Reporter Anita Vogel sought out Peterson to discuss the much hyped "Pew Study" issued in April 2009. The Pew Study reported that about half of American adults change religious affiliation at least once during their lives.
"Some Christians are drawn to faith communities that promote an 'a la carte' practice of faith, while others are lured out of religious practice altogether by the perceived glamour of secularism," says Peterson. By using compassionate commercials that drive viewers to an interactive website, CatholicsComeHome.org invites inactive Catholics and others to the sacraments found only in the universal Church Jesus started 2000 years ago. Peterson went on to explain that, "CatholicsComeHome.org messages also minister to people who are struggling with faith to find the answers, hope and peace that only comes from a relationship with Jesus."
Catholics Come Home, Inc. is a lay Catholic organization faithful to the Church's teachings. It creates effective and compassionate media messages and broadcasts them nationally and internationally to inspire, educate and evangelize inactive Catholics and others to come home to our faith family. Results from initial television campaigns show that the commercials are motivating existing Catholics to share their faith with their friends, relatives and neighbors. Additionally, it appears that 25% of the CatholicsComeHome.org web visitors are potential converts looking for a faith family and church home.
Peterson's international apostolate has already touched millions of souls around the world, welcoming them back home to the Catholic Church. In addition, CatholicsComeHome.org reaches out to people of other faiths to help them discover the sacraments, beauty, truth and accomplishments of the Catholic Church which helped build Western Civilization.
According to Catholic News Service (CNS), parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix reported a 12 percent increase in weekly Mass attendance that still continues long after the commercials aired. The CatholicsComeHome.org television initiative and website were directly responsible for bringing nearly 100,000 inactive Catholics and converts home to the Church during Lent 2008.
The Diocese of Corpus Christi, Texas, experienced similar success with its 2009 bilingual (www.CatolicosRegresen.org) CatholicsComeHome.org campaign, where initial results show 17.7 percent increase in weekly Mass attendance through 38 surveyed parishes. The CatolicosRegresen.org commercials resulted in similar increases in Spanish language Mass attendance.
These consistent results have motivated a dozen other archdioceses and dioceses throughout the United States to partner with CatholicsComeHome.org to launch campaigns in their areas during the upcoming seasons of Advent and Lent. These include: the Archdioceses of Chicago, Atlanta, Omaha and Seattle, and the Dioceses of Sacramento, Colorado Springs, Lincoln, Green Bay, Rockford, Joliet, Charlotte, Providence and Venice (FL).
The momentum of CatholicsComeHome.org has now extended internationally into Australia where Peterson recently returned from a national media conference followed by the Plenary meeting with the Cardinal and all 44 Bishops of Australia to discern implementation of CatholicsComeHome.org on their continent. It appears that Brisbane may be the first international archdiocese to launch the CatholicsComeHome.org campaign.
"No creative marketing team could possibly yield these miraculous results," Peterson concludes. "This is truly an apostolic movement designed and directed by the Holy Spirit. Our invitation is simple: 'We are Catholic. Welcome Home'."
(pictured above): Tom Peterson, president and founder of CatholicsComeHome.org
CatholicsComeHome.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit media apostolate, dedicated to producing and airing Catholic evangelism television ads on local, national, and international television networks.
Catholics Come Home Inc., 560 W Crossville Rd, Suite 101, Roswell, GA 30075
(c) Catholics Come Home, Inc
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