Are young people becoming more secular?

[Bussi]

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.

A personal observation on the: “two groups, 70+ and under 30” at Latin Masses.

If you were to attend the 10:00 Novus Ordo Mass at St. Agnes’ in St. Paul Minnesota, you would have an extraordinary experience. The Mass is celebrated in Latin but due to the work of Msgr. Schuler (probably the most well known and eruditepropronent of sacred music in our time), you will hear one of 25 different classical “masses” (written by such greats as Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, etc) and performed by some of the members of the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra, and, the Minnesota Catholic Chorale which was founded by Msgr. Shuler.
The classical masses are performed 30 Sundays a year, and on the other Sundays an all male Gregorian choir sings a capella.
As to the age groups, they have all been represented any time we have been fortunate to be there, which to my mind, fulfills the mandate of Vatican II that Latin was not to be discarded but preferred. The Missal is a more exact and faithful translation of the Latin whereas the attitude of the translators of the previous edition was that the people in the pews couldn’t hand more explicit rendering. I consider that attitude to be insulting. If anyone has the least desire to understand terms such as “consubstantial” they will take the time and make an effort to learn/understand. I don’t think God wants us to be “robots in the pews.” We don’t have to be theologians but by and large a great many of us have the intellectual ability to come to an understanding of vernacular. Understanding the new translation will promote greater active participation in the Mass, and there will be a better understanding of the miracle that takes place at the altar.

 

[Paddy1989]

As a 22 year old living in the North of Ireland i notice there to be greater separation between the Christian and the Secularist, as for the youth being more devout, i haven’t seen it, i don’t know any male or female faithful Catholic’s and have never talked to any unfortunately. Some of course will go to mass and say they believe in God but really after mass end’s they could care less and simply live the way secularist’s believe regarding sex, excess of pleasure etc. Have seen some young protestant’s due to the fact that many serve free coffee, tea and soup outside the area’s of nightlife in my town sometime’s. They seemed pretty devout. The thing is that secularism has created a new culture with different values, does anyone ever notice aswell that people’s characteristic’s are also changing based on secular value’s. It’s all about the me me me society. I am fully embraced in secular society due to the fact that all my friend’s think this way and the area’s i go to in the weekend for nightlife are your typical secular theme-bar’s and club’s. I do notice such a difference in the way i think and the way they do simply due to my faith however i see Catholicism as more logical, consistent with truth and define’s the meaning of a True masculine man and True feminine women.

Since i have been single for about half a year i have noticed such extremeness in young women more due to the fact that i’m now open to trying to find the right woman for me and also because before i was always a big believer that men were worse and the deceptive one’s in which we used tool’s of deceit to get what we wanted. Now we are the same in that both are as selfish and inward as each other. Alot is down to immodesty in behavior and dress. They’re easy enough to flirt with and get but it’s like they are empty, their easiness can sometime’s be a problem aswell i found because them going with you and giving their number doesn’t mean a mature interest in you out of their desire to find the right man but simply out of something casual that night whether they are after just a snog or more. This makes no sense to me as it doesn’t seem logical, heck even the most secular men who have no issue with casual sex desire a relationship etc more than they do which is quite ironic how thing’s have changed over the year’s. Their entire character being inward based in which they don’t care how they treat other’s including their own friend’s, everything’s about the self and they believe they deserve everything, no desire for a family or marriage, the most intelligent conversation you could have with them is small talk as anything more to them is considered boring. It’s almost like they are losing their femininity and identity, men are using them for sex, they use men also for this, really life to them is about working, entertainment, drinking to excess and partying, casual sex, and going on holiday’s to believe it or not do this to a more extreme level. Anyway i am simply discussing my frustration with secular society which i’m exposed to 24/7 as the only conversation with Catholic’s i can seem to have is on here

This leave’s me in a state of despair. I look at how Christian women on here express Christian characteristic’s that truly is feminine and know that little to none are like this whom i know or have met at my age. The Christian men also who show such masculinity and strength that these should be the role model’s of young men today. Their desire which drive’s their pursuit to always’s be the man Christ want’s us to be. This is how a true man should behave and think. I can’t understand how people can value secular society, it bring’s no happiness, peace or contentment, there is no love in it or compassion. It turn’s us into puny weakling’s inside in which our desire’s rule us and we lose all sense of our human identity

 

[dave92]

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

That too.

I don’t know, isn’t a conversion that’s not purely out of faith is usually frowned upon in every religion? I am spiritual to an extent, just not one of those people who would go to church every day and be super orthodox and chaste and everything.

Actually for all that I care I could become a Christian right now. The thing is that I’m still relying on my parents at the moment (19), and even after I start living on my own, converting to a religion that’s not a mainstream religion (here) is quite a big deal. I’ve asked my mother a few times, “what would you do if I converted to another religion?”, and she told me to live the way I want to. So she won’t disown me and I think no one in my family will, but converting to a new religion to me is something like starting a new life, and I don’t mean “new life with Christ” or anything of that sort. You get a new identity and even a new name (what’s the point in keeping a Jewish name if you’re Christian?) and suddenly you have to cope with an environment when you’re a minority.

Sorry for rambling. Just my random thoughts.

 

[Neildown]

Well here’s one who isn’t secular. It will be a challenge to go against secularism which becomes more and more common, but no generation has been without its struggles.