Do our teenagers stand a chance at being good Catholics

[Gia_B]

Let me rephrase the OP in order to better express my feelings.

I found myself near a few middle-aged people talking amongst themselves. The middle-aged man was doing most of the talking while the middle-aged women laughed and egged him on to continue. Another woman was texting her co-worker and then got on the phone to further talk. I couldn’t help to wonder if I will be like them when I am their age. They seemed oblivious to things of faith and talked of nonsensical things. Mostly of children and work topics. :banghead: Do our adults stand a chance in this media and technology driven world we live in, I thought? Will we have faithful Catholic adults that will continue on to the priesthood or become sisters and nuns? (What? There’s no maximum age for entering religious life.) Let us pray that we will not lose many of our adults to the world.

That sounds silly, doesn’t it? Just because people are talking about the issues that are most prominent in their stage of life and using modern technology does not mean that they can’t be good Catholics when you aren’t listening. Their ages don’t matter.

 

[phil_at_dayboro]

I have been very fortunate to have been around children & teenagers most of my life,
You describe teens perfectly, they mostly talk absolute. Nonsense as a rule,
Healthy teens just don’t stop talking, if no one is listening, they sometimes talk out loud as if to someone, they may cover several subjects, and leave you two subjects behind,
Religion is ancient history , it’s all about their social life… Their music,their hairstyle,etc
But never fear, they do come good,they are actually intelligent, I chat to them about life after school…many have life planned, going into Law, Aviation , defence, Education ,etc
Some surprise you and say there interested in Religion or counselling ,
Don’t worry about the next Generation, they have it all, yes many will fail,but not all ,

 

[WilT]

I have been very fortunate to have been around children & teenagers most of my life,
You describe teens perfectly, they mostly talk absolute. Nonsense as a rule,
Healthy teens just don’t stop talking, if no one is listening, they sometimes talk out loud as if to someone, they may cover several subjects, and leave you two subjects behind,
Religion is ancient history , it’s all about their social life… Their music,their hairstyle,etc
But never fear, they do come good,they are actually intelligent, I chat to them about life after school…many have life planned, going into Law, Aviation , defence, Education ,etc
Some surprise you and say there interested in Religion or counselling ,
Don’t worry about the next Generation, they have it all, yes many will fail,but not all ,

Sounds reassuring. Thanx.

 

[bisco]

people don’t change, but times and societal morality do. if i had known, when i sent my kids to catholic colleges, what i know now, i would have been a lot more selective in helping them with their choice. there are catholic schools, and there are catholic schools in name only.

 

[mandy2]

I am 19 and am in love with our faith. I have many friends who are younger as well as the same age. There are actually so many great things reaching out to the youth! Check out lifeteen. Sadly, not everyone realizes the importance of faith, but I can assure you we are out there!

 

[WilT]

I am 19 and am in love with our faith. I have many friends who are younger as well as the same age. There are actually so many great things reaching out to the youth! Check out lifeteen. Sadly, not everyone realizes the importance of faith, but I can assure you we are out there!

:clapping:I believe you. Wonderful to know you are in love with Our Faith and I’ll keep you in my prayers. :extrahappy::extrahappy:

 

[WilT]

i would have been a lot more selective in helping them with their choice. there are catholic schools, and there are catholic schools in name only.

Don’t beat yourself too much. It is hard to tell even with today’s means to find the right Catholic school. I’m sure you did your very best.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Teenagers aren’t the worry, it’s college students. Something like a majority of college Catholics no longer practice their faith when they get there.

I wonder how many of these college students when they were younger were simply forced to or required to practice by their parents. But once they leave the nest and are over 18, that is less the case.

 

[Sy_Noe]

No, I don’t think they stand a good chance of remaining Catholic. At it stands now, the Catholic Church is losing 85% of those being confirmed each year with in 7 years. (Per Matthew Kelly’s website: 1 million confirmed each year) Only 25% of Catholics attend Mass regularly. Yes, the vast majority of today’s teen will be leaving the church unless we change the way we evangelize and engage them. Recently, I read the book, “Rebuilt” I applaud them. They have done a great job of reaching people and bringing them into the life of the church. However, in your average parish there is not a strong vision for the youth. Teens and young adults are leaving in droves.

That’s generally been the case with younger Catholics in my extended family. Most did not attend public school but were educated and catechized in Catholic schools. Some were altar servers growing up. One is a EMHC and lector. But others, even siblings raised by the same parents, stopped attending Mass or practicing the faith once they hit their 20s.

 

[Estevao]

I’m of the opinion that the only way to stop the mass apostasy of the youth is through solid apologetics training. Although I think that sins are really behind the mass apostasy, I’m not sure how it is that parents are going to stop that. You either choose to join in the hook-up drug-up, drink-up, beat-up, party-up culture to be a part of the in-crowd or you don’t.

If I had kids in the pre-college years I’d try to get them to read these books (with them perhaps)

amazon.com/Because-God-Real-Sixteen-Questions/dp/158617200X/
amazon.com/How-Stay-Christian-College-Th1nk/dp/1576835103/

 

[HerCrazierHalf]

I wonder how many of these college students when they were younger were simply forced to or required to practice by their parents. But once they leave the nest and are over 18, that is less the case.

But of course that applies to many things from no longer eating vegetables for a while to use of “harsh” language and just about everything else we were raised with. Being forced to do things is a natural part of being the child with the hope that one day it will make sense. Upon reaching adulthood the young adult figures out what makes sense and avoids the rest for a while.

I think the real question should be how to make it something that has more value and appeal to the young adult than the alternatives it precludes.

 

[thequeen]

I talked about dating and school when I was a teenager, as most of us probably did. One doesn’t always need to be talking about the faith.

As an adult I still talk about things unrelated to Catholicism a lot of the time. I’m not sure why that’s an indicator of less faith?

I know understand what you are saying I don’t talk about Catholocism all the time either.