Fans who stayed up Feb. 13 to watch the outcome of Super Bowl 2022 on local NBC affiliate WOOD TV8 caught the premiere of the Diocese of Grand Rapids’ ‘Together Is Where We Belong’ ad campaign commercial. In case you missed it, watch it here.
With weekly Mass attendance in decline, a trend exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the diocese has been exploring reasons why Catholics have left and working to find ways to welcome them back. With a focus on hospitality and belonging, the campaign reminds Catholics of the many ways we are nourished, both communally and spiritually, by involvement in parish life, especially by our presence and participation at Mass. Catholic churches in West Michigan have been open for public worship since May 2020 with appropriate safety guidelines in place. But many Catholics have not yet returned to their parish communities. This is an invitation to come home. Our Catholic parishes are places of welcome where the love of Christ is shared in community, service, and sacrament.
Come back to Mass in your parish this weekend, or find a church near you. Together is where we belong!