Last weekend I reported that some Christian churches are supporting a "Back to Church Sunday" for this Sunday, September 21.  It is an initiative to reach out to the "un-churched" and "de-churched," people who once attended church, but don't anymore - to invite them to return on a designated, special Sunday.  I then read a bulletin from a Catholic Church in Texas which speaks of an archdiocesan effort to get people to church by having a "Welcome Sunday" wherein Catholics are to "bring a friend to Mass and share the Good News!"  This effort has been expanded by the archdiocese to a "Season of Welcome" through November 2.  This effort sounds very proactive and is worth promoting here as well.  It is good, but often not good enough, to ask someone if they have ever thought about coming back to the practice of faith starting with going to Mass.  People are waiting for a personal invitation and an offer to accompany or meet the person at church and sit with them at Mass.  I challenge everyone in our congregation to identify people who are missing out on many blessings from their lives by not coming to church and INVITE THEM TO COME.  Assure them that your pastor would be happy to speak with them about any situation that needs to be resolved and/or healed.  Jesus tells us of the "Good Shepherd" who went looking for the lost sheep.  We are called to follow his example, and often, we don't have to look far to find the lost sheep.  That's step one, and the second step is to lead them home.  I pray that we will always give witness to the joy, hope and peace that the practice of our faith brings to us and can certainly bring to others.  GO GET THEM!!!!!