Are young people becoming more secular?

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My theory is that religious young people are very devout while non-religious young people are growing more vocal about it. I always look at the Communion line and notice that, what few young people there are, they always seem to be the one’s to genuflect before the Eucharist or take Communion on the tongue. My notion has always been that older people tend to have higher rates of belief, but it is often an easy-peasy, lukewarm kind of Christianity. Whereas young people have become ardently counter-cultural about it, in ways that baby boomers never have.

There is a sense that young people are growing much more liberal and irreligious, but how can the wild success of World Youth Day in secular European capitals like Cologne, Madrid, and Paris be explained? Why are vocations to orthodox orders increasing?

At the same time, polls show young people strongly supporting gay marriage, drug legalization, and also being less likely to claim to be “religious.”

Any thoughts?
 
I think that if you see a young person genuflecting or receiving on the tongue, most definitely they know what they’re doing and are in the correct state of mind. Though it might not be true, I would assume they’re faithful to the Church.

Unfortunately though, many young people are becoming more liberal than what was, but I’ll blame the horrible education and brainwashing that occurs at the so-called “educational facilities and institutions”, because school is a yucky word!
 
I am seeing more and more young people at mass these days, and like the OP stated they seem very reverent and strong in their faith. This is a very encouraging sign to me. While the world does appear to be growing more secular, these young people provide hope for the future.
 
23 year old here, am I am decidedly not becoming more secular.
:crossrc:
 
Colorad007 said:
My theory is that religious young people are very devout while non-religious young people are growing more vocal about it. I always look at the Communion line and notice that, what few young people there are, they always seem to be the one’s to genuflect before the Eucharist or take Communion on the tongue. My notion has always been that older people tend to have higher rates of belief, but it is often an easy-peasy, lukewarm kind of Christianity. Whereas young people have become ardently counter-cultural about it, in ways that baby boomers never have.

There is a sense that young people are growing much more liberal and irreligious, but how can the wild success of World Youth Day in secular European capitals like Cologne, Madrid, and Paris be explained? Why are vocations to orthodox orders increasing?

At the same time, polls show young people strongly supporting gay marriage, drug legalization, and also being less likely to claim to be “religious.”

Any thoughts?
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If you go to a Latin Mass you will notice it is basically split in two groups, 70+ and under 30.

I’m 19 and you know what I want for Christmas? A crucifix to hang over my bed, a statue of the Virgin Mary to put on my dresser and socks, one can never have enough socks

Youth are either conservative or not these days, the conservatives are rather traditionalist.
 
I’m 27 and I’m quite devout. But the question is: is this a mass movement of young people, or is it sort of a remnant of young people in the midst of a vast process of secularization?
 
And when I say “quite devout,” I mean that I have a special affinity for the genuflecting young Catholics I talk about because I’m one of them. Seeing them certainly encourages me. But I often wonder if we are only a small, happy, band of brothers (and sisters) among a generation of practical pagans. I so badly want to be wrong, but I don’t know if I am.
 
I do feel there is that aspect of either devoutness or complete rejection, less of that middling area than perhaps previous generations have had. Perhaps because faith is no longer an assumed absolute as it may previously have been.

I digress but what I dislike is the tendency to assume devoutness is the same as traditionalism (and assumption is evident here). I am not a Traditionalist. I do cover my hair but I prefer to attend the OF and I receive CITH. I bow profoundly before receiving either species, because I was always taught and believe it is the proper thing to do. I am devoutly Catholic and I am entirely loyal to the Church and all that it teaches. Just because I am not a Traditionalist does not mean I am any less (or indeed any more) devout than those who are.
 
Maybe the yourth are a reflection of the older generation.

Just a thought. What do you think?
 
I suppose the first WYD’s attendees are growing up, and the more partipants that go to WYD and NCYC, etc…

if violent secularism is growing more vocal then so must we, right?
 
I would have to agree with this thread, but in my case, I am a devout Catholic and 18.
 
I don’t know.

I can’t speak from personal experience. The Parish I attend is dominated by older folk (60s and up). The young folk I know are VERY secular. The young Catholics I know barely know they’re Catholic! (I only know they are because I’ve seen their family at Mass for confirmations and the like - although, I’ve never seen their families at any other occasion).

Are they becoming /more/ secular then youth in the past? Probably, because we live in an increasingly secular country and our youth will reflect our society, especially when we send them to public schools where they are surrounded by a secular mindset.

🤷
 
We have a ton of active young parishioners in our parish. We are not traditionalists (most receive CITH, no veils, and their is even a charismatic group that meets weekly). BUT-- these young people know their faith, many are involved with youth ministry, teach, and do outreach.

I think sometimes it really depends on what you’re looking for. If I look at the people who were there for Christmas vigil, or the ones that show up for Easter vigil or Ash Wednesday, I’d agree with you. You would think that it was a school assembly with all the snickering, the talking, phones going off, and such. But on a regular Sunday, it’s quite different, thankfully!

My kids are still young, but I love how they approach mass-- with reverence. My daughter will tell you that the Eucharist is the best thing in the world. My son loves to talk about church history, and is a burgeoning apologetic at the age of 13. 🙂 Parents are the first and best teachers of the faith-- we are doing our best, in conjunction with their school and our church to ensure that the common reasons why young people fall away are answered long before some peer group starts in on them.
 
In my observation and opinion there is definitely a crop of solid young Catholics out there. I do think however that they have very tough challenges before them – I don’t know if they are tougher than what us older folks faced when we were younger – but society in general seems to me to be much more secular and subject to a lot of “isms” such as relativism and humanism. The break down of marriage and the family is a major big challenge. I also think that young Catholics have to have a certain level of boldness to speak out for the Truth. Unfortunately many (not all) Catholic institutions of learning teach some very liberal ideology and agenda. I have noticed that often the focus on “diversity” issues results in very watered down Catholic teaching. Some kids have to be quite assertive to maintain their own pro-life and pro-family values. There is a lot of discrimination against those kids who are more conservative.

Neden
 
I’m 19 and I my faith is very important to me, and increasingly so. I’m not a so-called “traditionalist,” but I am certainly no “progressive” or whatever you want to call it. When I left home for college, I realized how important it was to act my faith out more than I had been. I get the impression that there are a pretty decent amount of kids like me that feel the same. And when you consider the amount of young yet openly religious Protestant Christians out there, it really isn’t that surprising to me that there is a good amount Catholic kids that are the just as devout.

That being said, I must say that during my several trips to Italy, the turnout of young adults at Sunday Mass was next to zero every time. I can’t say I know a lot about things like World Youth Day, but I’ve been to Sunday Masses in ROME, and it is pretty common to see very few younger folks or even none at all. It was pretty depressing.
 
I have been to Rome and places in Europe. I noticed the same thing – that attendance can be lacking. There are some really big and beautiful Churches on every block. A tour guide told me that faith is very important to Europeans but it is not so important that they actually go to Church on a regular basis. It has become more of a cultural thing. (Thus you see many of these gems becoming museums!) This was what I was told. I really don’t know the true mindset.
 
Maybe. I think the only reason why I consider becoming a Christian one day is mostly out of convenience and wanting to feel more connected to the world rather than constantly isolated. Other than that, I’m not that religious at all.
 
dave92 said:
Maybe. I think the only reason why I consider becoming a Christian one day is mostly out of convenience and wanting to feel more connected to the world rather than constantly isolated. Other than that, I’m not that religious at all.
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Hi Dave92.

One thing that I like about being Catholic is a sense of being part of something that is larger than myself! There is a great sense of community that extends not only in the present place and in the present moment but also across the world and across generations. We also have the Communion of the Saints!

Neden
 
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