Re-membering Program welcomes inactive back

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
March 2, 2006

Catholics who are inactive or alienated from the church are invited to return through a program called Re-membering.

According to Deacon Fred Karpuk, this program has been offered for the last 13 years during the Lenten season. People from Sioux City and the outlying communities who have not been fully active in the life of the church are welcome to participate in this process that begins on March 19 at 7 p.m. in the Blessed Sacrament Parish Center. He was quick to point out that if people are unable to attend that first night, they are invited to start the process the following week, at 7 p.m. on March 26.

"When we call people back, we call them back to the Mass and sacraments, prayer and being part of the community of the parish," explained Deacon Karpuk.

The evangelization part of the program started on Feb. 26.

"I'm trying to encourage people to invest time in knowing the people around them," explained the deacon. "We took a good look at the census - the amount of people they say we have in a parish and the amount of people they feel show up for church on Sunday. It's 50 percent that are coming on a regular basis."

He encouraged people to think about their friends and family members and asked that they identify people who could be invited back to the church. For the last two weeks, parishioners at the Sioux City parishes have been invited to turn in the names of inactive people that could be invited to participate in this program.

"We write them a letter and call them on the phone to invite them to the program," noted Deacon Karpuk. "If someone invites you to the program, they can come or people can come on their own."

Through the years, he said he has discovered that people become inactive for various reasons. Sometimes people stop going to church after they get divorced. Sometimes they stop going because someone in the church has alienated them. Some stop going because of a lackadaisical (uninterested) attitude.

"Most of the people tell us that they became lazy about their faith or their faith problems," noted Deacon Karpuk.

At the first session, the deacon said they discuss reasons why people stopped attending and try to help them work through any problems or needs they may have. If there is a situation where someone has been divorced and remarried - but not in the church - members of the Re-membering team can educate them about the steps they need to take in order to receive the sacraments once again. They also help reconnect the people with their pastor.

"The next two weeks, we talk about the creed. The first one, we break it into the relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We also talk about Mary. Then, the next week we discuss the sacraments of Eucharist and reconciliation. The fourth week is reconciliation for those who can come back to the church," explained the deacon. That fourth session is held on Palm Sunday.

Over the course of the 13 years, Deacon Karpuk noted that other parishes have offered this program from time to time. He is not aware of any other communities offering the program this year, but stressed the fact that people in other areas are welcome to join them in Sioux City.

Along with Deacon Karpuk and his wife, Beth, other members of the Re-membering team consist of Deacon Larry Sitzman and his wife, Pat; deacon candidate Richard Billings and his wife, Jolene; as well as Father Merlin Schrad and Father Allan Reicks. Other Sioux City pastors and possibly others who have gone through the program may be involved in the process as well.

For more information about the Re-membering Program, contact Deacon Karpuk at (712) 255-6259, Deacon Sitzman at (712) 239-4852 or Richard Billings at (712) 293-0618.