So you’ve heard Alpha isn’t for Catholics? These Catholics found out otherwise

Raphaelle LaNasa had learned about the evangelical program known as Alpha. She had also heard the rumors and claims that it wasn’t necessarily suitable for Catholics.

“I heard some things about it, and I had some prejudices against it,” said LaNasa, of Immaculate Conception Parish in Ransomville. “So, I decided not to just go by hearsay, but I decided I would attend one session.”

Her plan was to take notes, specifically everything she would find wrong about Alpha. That was the plan, anyway. She was surprised by what she witnessed, and she kept coming back.

“The Holy Spirit kind of hit me, you could say,” LaNasa continued. “I knew that I had to go back, and I did go back for the full 11 weeks. What I realized when I was there is that Alpha is for everybody.”

Alpha sessions will begin at numerous parishes throughout the Diocese of Buffalo beginning Tuesday, Sept. 17, held once per week for an 11-week span. Each free session involves food, watching a video, and then honest, candid discussion about what was watched, and about what people in the room are feeling, even if they carry doubts about their faith. 

Alpha was first created in 1997 at Holy Trinity Brompton, an Anglican church in London, England. It covers basic level concepts about the Christian faith, raising questions including “who is Jesus,” “why do we pray,” “why does evil exist in the world,” and “does Jesus heal?” Some critics have suggested Alpha is not a Catholic-friendly program. Those who organize it disagree, and say it is actually a good stepping stone for those who may wish to pursue conversion to Catholicism.

“By the end of Alpha, we’re talking about the church,” said Robert Coutch, who assisted in presenting Alpha at his Pennsylvania-based parish before moving to Buffalo. “You know the necessity of being with other people in your faith, and that’s the part where we invite people, (saying) if you like what’s happening here, come to our church. And let’s talk about getting into the RCIA program where we can do a little more advanced stuff.

Even those who are faithful might struggle to share their faith with others. That, suggests Dustin Bliss of St. Joseph Parish in Holland, has been a significant obstacle to spreading Catholicism. 

“It’s like Catholics don’t even feel comfortable asking their own children to come to Mass,” Bliss said. “If you can’t ask your own child to come to Mass, how are you going to ask a stranger to do it? That’s what’s so great about Alpha, because you have this great framework that’s already created, and all you have to do is get someone to come and let someone else like myself do the evangelization.”

It hasn’t always been easy. Bliss recalled one occasion when a gentleman immediately reacted by complaining that he was sick of hearing about evangelization, and then walked out. But, Bliss told WNYCatholic.org, it’s everyone’s obligation to evangelize.

“What part of Jesus telling us to be fishers of men did you not understand?” asked Bliss. “You know, the Holy Spirit didn’t infect the people in the upper room and tell them to stay there in Jerusalem and pray for people around the world, hoping they might find the Word of Jesus. No, He inflamed their souls to go out into the world to spread the message of Jesus Christ.”

Although Alpha is considered to be ground-level education and discussion, LaNasa says even those who regularly attend Mass and consider themselves actively practicing Catholics may still benefit from the program.

“What you will find is that God is calling us all to a deeper faith and personal conversion, and he does that through retreats,” she said. “And then, if we are called to draw others in and bring them with us, maybe people who don’t know about the faith or don’t go to church, then we invite them. It’s for everybody.”