CatholicsComeHome.org is responding to this call, for the need in our society is great.

• According to the CARA Catholic Poll (CCP), only 33% of U.S. Catholics attend weekly Mass. That means 42.7 million U.S. Catholics are not going to Mass.
• Up to 100,000 baptized Catholics in the U.S. drift away from the Church annually.
• The number of Americans identifying themselves as non-religious/secular increased 110% from 1990 to 2000. It is now 13.2% of the total population.
• Interestingly, the average American watches more than 4 hours of television each day and 98.2% of all U.S. households own at least one television. A 2006 study shows that students recall 2 minute commercials better than full news stories. So when we harness the power of television and the internet to promote the good news of Jesus and His Church…the results are amazing.

For a detailed PowerPoint presentation entitled “Catholics Come Home®: The Current Demographics & the Good News,” compiled by Ryan Hanning from the Diocese of Phoenix, click below:
2nd Largest Church in America PowerPoint Presentation

Statistics and Results from CCH partner dioceses

Statistics and Results from CCH partner diocesesSince Lent 2008, a total of 35 Catholics Come Home® partner diocesan evangelization campaigns have aired.To date, where CCH commercials have aired, diocesan partners have reported 350,000 souls who have returned to the faith. This represents an average increase in Mass attendance of 10%. In addition, they’ve reported a deepening of Catholic identity which has often resulted in parishioners returning to Reconciliation, increased involvement in parish life, and an increase in parish and diocese financial support. Diocesan Partner Highlights what bishops are saying.

Bishop Thomas Olmsted’s Diocese of Phoenix team conducted a longitudinal study after the campaign aired, which verified that Mass attendance increased by an average of 12%. Their study, aided by Arizona State University statisticians, confirmed an estimated 92,000 returnees/converts came home to local parishes! View Full Story. Subsequently, the Diocese of Phoenix has confirmed that phoenix-retention.From Lent 2008 to Advent 2011, a total of 33 Catholics Come Home® partner diocesan evangelization campaigns have aired.

About a dozen partner dioceses that maintained historical data and tracked post-campaign Mass counts reported an estimated 10% overall increase in Mass attendance, amounting to approximately 300,000 returnees and converts.

Our faith teaches that the primary mission of the Catholic Church is to evangelize the world. While statistics are impressive, Jesus himself taught the importance of helping even one soul. Beyond the increase in Mass attendance, here are other benefits that CCH partner dioceses report:

• A reinvigoration of Catholic identity among current Catholics, who say “I’m proud to be Catholic” after seeing the commercials, and become more involved in the life of their parish and diocese.

• Extensive, positive press coverage in the secular media

• The vast majority of returnees say they did not have objections to Church teachings, moreover, they just drifted away due to the secular lures of the world. A vast majority of inactive Catholics said they came home because “we invited them.”

• Pastors report a significant increase in people participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, both among returnees and current parishioners who have not been in a while.

Priests report a renewed vigor in their vocation. They are witnessing a more engaged laity who are participating in the sacraments, volunteering, and tithing to their parish.

What to expect from us.

What to expect from us. The team at CatholicsComeHome.org has carefully researched and crafted this proven, effective evangelization program, refining it since its inception in 1997. We are blessed with a strong team of Catholic clergy and lay theologians, as well as Strategic Business Advisors to help us provide a proven model for your diocese. In addition, evangelization directors from other dioceses are willing to share their wisdom and experiences with you to help your implementation flourish.

The team at CatholicsComeHome.org provides:

• Statistical information from past campaigns, as well as diocesan contacts who have recently conducted successful implementations, so you can ask questions of these colleagues

• Complete “Parish Welcoming” training materials and timelines

• Fundraising models and collaborative CCH fundraising support, to help you reach the desired goal for media

• Public Relations support to maximize the positive press and free exposure in your media market

• Web Resources for diocese and parishes: a supply of web images, YouTube links to embed CatholicsComeHome.org commercials on your website, and WMV files of CCH ads for diocesan intranet use.

• Unequaled, proven effective, award winning Catholics Come Home® television ads in English (cchcom.wpengine.com) and Spanish (www.catolicosregresen.org). Much prayer and discernment, along with millions of dollars research and production have gone into the development of these evangelization tools over the past decade.

• CCH provides complete strategic media scheduling via our in-house advertising agency, to insure success and efficiencies at no additional cost to your diocese. (TV station commissions are rebated by television stations, directly to our ad agency).

• CCH provides a print-ready PDF of the CCH donation envelope, accounting services, with timely updates on fundraising goals met, and complete reporting of funding invested in media. We provide a thank you/tax receipt notification to each donor and never sell their names or contact information.

What we expect from you.

• A collaborative, enthusiastic zeal for the “new evangelization” and the ongoing growth of CatholicsComeHome.org nationally.

• Support from your Bishop, Presbyteral Council, Evangelization Directors, and Parishes (pastors, D.R.E.s, and receptionists) to insure that returning Catholics and convert candidates are welcomed, wanted, and helped.

• Collaboration from your Development Director and Stewardship team to insure realistic fundraising goals are met, in a timely manner. Each diocese agrees to a fundraising amount and timetable, based on reach and frequency goals for airing in your diocese. We will also air commercials that will benefit your diocese again, as part of our ongoing national campaign. The majority of funds raised will be utilized for a 6-week local TV campaign in your area, using network affiliates and cable TV programs to reach about 99% of the market about 13 times per household. Rather than charge your diocese any management fees, we ask you to partner with us on the ongoing national campaign to help more souls come home. So we ask that a lesser portion of the funding raised will be utilized as a part of the larger ongoing national television campaign, so that the ads will air more than one time in your diocese, and families can be helped over a period of years, not just during one, 6-week campaign.

• All parish and diocesan fundraising efforts will utilize Catholics Come Home® fundraising envelopes, and direct donors to make personal checks payable to: Catholics Come Home®, Inc., or to donate via the www.CatholicsComeHome.org website.

• Catholics Come Home, Inc. does not directly charge any fees for the use of our commercials, websites, research, training, management, etc…However, we do ask each diocese to help our non-profit apostolate to cover moderate expenses related to modest travel involved in training, and fundraising events on your behalf, in your diocese. We will certainly work with you to minimize these expenses, so they are as low as possible.

• CCH partner dioceses must utilize CCH copyrighted materials, CCH donor envelopes, and Catholics Come Home® federally registered trademarks within our CCH partner guidelines and legal standards, and they are not to be altered.