Welcome back
Karen’s journey home to the Catholic Church
by Nancy Schertzing | Photography by Tom Gennara

My dad had a beautiful, blue marble engraved with the words “Do Unto Others As You Would have Done Unto You.” He kept it on his dresser, and I wanted that marble with all my might. I was very selfish in those days, and he told me I couldn’t have it until I understood what the engraved words meant.

I can remember Dad coming home from work and going into his room, carefully emptying his pockets and placing each item in a box on his dresser. I loved to sit on the bed watching him, talking and trying to convince him to give me that marble. But no matter what I guessed, I never got the meaning quite right.

As time went on, the marble captured less of my attention, but I still enjoyed sitting and talking with my dad. I’m sure I came pretty close to the right answer a few times, but the marble stayed on Dad’s dresser.

I think it was the day I left for college, Dad surprised me and said, “You know, I think it’s time I gave this to you.” I was so shocked that I’m not sure I knew what to say!

Today, I keep that marble in a tiny glass sitting on my desk next to the computer. My sons love it and ask me to tell them the story. It’s a story I cherish, and now I think I understand what it really means.

I started out Catholic, but when I was in sixth grade, I told my mother I didn’t want to do this [Mass and religious ed.] any more. Since my little brother had made his first Communion, she agreed. We went to Mass at Christmas sometimes, but after that, faith wasn’t really emphasized.

We lived the beatitudes and Ten Commandments without really knowing it. My dad was never religious. Mom and her family were the only Catholics – her sister was my godmother, but I never felt any of them were influencing me. I never went back to church regularly, and I didn’t build Catholicism into my adult life.

In December 2004 I got a call that changed my life. My husband, Ken, had collapsed at work. I had to rush to the hospital. When I got there I found out Ken’s heart had stopped. The paramedics had tried to resuscitate him. But he was lying unconscious, balancing between life and death.

The hospital staff kept asking if I practiced any faith. I must have told them I was Catholic, because a priest came into the room. He asked if I wanted him to pray with me and I answered yes. But I told him I had no idea what I was doing. He started reciting some prayers as I sat with my hands folded, looking down at Ken. The prayers had a familiar feel, but seemed foreign and kind of hazy.

Then the priest said one prayer – I can’t remember what it was to this day, but I remember looking up and saying, ‘I believe that.’ And I really did. I looked back down at Ken, and he opened his eyes for a brief moment.

Later, the doctors diagnosed Ken with sudden cardiac death syndrome. At any moment, his heart could stop and he may or may not be resuscitated. There is no cure, but we’ve worked as a family to strengthen his heart and take better care of ourselves.”

My husband’s condition has led our family to pray together and try to be thankful for every minute we have. We’ve all developed a deeper faith because we realize in the end it’s just between Jesus and ourselves. When I pray each day I remind myself it’s not my plan. It can’t be my plan. No one knows what’s going to happen at any moment. But that’s exciting and part of how it’s supposed to be. It is how you deal with what you are given that really matters.

We’re all vulnerable. I’ve been able to appreciate the joy and peace of this truth by connecting more deeply with my faith. Prayer is such a part of my life. It keeps my faith alive and fertilizes the joy that has blossomed even in the face of Ken’s condition.

Both our sons have been baptized. I was confirmed in October 2005 and I sponsored Ken in the RCIA process. At that time, I was just bursting! I wanted to do more and kept asking, “Where can I go?”

The people at St. Gerard invited me to join the Evangelization Committee and I was very excited to be involved with preparation for Welcome Home Sunday.

I feel I can understand what others might be going through if they’re returning to Mass after being away. If you don’t go all the time, you can easily forget when to sit, stand and pray. I remember not knowing what to do before and after Mass, so I try to make visitors feel comfortable. I went to every Mass on Welcome Home Sunday, inviting people back and welcoming them.

Just feeling welcome helps you remember you’re not alone. I’d rather engage in a two-second conversation than let a person walk by me thinking they don’t belong in our church.

Welcome Home Sunday is always. Always. It should be for everyone, because everyone is worthy of God’s love. It’s crucial that people strong in their faith share – just share, not persuade. I can’t imagine not sharing my faith! If everyone in the church worked at sharing their faith, every Sunday would be Welcome Home Sunday.

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Welcome Home!

Welcome Home Sunday is an opportunity to invite Catholics to remember, reconnect and renew. It’s your opportunity to say, “We’ve missed you. Welcome home!”
Here are some tips for evangelization:

• Be nice. You know the old saying: “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
• Don’t judge, don’t preach, don’t expect.
• Do invite, do encourage, do pray.
• Let people know how faith enriches your life.
• Love your neighbor as yourself – put yourself in their shoes: How would you feel if you were pressured?