Getting young people to Mass and keeping them coming

[smead2942]

“Youth Masses” drive kids away from the faith. They are condescending and imply that teens are too stupid to be reverent and appreciative of Catholic tradition. As if we need strobe lights, fog machines, hand-holding, and “hip” music to hold our attention. If people attend Mass for any of those things, they are there for the wrong reasons.

I was raised with agnostic/Protestant/mild-Catholic influences but never given real faith direction. My grandmother started taking me to Mass when I was about 8, and I was baptized and first communicated about a year later.

I’ve attended the Novus Ordo Missae weekly (and often twice a week) for 8 years. I have since fallen in love with the Missa Tridentina. In an ever-changing world full of temptation, sin, and vice, the traditions of Catholicism are what fill me with hope. The Church, the Pillar of Truth, the Bride of Christ, and the New Jerusalem, is unchanging. And for that great gift, I am eternally grateful to God.

The best way to bring young people to God is through tradition, whether that be a reverent Novus Ordo Missae, the Missa Saeculorum, Anglican Use, or Divine Liturgy. When they realize the direction the world is taking them, they will seek authenticity, and find it within the Catholic faith. Deo gratias.

Pax!

 

[MissRose73]

My diocese is doing a gathering today at a local university that will include Mass, confession, adoration, music, sessions that have lectures or Q/A’s, etc with meals included for high school and college/uni undergrads (age range from 14 to 21). Organizers are excepting around 1000 young people and their adult chaperones for the whole day event. It helps that it is no cost to those young people who sign up through a diocesan parish. I wish there was something like that when I was in high school.

 

[CuriousMike]

My diocese is doing a gathering today at a local university that will include Mass, confession, adoration, music, sessions that have lectures or Q/A’s, etc with meals included for high school and college/uni undergrads (age range from 14 to 21). Organizers are excepting around 1000 young people and their adult chaperones for the whole day event. It helps that it is no cost to those young people who sign up through a diocesan parish. I wish there was something like that when I was in high school.

These sorts of events I can agree with. They put the Church right into the heart of modern society at Universities (Which are seemingly the home of left-wingers, atheism and other odd perceptions of reality: At least for Catholics! ).

It puts the Church in a place where it is highly accessible, and will garnish LOTS of exposure from youth. And it includes a time for questions, and also important things like The Mass, Adoration and Confession!

This year, I have attended two “Weekend Reflections” with the order of priests servicing my Parish, and many here in Australia. Unfortunately, I don’t think its publicized (very well), or there is a lack of interest from people, as the first time, it was Me, Another guy and 3 brothers. This time (a week ago), Me and the 3 brothers. Exceedingly nice people, but it sad that more people aren’t interested or won’t make the time for such an important time with God.

 

[PrayPsalm51]

I agree with all the above posts especially with the weekend teen events and offering real catechesis to kids-nothing watered down. Capturing or recapturing college kids is key! However, it does go back to the parents. Our diocese and our parish for that matter offer all sorts of encounters, youth events, camps etc that I KNOW most youths would love. But, iif the parents don’t nudge/encourage the kids to go then most won’t do it on their own. And many parents can’t won’t make them go–even once.

Parents need to take their kids to Mass every week no matter what. Even when it’s hard and kids misbehave. An older friend told me that she invites her adult children (and grandchildren) out for a nice breakfast if they all attend Mass with her. I plan to do that when I have grandchildren. Maybe it’s a bribe but if people get in the habit, they come to love that which is familiar. I know I do!

 

[ccmcmg]

One thing I’ve wondered is this:

What happens when they aren’t ‘young’ anymore, or they aren’t being ‘entertained’ like they were when they were teens? They get bored, and if they weren’t fully catechized with the fullness of the Faith and Truth, they might not realize the depth of the Faith.

We have a very active LifeTeen ministry at our parish, including a LifeTeen Mass Sunday afternoon. I can tell by the clothes they are wearing (nightclub), the talking during Mass, and their long chatty and involved Sign of Peace in front of the altar after kneeling there during the Eucharistic Prayers, that they aren’t being taught the respect for what is truly happening in front of our eyes, and who is present already in the Tabernacle.

 

[lax16]

Great answers so far.

What has worked in our family: regular mass attendance, stories about the saints and knowledge of early Church history. Making sure they understand the Real Presence is critical as well.

 

[CuriousMike]

Great answers so far.

What has worked in our family: regular mass attendance, stories about the saints and knowledge of early Church history. Making sure they understand the Real Presence is critical as well.

The Real Presence is truly something that has been lost in recent years, it would appear.

Its a lack of Catchechism, but also a failure on the part of some Clergymen to recognise this issue, and rectify it, especially when large passages from John 6 are included as part of the Gospel reading for Sunday.

I wonder whether they are afraid of people leaving?
With belief at in the Real Presence at such a low rate; I cannot help but ponder (given comments from people with Catholic spouses or otherwise) whether they are concerned people think they are peddling money for “voodoo spells” and the like.

 

[ChurchSoldier]

There are a couple of issues I see. First is that all churches lose teens after high school. It is more sociological in that young people of that age are transferring from their parents ideas to their own and need to “spread their wings”. They tend to come back once they have children.

Second is that the Christian Church today is pretty focussed on attendance rather than development of followers of Christ. This is particularly true of liturgical churches where attendance is desired, but development is generally limited to reaching the adolescent milestone of Confirmation.

Now this part will rub some people the wrong way, but we have lost the fight for the time being. I get to speak to people of different faiths and denominations everyday (geriatric social services). The older generation were church attenders, the middle age folks pretty much (80% - 90%) don’t attend, and 10% are openly hostile towards the faith. That middle groups’ children are pagan.

My best guess is because they are being “formed” by the culture 24/7 to be against the Christian faith. To build the Church we need to have a 1st Century mindset that we are bringing the news of Jesus to a society which doesn’t know it. We need to train our youth to infiltrate the culture with the Christian faith, particularly the mass media and educational institutions. We need to give a mission which touches their core and causes them to want to be engaged. In short, we need leaders and mentors to lead and guide.

I know much of the this is totally counter cultural to the modern church and will be dismissed by most, but it’s what will need to be done for the church to turn things around. In essence, the greatest thing we can do to build the younger generation is to develop ourselves as Disciples and create an expectation that they do the same. To do this, we will need to be willing to feel the discomfort of being separated and castigated by those in the world (even those who attend church!).

Sorry for the long post.

 

[CuriousMike]

There are a couple of issues I see. First is that all churches lose teens after high school. It is more sociological in that young people of that age are transferring from their parents ideas to their own and need to “spread their wings”. They tend to come back once they have children.

Second is that the Christian Church today is pretty focussed on attendance rather than development of followers of Christ. This is particularly true of liturgical churches where attendance is desired, but development is generally limited to reaching the adolescent milestone of Confirmation.

Now this part will rub some people the wrong way, but we have lost the fight for the time being. I get to speak to people of different faiths and denominations everyday (geriatric social services). The older generation were church attenders, the middle age folks pretty much (80% - 90%) don’t attend, and 10% are openly hostile towards the faith. That middle groups’ children are pagan.

My best guess is because they are being “formed” by the culture 24/7 to be against the Christian faith. To build the Church we need to have a 1st Century mindset that we are bringing the news of Jesus to a society which doesn’t know it. We need to train our youth to infiltrate the culture with the Christian faith, particularly the mass media and educational institutions. We need to give a mission which touches their core and causes them to want to be engaged. In short, we need leaders and mentors to lead and guide.

I know much of the this is totally counter cultural to the modern church and will be dismissed by most, but it’s what will need to be done for the church to turn things around. In essence, the greatest thing we can do to build the younger generation is to develop ourselves as Disciples and create an expectation that they do the same. To do this, we will need to be willing to feel the discomfort of being separated and castigated by those in the world (even those who attend church!).

Sorry for the long post.

Doesn’t rub me the wrong way, and does mirror at lot of what I see.

Unfortunately, those 10% you speak of have been affected rather dramatically by issues of scandal within the Catholic Church, or other Churches.

Our means of teaching clearly aren’t working, and do need to change with the times. Simply “building on the faith” as we do today was fine when ‘everyone’ was Christian, but now that tides have changed, using a tactic similar to those ‘in the trenches’ would not be inappropriate, I suppose.

 

[ProVobis]

But, iif the parents don’t nudge/encourage the kids to go then most won’t do it on their own. And many parents can’t won’t make them go–even once.

Chances are better if the kid’s friends go. Many kids just don’t like to be seen with their parents at a certain age. If none of their friends go, then it indeed becomes an uphill battle.

 

[hwriggles4]

A few weeks ago, I accepted an invite to help with security at a diocesan youth conference, for about four hours. One thing that impressed me was the orthodoxy of the speakers that were giving sessions. Priests were also available to hear confessions, and it was encouraged. I do know some of the teens present were forced to be there, but I think many of them got something out of it - I only caught one or two kids trying to sneak out.

Had this been my generation (mid 1980s), it would have been filled with dissenters giving presentations, and back in those days, I know I would not have known the difference. My generation got too much of the “yeah, whatever”, “God loves you I’m glad”, “let’s discuss pop psychology and cultural issues”, and “sit around in a circle and talk about feelings.” It’s no wonder why my generation called CCD Central City Dump and confirmation was a graduation exercise in the wrong direction.

I do agree that if the kids friends go, they will go. I also recall unfortunately that my high school youth group did have some "cliques", and cliques turn others off. One reason I had a hard time the Monday after attending a high school retreat was by third hour Monday morning, the kids you made friends with on the retreat would be back in their clique by then, and quite a few didn’t want to be seen with you at school.

Here’s one problem: kids today are overloaded with activities, and many parents see Church attendance as an hour a week. With smaller families today, kids seem to have less responsibilities at home. If a youth group meets on Sunday night, that’s usually when kids catch up on homework. I also hear time and time again from parochial school kids: “oh, we go to Catholic High School, so why should we come to youth group?” Many of the Catholic High School kids are very involved with the extracurricular activities at their schools, that parish youth group is often seen as a low priority by both these youth and reinforced by their parents.

In high school, I had a hard enough time holding down a job, keeping up with my homework (I did go to public school), being an altar boy, going to Scout meetings, and having some participation in the youth group. Very rarely did I have time to go out, and I did have responsibilities at home.

Here’s another thing: where I usually attend Mass, many youth go to either the Saturday night Mass or the Sunday night Mass because today many youth have sports games scheduled on Sunday mornings. While I like sports, there’s often too much emphasis placed on them today. (I played soccer, and we never had games scheduled before 1:00 p.m. on Sundays, and swim meets were always on Saturday mornings in the summertime).

I have been a CCD teacher (and still substitute) and I find that many of the younger kids do not attend Mass when they have CCD, even though we tell these kids that CCD is NOT a substitute for Mass (one reason these kids and even some parents think this is their Protestant friends do this, but it is allowed for Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Lutherans to attend Sunday School and not services). We also tell the kids that a sporting event is neither an excuse for missing CCD or Mass.

I have mixed feelings about youth Masses. A parish close to me does one, and it is done fairly well. While there is music from Christian rock singers, there is no dancing, hand motions, and the priest does not invite the kids to sit around the altar. A few students are lectors and ushers, which IMHO is fine, and most are dressed appropriately. The youth Masses I don’t like have had the dancing, hand motions, clapping, and kids standing around the altar. (I’m embarrassed to admit that I used to assist with these type of Masses 15 years ago, and with what I know now I’m glad to see less of these liturgical abuses).

My last point: I would like to see more of the Catholic High Schools take an interest in the faith formation, and not just the academics, the athletics, and the social events. While athletics, social, and academics have some good points, I don’t know how many times I have heard a parent say, “I sent my child to Catholic High School, paid a large sum of money, and my child no longer attends Mass.”

Today, many (but not all) Catholic High School students are influenced by the culture and their friends, that their only faith formation is theology and philosophy class. Many (but not all) are merely nothing more than high-end college preparatory schools with a Catholic label, and quite a few students (even though they have been confirmed) do not attend Sunday Mass regularly, which means many will cease to attend the day after high school graduation.

I find the public school kids are often more informed about their faith. I had a good priest tell me at a public university that many of the students who came to the Catholic student center were public school graduates.

 

[MissRose73]

I did not go to Catholic school, and got into my teen years in the mid to late 80’s. Looking back, the religious education was not the best. I was confirmed in the 11th grade, and our Confirmation class was all kids that went to the local public high school. I had times where I was not always going to Mass during my adulthood but have reverted back. I only know of one of my Confirmation class classmates that is practicing her faith, and she has posted pictures/things on social media including the fact her son does sometimes serve as an altar boy. I honestly have lost track of the others from my class.

If there were not a lot of sporting events and other outside of school things on weekends, it would be easier to fit Mass attendance and youth group/religious education for some parents. My sister competed in gymnastics, and meets were on Saturdays most of the time (with the exception of a few that were a week night against a few other local schools with the same sport) which meant Sunday mornings to go to Mass instead.

One of my friends, her daughter was playing a sport that had Sunday morning practices and/or competitions on weekends. My friend insisted her daughter go to Mass first which apparently infuriated the coaches, and her daughter did not get to play much in matches. Her daughter eventually quit the sport.

 

[hwriggles4]

Second is that the Christian Church today is pretty focused on attendance rather than development of followers of Christ. This is particularly true of liturgical churches where attendance is desired, but development is generally limited to reaching the adolescent milestone of Confirmation.

Now this part will rub some people the wrong way, but we have lost the fight for the time being.

Sorry for the long post.

ChurchSoldier:

No, you did not rub me the wrong way at all. You made a good point that reminded me about something, and don’t worry about a long post - mine was a little long.

I’ve had friends say they quit attending church (and your comment about focusing on attendance ties into this) because they found church to be “90% business.” This will sound like a downer (and won’t win me any extra points), but this is actually an inter-denominational issue - not just confined to Catholics. I know some Baptists and Methodists who started attending other Baptist and Methodist churches over this issue.

Some churches have too much talk about tithing, collections for missions, capital campaigns, and apostolates almost weekly (been to a couple parishes over the years like this), congregants going to services for their image (heart isn’t in it), and even people going to church to attract clients for a business (i.e., I knew a Catholic realtor growing up who did this, and I witnessed attorneys, tradesmen, and financial planners as a younger person doing the same). If a younger person feels that church is 90% business, he or she begins to question, “why should I go?”

One poster on another thread once said, “don’t people go to church to worship anymore?”

 

[Secant]

As someone just outside your age range (I’m almost 31), here’s my two cents.

My parents were the driving force. As an introvert who even today hates Mass because it’s too full of people, I had to be forced to go. By forced, I simply mean there was no other option. You went to Mass or you went to Mass. My mom taught me to believe in God and to accept the authority of the Catholic Church. She recommended I ask questions and look to science for answer, all of which eventually led back to the faith. She also made me be an altar server and join the choir. Feeling like I had a commitment to be at Church for something other than the torture of being around those people helped.

If you can’t get the parents involved, then at least try to get them to get their kids to church, even if they won’t go and try to get them to tell their kids to respect the Church, her authority, and to not mock the priest. In our parish, you can tell which parents take their kids to church and which don’t care (usually by how obnoxious the kids are to Father).

When you try to teach youth, especially high school and college kids, it is good to show that science, what we are taught is the new final word, supports what the Church taught, long before the science was available. Also, the Church’s history and its continuity of teachings a good one, because it is too easy for them to be pulled away by peers without that understanding.

 

[808Catholic]

Chances are better if the kid’s friends go. Many kids just don’t like to be seen with their parents at a certain age. If none of their friends go, then it indeed becomes an uphill battle.

I hear you! Youth want to associate with youth. While many of us are not spring chickens any more, we can be youthful in our thinking. EVERYONE, and I mean every person, loves to talk about themselves and what they think is important. No different with youth. The youth I encounter have been pressured by society, meaning their parents, teachers, CCD instructors, to conform in a certain way. This they rebel against. However, they are also pressured to conform by their peers, pop idols, and the faceless mob of social media. This they sometimes choose to cave in to. Why???

They view people who exhibit similar traits to themselves as important, influential, and people worth patterning themselves after. Believe it or not, they don’t care if that person has the same skin tone, hair color, or age. Part of evangelization is to be like St. Paul; many things to many people because that’s how we get the message of Christ across. They won’t hear you if they tune you out up front. “Be” Christ to them first then be a “parent”, “CCD teacher”, etc.

 

[Billy112]

I really think there ought to be a solid grounding of philosophy in any religious education. Speaking as an almost ex-teenager (19), youth are eager to cut their teeth on something and are oftentimes better at it than grown-ups assume. They need to see that there is a totally logical and reasonable reason to be Catholic. If not, it turns into a feel-good thing, and it only follows logically, then, that you should quit if it doesn’t make you feel good or should always pursue something that feels better at the time. I’ve got no experience of religious education beyond being on the receiving end, so this is not at all a completely informed opinion, however.

 

[Wildkit]

As a Faith Formation teacher for 15+ years, I have found where I specifically made an impact with students and others is to simply ask them a question. Why do all these miracles, these things,…….only happen in this one Church (including EO)? Guadalupe, Fatima, the incorrupt bodies, etc. Is someone trying to tell this person something?

Of course, my Protestant brethren change the subject and can’t answer this, yet I truly believe my students (7th graders) have a piece/question they will not forget. Of course this is my hope.

Why would I not believe I would receive the blessings of my Lord, if I empty myself to him?

 

[SecretGarden]

In my area, a few things have helped to encourage the young people.

1. Youth groups- they are great tools to encourage the young people to develop their faith. Even if they don’t attend mass right now, by having a group that organizes fun activities which are not always religious in nature such as bowling evenings, movie night etc is a great way to get the youth connected with the church. And then you can always have a youth service where the mass is conducted by the youth of the church. They do the readings that the laity do, they help out in the music etc. If you organize one of these services a few times a year it is a great way to get the youth to attend mass.
2. Young adults groups which run similar programs as the youth.
3. Parishes that maintain connections with the Newman centres are great because they provide a place often young people will go between the newman centre and the local parish.
4. IN Montreal we have the Challenge movement. Where young people from the various parishes around the city, meet once a week. It begin with a faith enriching weekend and from there, the activities that the group organizes are a lot of fun. Thanks to Challenge, I have learned a great deal about my faith. Enclosed is their website. Please feel free to contact them if you wish to learn more about what they are doing. montrealchallenge.ca/
5. Singles for Christ (young adults), youth for Christ (teens), couples for christ (Married couples) are two other groups that are run by the same organization that help local Catholics to get involved in their churches.
   Enclosed is their website. couplesforchristglobal.org/default.aspx
   They are an international organization and they do wonderful things in helping people become active in their Catholic faith.

I hope this helps.

SG

 

[CatholicZ09]

When I was young, my mother (my dad wasn’t and still isn’t a church-goer) always made a point to take my sister and me to 9 a.m. Mass every Sunday, and then we would go to CCD immediately following Mass. A lot of people in the church took to me, and they helped plant a seed that made me like going to Mass, even at a young age.

When I grew up, I joined the youth group, but I didn’t need the youth group to keep me going to Mass. I always wanted to go to Mass on my own desire. As I got older, my mother never forced me to go to church, but I faithfully went (and still go) to Mass every Sunday.

I think parents need to teach the religion to their children to keep them coming. Youth groups and youth events weren’t popular fifty-some years ago, and we have plenty of devout Catholics. I don’t think youth groups and other “faith formation” groups are necessary to foster a love for the Church. I think the parents need to raise their children in the Church, and when they get older, they’ll find out for themselves whether or not they want to keep the faith.

 

[Wesrock]

Parents are certainly the most important factor.

I’m 28 and recently returned to the Church. I actually think we need better catechesis. I don’t feel like my CCD program taught me much about our faith. There should be more Bible study, more tying things together between the old and new testament (types). There is so much information out there at people’s fingertips, it’s so easy for young Catholics to misunderstand their faith. They need a strong foundation of what we believe and why we believe it more than ever. They get hammered by protestant ideas, then they get hammered by secular culture. We need to give them better support.