Drumcree Parish, Portadown adopted a Come Back to Mass Sunday.  Here Fr Michael O'Dwyer PP give some of the background to the initiative.

After last summer one of our Parish Pastoral Councillors presented us with thoughts – addressing the issue of evangelisation in our Parish and in particular the complex and personal issue of bringing disaffected Parishioners back to Church.
We also have an Outreach group in the Parish that was focusing on this topic.

By November the Council felt that we could talk about this for ever so action was needed and from that the Come Back to Mass Sunday was agreed. The priests would speak about this during Advent, it would be put on the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany card that each home would receive. Sunday 9th/10th January was chosen as it was the feast of the Baptism of the Lord – Baptism was a new beginning. Families were to be encouraged to invite family members and friends who might not normally come to Mass to come that weekend, no strings attached.

The Parish Bulletin carried the line Come Back to Mass weekend 9th/10th January 2010 on 13th December and the Christmas Day editions.
On 3rd January the following note appeared in the bulletin.

Come Back to Mass weekend 9th/10th January
Churches were full over Christmas and New Year - a very positive statement of faith and wanting to belong. For some it may have been their annual visit to Church or experience of being part of the Parish Community - if that is you or a member of your family or circle of friends, we want to encourage you to come again next weekend or invite such a person to come to Mass with you. It may be the start of a good habit or doing something spiritual that you've been putting off for a while.
Come and see.

The weekend of 9th/10th was not good weather wise but we had great crowds at Mass and many new faces. Mass was celebrated as usual and everyone was welcomed but no big extra fuss was made – did not want people to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed, that was important. The most important thing is that many people used the weekend to come back – they just wanted an excuse and have kept coming. God is good. We plan to use the idea again.