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An Open Letter to Priests: When Catechumens and Candidates Step Back

Dear Fathers,

I write to you with deep respect and gratitude for the work you do in guiding souls toward Christ and His Church. The journey of faith is a sacred and personal one, and your role as spiritual fathers is invaluable. You pour your hearts into teaching, encouraging, and welcoming those who seek to enter the Catholic Church. For many, the OCIA process leads to the joyous moment of full communion. But for some, after months of discernment, the decision is made to step back.

This letter is for those moments—when a catechumen or candidate chooses, for whatever reason, not to enter the Church at this time.

Please know that this is not a failure. It is not a failure on your part, nor on the part of the sponsors, the catechists, or the catechumen or candidate themselves. Faith journeys do not always follow a straight path. Sometimes, God calls a person to wait, to wrestle with questions a little longer, or to grow in ways unseen before they take that final step.

As priests, you have planted seeds, and those seeds may take time to bear fruit. Even Apollos planted seeds, and others watered them, but it is God who gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). Your words, your kindness, and your teaching are not in vain. Even when someone chooses not to move forward now, the love and truth they have encountered through you remain with them.

To the sponsors and fellow parishioners who have walked alongside them—your support has not been wasted. Your witness to the Catholic faith, your prayers, and your companionship matter. You have shown them what it means to be part of the Body of Christ, and that example may one day be what brings them into the Church.

And to the catechumens and candidates who feel uncertain or who choose to wait—do not see this as a rejection of faith, nor as a sign of failure. God works in His perfect timing. If you have wrestled with doubts, if you feel unready, if something in your heart says, "Not yet," trust that God is leading you. The Church will always be here, ready to welcome you whenever you are ready to return.

Fathers, your work is sacred. The impact you have goes beyond what you see. Trust that God is moving even when the timing does not align with human expectations. Continue to shepherd, love, and trust in the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

With gratitude and prayers,
A Fellow Seeker of Christ

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