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The statistics are troubling: an average of 6.5 people leave the Catholic Church for every one that joins, and 50% of young people who were raised Catholic are no longer Catholic today. The Catholic Church is hemorrhaging young people.

Behind these statistics are countless stories of wounded families. Millions of mothers and fathers are longing for their prodigal children to come home to the Church, crying: “Where did we go wrong?”

The passive wait-and-see approach is no longer an option. We need a different strategy. We need to understand the real reasons why our young people drift away, and we need a game plan to bring them home. We need Return. 

The Church faces many challenges today, but I am convinced that the most pressing concern, at least in America, is the attrition of our own people.

Thirteen percent of Americans identify as former Catholics, and for every one convert to the Catholic faith, more than six people leave. One-third of people raised Catholic no longer identify as Catholic today, and attendance at the Mass, identified by the Second Vatican Council as “the source and summit of the Christian life,” continues to fall, with only a paltry 24% in the pews on any given Sunday. The statistics get worse among younger generations. One-third of the Millennial generation now claims no religious affiliation, and only 16% identify as Catholic.

It’s easy to gloss over these numbers and justify a false sense of security. Admittedly, the overall Catholic population has remained relatively stable, but this is mostly a result of immigration, of faithful new immigrants replacing the Catholics who leave. But obviously this is not a sustainable or desirable trend. Even among immigrants, as cultural assimilation takes hold of second and third generations, they leave the Church at rates similar to the general Catholic population. As many evangelists have observed, “God has no grandchildren.” Each generation must meet Christ and the Church for the first time, not relying on mere cultural ambience or ethnic identification.

But while God may not have grandchildren, people do. If you’re reading this excellent book by Brandon Vogt, chances are high that you’re a parent or grandparent, worrying that your child has drifted away from the faith. In the face of apparent failure and heartbreak, you’re asking yourself, What went wrong? Did I do enough? What more could I have done? Is there anything I can do now? How does one repair a broken relationship with Christ and the Church?

To these many questions, Brandon Vogt’s Return offers tremendous and desperately needed help. Every parent or grandparent with a fallen-away child needs to read this book.

You’ll find concrete advice and practical strategies. Rather than opting for despair, Brandon calls for creativity and courage, new approaches imbued with the liveliness of the New Evangelization. Return includes one of the best summations of Catholic attrition, coupled with keen insights as to why people dismiss the Church’s faith. He doesn’t cast aspersions or blame, and he avoids the scapegoating that marks some approaches to this problem. Instead he focuses on the solution, using a positive emphasis on what parents can say and do to respond to their child’s objections, rebuild relationships, and ultimately draw them back to the Church.

Return offers no magic-bullet guarantee that your child will come back. But you will find a complete game plan to create the best possible environment to reintroduce your child to Christ and his Church.

I have worked alongside Brandon Vogt for some time now in the fields of the Lord’s work. His dedication to the cause of evangelization is exemplary. He is a pioneering missionary disciple, whose sense of joy for the Gospel is contagious and reassuring. Therefore, if your son or daughter has left the faith, I encourage you not to give up hope and to learn from his advice in this book.

Return will serve as an essential resource for the Church’s evangelization efforts and a true game-changer for desperate parents everywhere.

Take advantage of these FREE supplemental resources from Brandon Vogt to accompany you and your small group as you journey and reflect upon Return together.

– Trent Horn, staff apologist at Catholic Answers

“Return is the resource that parents of fallen-away children have been waiting for: it combines powerful spiritual insights with practical tips that you can begin applying right now. It’s like a bootcamp for spiritual warriors who are about to go out on a great search-and-rescue mission.”

“Brandon Vogt’s Return offers practical and realistic ways to bring lost souls home. And I should know: I was one of those kids who left the Church for over ten years. Return hits home for me. It reveals not just why people are drifting from the Church but how to get them back into the fold of Christ. It’s a true treasure for our times.”

“Everywhere I go I meet parents who are troubled because their children no longer practice the faith. Finally, here is a practical guide to doing something about that. It’s time we took this problem seriously, and Return can help with that.”

“Return is a resource that is desperately needed by today’s Catholic families. This terrific new resource is full of practical, supportive, and affirming answers. A ‘must have’ for every Catholic home, parish, and library!”

“The number one question I am asked frequently is, ‘How can we get our son or daughter back to the Catholic Church?’ This grieves the hearts of millions of parents. Finally, someone has given us sound tools, prayers, and wisdom on this vital issue. Brandon has once again created an inspirational book to help us bring loved ones home to Jesus and his holy Church!”

“What greater gift could any parent want for their fallen-away Catholic child than to help them get back in touch with God’s grace? Brandon Vogt’s book, Return, offers more than just practical wisdom and timeless advice, it is a roadmap of evangelization for Catholic parents of fallen-away Catholics. Buy this book. Read this book. Do what this book says. Then see what great gift God has for your family!”

“Well-researched and realistic, Brandon Vogt’s Return is not just hope-filled, but superbly hope-filling. A resounding answer to many Catholic parents’ most ardent prayers.”

“One of the most common questions I get as the director of St. Paul Street Evangelization is, ‘How can I bring my son or daughter back to the Church?’ I hear it all the time. Every Catholic I know has at least one close family member who has drifted away from the Church. Brandon Vogt’s Return is an excellent answer to that question. He does a great job laying the foundation and sharing the best tips and practical strategies. Buy this book if you want to help your child come back.”