?  If so, did you doubt God’s existence? Were you angry at God? (Pratt mentions that “these experiences would be especially significant to loved ones going through the same things.”)

And how one’s spiritual journey is, currently:

• Do you firmly believe that every prayer is heard and answered?  What convinces you of this?

In encouraging attendees to write their spiritual heritage, Pratt emphasized that no particular writing skills are necessary. “All that matters is that you are going to share, with the people who are most dear to you, the things that are most important to you!  And that’s what will come through!”

For the complete list of starter questions for journaling, contact Pratt at conniepratt@comcast.net.