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ATTLEBORO

The priests and brothers at LaSalette Shrine hear it frequently from alienated Catholics who want to find their way back.

`` They say they want to come back into the church, but they do not know what they can or cannot do,'' said Brother Bob Russell, shrine director.

Now the shrine will offer a way. In a new program called `` Home Coming,'' the shrine will host three gatherings this fall to address issues and offer guidance.

Russell, who is a deacon as well as a LaSalette brother, will be joined by three LaSalette priests -- the Rev. Ron Beauchemin, the Rev. Vic Chaupetta, and the Rev. Pedro Chingandu -- in a program that will be held from 7:15 to 9 p.m. on three Mondays -- Sept. 25, Oct. 30 and Nov. 20. If the program is popular, another series will be offered after the Christmas holidays.

The series is aimed at providing mediation and conversation so people can clarify what went wrong and identify options for reconciliation and reunion with the Church.

The sessions will include presentations, discussions, question-and-answer periods, and time for attendees to tell their stories if they choose.

`` We want to give people a forum where they can express themselves, where they can tell the story of why they left, where the hurt is, and maybe why they are thinking of coming back,'' Chaupetta said.

But people will also have the option of remaining private, he said, and can anonymously submit questions in writing that will then be answered during the forum.

The program will be based on the book, `` A Faith Interrupted: An Honest Conversation with Alienated Catholics,'' by Alice Camille and Joel Schorn. A $12 fee for the book will be charged, but the program itself is free.

Russell said the program is not meant for Catholics who want to seek annulments, which has to be done through the diocese or their parishes.

But he said people who have issues that have kept them away from Mass and the sacraments may find the program helpful.

`` We want to deal with people who want to come back to the Church,'' he said.

There is need nationwide for this approach. Although the Roman Catholic membership in this country continues to grow, the number of practicing Catholics is dismal in comparison. According to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, the U.S. had 64.8 million Catholics in 2005, up from 59.9 million in 2000, but surveys show that only an annual average of 33 percent are attending Mass at least once a week.

The problems cover a broad spectrum, ranging from a single conflict with a particular priest, to the major sexual abuse scandal that came to light in recent years and that has disillusioned and even angered a number of Catholics.

`` We want them back,'' said Chingandu, who came to the shrine in June from his native Angola.

The Church, he said, is like a family, and although there may be problems at times, that should not lead to a rupture.

`` The fact that someone has been abused by a priest should not be reason to leave the Church,'' he said. `` The Church is much bigger than one priest.''

The impetus for the program, Russell said, came from some of the people who attended the recent discussion series on `` The Da Vinci Code'' at the shrine.

Russell said he asked them if other types of study programs should be offered, and mentioned the idea of a homecoming series. About half of the people in attendance said they knew someone who felt isolated from the Church, he said.

The program will be held in the Reconciliation Chapel inside the shrine church, but if attendance is high and more space is needed, the location may be changed to another building on the shrine grounds.

Anyone interested in attending should register in advance by calling the programs office at the shrine at 508-236-9068.

rdrtrdrsrdrw15rsp160 GLORIA LaBOUNTY can be reached at 508-236-0333 or at glabounty(at)(at)thesunchronicle.com.