Powerful Television Commercials Driving Catholics Back into the Pews (and Confessionals)

LifeSite ^ | September 22, 2008 | John-Henry Westen

[NYer]

PHOENIX, September 22, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Statistically church-going Catholics are pro-life, and pro-family.  However, many nominal Catholics (in some parts of North America, the majority of Catholics) are non Church-going and thus tend to fall in with the general population in terms of adherence to life and family values.  However, an innovative media company is changing those statistics by airing a series of powerful commercials which have been shown to drive Catholics back to church in droves.
 
Catholics Come Home Inc., an independent, non-profit is the group behind the current TV advertising campaign that is contributing to thousands of lapsed Catholics returning to the active practice of their faith.  The commercials direct the viewer to the http://www.CatholicsComeHome.org website to explore answers to questions of faith, and to utilize the site's parish-finder feature to locate their local parish community.  
 
The campaign originally aired in the initial test markets of Phoenix, AZ and Lexington, KY, where after a three week campaign more that six thousand lapsed Catholics found their way back to the Catholic Church.  3.5 Million people (99%) within Phoenix and Northern Arizona saw the commercials, 14 times per person, during the three weeks leading up to Easter Sunday.
 
During the campaign one priest wrote Catholics Come Home to say: "I have heard more confessions this Lent than ever before!" crediting the commercials with the dramatic rise in Catholics returning to the sacrament. "Many have mentioned the commercial. I gave someone a tour of the Church who hasn't attended since the 1950's. He saw the commercial, showed up and said 'I'm home'."

Another priest related, "I heard 16 confessions that first week as a direct result of those commercials."
 
Personal testimonies sent to the Come Home team are powerful. "I've been away from the church for over 35 years," said one viewer, "and over the past 20 years I have become agnostic.. and yet? For me to actually look this site up from a TV ad says a lot! I even looked up the Mass times at my local parish!"
 
Tom Peterson, CCH Founder and President informed LifeSiteNews.com that the ads are slated to air in major US markets this year, including Atlanta, Chicago, Corpus Christi, Colorado Springs, Lincoln, and eventually on National networks and possibly even the Super Bowl.
 
To see the ads for yourself visit the website:
http://www.catholicscomehome.org/

[NYer]

Let’s pray it doesn’t take more commercials to keep them home.

[AlaskaErik]

Now if they'll only stop voting for DemocRATS en mass.

[JPII Be Not Afraid]

Very powerful. I think so many have lost their way and have forgotten God’s love for them. You see it in today’s world with so much hurt and anger. But there is also good, which is a very powerful force, and even though not everyone sees it, it is there and will always triump. Just remember to “Be not afraid.” God is in charge!

[HighlyOpinionated]

I think that once Catholics get sound teaching, they will vote Pro-Life above all else. Of course there are a few (sarcasm intended) Priests who need firm reprimands from Rome. One can only hope.

Ever since John F Kennedy, Catholics have been stuck in Democrat-istan and don’t realize how much the Party has changed.

[Desdemona]

I took a look (got a real jolt when the Arch went by in one of the ads), and really I can see where the combination of them would spur at least thinking about coming home. Only one preys at all on guilt and then it applies to everyone. No demands,no condemnation and nowadays church-goers are glad to see other church goers.

The priests' comments on confession are interesting as well. The lines on Sunday between Masses have been unbelievably long. Something good is happening that's for sure.

[Publius6961]

I don't believe this for a minute.

What it would take hasn't happened yet:

Organizing the church such that it can never again become another transfer of wealth, hundreds of $millions, from parishioners to the pockets of attorneys and perverts.

Until that happens there isn't a prayer...

[Salvation]

I would love to have these air in my Oregon area. Wonder why they seem to be limited at this time.

Can you imagine what might happen in your own area should something like this be advertised?

Wow!

[Salvation]

That's what the Bishops are saying!

Updated: American Bishops who have spoken against Pelosi

Here is the complete list of American bishops who have responded to Nancy Pelosi's comments so far:

1. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver was the first American bishop to respond
2. ... Bishop James Conley, his auxiliary, joined him
3. Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington DC responded twice, first in a press release and second in a statement to The Hill. He has also appeared on Fox News, I am told.
4. Cardinal Justin Regali of Philadelphia, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued this statement through the USCCB website...
5. ... Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, chairman of the Committee on Doctrine, joined him
6. Cardinal Edward Egan of New York publised a strongly worded statement of his own
7. Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo issued a letter correcting Pelosi's claims
8. Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh and...
9. ... Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs have chimed-in
10. Archbishop Jose Gomez of San Antonio, CNA reports has added his voice ...
11. ... Bishop Oscar Cantu, his auxiliary bishop, has joined him
12. Bishop William Murphy of Rockville has published an extensive letter
13. Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa has a detailed response
14. Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas has joined the USCCB's efforts
15. Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin is on-board
16. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston mentions the USCCB on his blog
17. Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando has written at length
18. Archbishop John Nienstedt of Saint Paul/Minneapolis challenges Pelosi's statement
19. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, President of the US Bishops, has weighed-in
20. Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, OR publishes in the Catholic Sentinel
21. Bishop Jerome Listecki of La Crosse, WI responds in a word document
22. Bishop Richard Lennon of Cleveland, OH will comment in his September 5th column (PDF)
23. Bishop Ralph Nickless of Sioux City, IA has one of the very best responses I've read
24. Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco has invited Pelosi to a "conversation"
25. Bishop Glen Provost, LA: "Catholic Church clear on when human life begins"
26. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn: "Judging the Candidates"

{Last updated on September 10th.}

Notes:

• Previous #23 has been removed. Bishop Joseph Gossman of Raleigh, NC is actually the bishop emeritus, and the new bishop, Michael Burbidge has not, to my knowledge, made a personal statement.
• Previous #16 has also been removed, it was an erroneous duplication of current #13.
• #26 was added September 10th, although he published his column September 6th

[iowamark]

Strong differences between Catholics who take their faith seriously and those who do not.

Survey Suggests Gov. Palin Pick Boosts McCain among Catholics

The survey shows McCain leading Obama among Catholics who attend church weekly 52 to 36 percent, differing from August results which showed the group slightly preferring McCain by 45 to 42 percent.

Catholics who attend church less than weekly are almost evenly split, preferring Obama by 46 to 45 percent. In August, the same group of Catholics preferred Obama over McCain by 46 to 44 percent.

[NYer]

Organizing the church such that it can never again become another transfer of wealth, hundreds of $millions, from parishioners to the pockets of attorneys and perverts.

Puhlease ...

Protestant Church handles 260 Sex Abuses Cases Each Year

Sex Abuse by Protestant Ministers

Shall I add the links for the rabbis and mullahs? What about the public school teachers and camp directors?

[NYer]

Wonder why they seem to be limited at this time.

Ask your bishop.

These commercials won't air here in Albany ... ever! The bishop won't allow it.

[Salvation]

Money didn’t go from the parishioners to pay off these cases. Dioceses sold their own property, cut staff, other measures, but church money and church property for the individual churches was not touched.

In our Archdiocese, however, while this was going on, we did have a freeze on any new church buildings or projects. Improvements to existing buildings was OK, but not new ones.

[Miss Marple]

The Bishop doesn’t control the airwaves. If someone or many people organize to pay for those ads, they can be aired.

[padre35]

Ahh. Nyer, it is poor to point at someone else wrong doing to cover one’s own.

Over time I’ve come to respect and indeed love the Roman Catholic Church, they are the depository of Early Christian Thought, and I will praise them for that service to Christians everywhere.

[Jeff Chandler]

I would love to have these air in my Oregon area. Wonder why they seem to be limited at this time.

They are limited because it costs money to buy air time. If you know anybody in your diocese who is interested in financing an advertising campaign in your area, have him call Catholics Come Home: 678-585-7886 X106.

They also take donations on their amazing, beautiful, incredibly designed website.

[flaglady47]

“Catholics who attend church less than weekly are almost evenly split, preferring Obama by 46 to 45 percent. In August, the same group of Catholics preferred Obama over McCain by 46 to 44 percent.”

How any Catholic could support Obama is beyond me.

[D-fendr]

Excellent series of real people ads here:

http://www.catholicscomehome.org/real_people/index.phtml

[A.A. Cunningham]

Ye of little faith.

"And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18