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Questions / The Church and the Pope

How do I return to the Church?

Church teaching

Answered on video by Catholic Answers

Video: How to Come Back to the Church After an Absence, Catholic Answers Live, published Jun 16, 2017. Checked 10 October 2026. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube

In short: The Father is already watching the road. Conversion and confession bring you home to God and to the Church. CCC 1439 CCC 1468

The answer, in writing

Church teaching

Jesus described conversion in the parable of the prodigal son, the center of which is the merciful father. CCC 1439

The whole power of confession is to restore us to God’s grace and an intimate friendship with Him. CCC 1468

Our words

Just come. Go to confession, tell the priest it’s been a while, and you’re home. If your marriage situation is complicated, talk to a priest; there’s almost always a path.

Next step: Start Coming home

Honestly? The best answers come from people, not websites. Take the next step: find a parish near you

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Sources on this page

How we know · 2 Catechism paragraphs
  1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1439, 1468 (official text on vatican.va).

Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words and cites every teaching claim. Our own wording is not an official Church text. Found a mistake? Report an errorCorrections.