How can we get more young people to go to Mass?

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I read this article in my local newspaper. I do not agree with the band at Mass. It is true, though, that not many young people are going to Mass or involved in their parish. What are some ways to get young people more involved in the Catholic faith?
 
Ironically, the young people seem to be energized by the Latin Mass. I don’t think “fun” style is the way to go. At least it never worked on me. Stick to the truth, and everyone will be drawn. 🙂
 
lak611 said:
I read this article in my local newspaper. I do not agree with the band at Mass. It is true, though, that not many young people are going to Mass or involved in their parish. What are some ways to get young people more involved in the Catholic faith?
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I think the focus should be on Jesus and a relationship with him. Befriend a young person, build a relationship and share your faith with them. I remember listening to an interview with a young man on tv, and he said that he had been to Church for years, but it never meant very much to him. Until one day someone spoke to him about Jesus and he invited Jesus into his heart, now he’s an Evangelical. I think they are way ahead of us in evangelizing. Their simple formula: " Lord Jesus Christ, I am a sinner, I repent of my sins, and accept you as my Lord and Saviour, please come into my heart." Is really the fundamental belief that we all should have. They have a strong belief in the love, forgiveness and goodness of God and his power to change people’s lives, and they teach people that. Young people need to know that God cares for them as they are and wants to have a relationship with them. That he cares about them personally. I think the reason young people don’t come to Mass is because they can’t see how it relates to their every day life. That’s how Jesus called people, one at a time.
 
I also think that parishes should have Bible study for young people. I left the Church when I was in my 20’s and was away for 5 years. I returned after reading a Bible that a Baptist gave me. Then I joined a Catholic Bible study at my parish, which I have been attending ever since. I never was exposed to the Bible in Catholic high school or even in Catholic college. Reading the Bible helped me to understand the teachings of the Church. I really understood the love of Christ and the sacraments after reading the Gospels and Epistles. I probably would not have left if I had known the Bible when I was a teen and young adult.
 
i think if we hand out free candy. im 14 and i have a sweet tooth 😃
 
In my experience, well-educated, excited teens do the best job of evangelizing other teens. Having a number ways for teens to get involved in service and learning as well as some fun activities allows the interested teens to bring a friend who might not otherwise participate in anything. It can start out with a kick off retreat hosted by young adults from NET or a strong college program if one is nearby. They often do outreach for high school teens.

My parish has teen retreats every 6 months plus a special one for upperclassmen who want to take a leadership role in teaching and mentoring or evangelizing. We have Lifeteen at my parish, but it has not gone out into the things that got other LT programs into trouble like letting teens go into the sanctuary during mass. The teaching is very orthodox and usually more direct than even the adults get. They also get special guests on retreat and at other events of priests and religious from various orders.

We have quite a few converts every year, some of whom started coming with a friend to a retreat, a ballgame trip, a service trip to the food bank or elsewhere, summer volleyball or something else. Teens and younger kids are curious and if they like what they see in other activities and from Catholic friends at school, often they will ask to come to mass too.
 
jc-servant said:
In my experience, well-educated, excited teens do the best job of evangelizing other teens. Having a number ways for teens to get involved in service and learning as well as some fun activities allows the interested teens to bring a friend who might not otherwise participate in anything. It can start out with a kick off retreat hosted by young adults from NET or a strong college program if one is nearby. They often do outreach for high school teens.

My parish has teen retreats every 6 months plus a special one for upperclassmen who want to take a leadership role in teaching and mentoring or evangelizing. We have Lifeteen at my parish, but it has not gone out into the things that got other LT programs into trouble like letting teens go into the sanctuary during mass. The teaching is very orthodox and usually more direct than even the adults get. They also get special guests on retreat and at other events of priests and religious from various orders.

We have quite a few converts every year, some of whom started coming with a friend to a retreat, a ballgame trip, a service trip to the food bank or elsewhere, summer volleyball or something else. Teens and younger kids are curious and if they like what they see in other activities and from Catholic friends at school, often they will ask to come to mass too.
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Does your parish have any programs for young adults in their twenties? What can be done to keep them in the Church after college? It seems like I see lots of teens in church, but almost no singles in their twenties.
 
Ahem, gather round kids, here is what got me back into church and enrolled right in RCIA like nothing:

The notion that the church is not just for old ladies.

I know, many of you are laughing right now, but please, bear with me, i’m serious. Spirituality just isn’t cool with many kids. It’s that simple. You know how many 14-15 y/o kids i catch gawking at me when i am done praying? I look like an Italian hit man for starters, not exactly the type to break down in tears during the consecration 👍

To me, the church is the most bad-a** institution on the face of the earth. This is serious business we’re talking about here. I’m a member of the army of Christ! We all are! But no one conveys that message. The youth are on the front lines of the attacks of the evil one, and they are losing.

I truly used to think all this praying to the Virgin Mary and Jesus was just for little old ladies at tea time, you know. Then Fr. John Corapi set me straight. The church needs men. Real hard core men. In the last 45 years the institution of the church has been decimated by politics, and trying to appeal to people. How many times have you heard “i like catholics, just not the catholic church”

Trust me, if the church goes back to it’s hard line on social teaching, the youth will come. We have to step on some toes every now and then, Jesus didn’t come to bring gum drops and polka dots, he came to rain fire upon the earth! So why is the church so docile in it’s teaching?

Why are things like the TLM packing them in? Because it’s serious. It’s hard core. It’s powerful. And it’s esoteric. This is the real harry potter stuff, this is real spirituality. And we the youth love that stuff.

And finally, Jesus has been feminized into a docile victim, he’s the Lord for gosh sakes! He cast out demons, cured people of their sickness, hung out with some rough dudes, told the Jews to cut off their foreskins if they really wanted to follow his law, told Abraham to sacrifice his son, that is some intense teaching! You’re either with Jesus, or you’re with Satan. I want to be in Jesus’ corner!

And unfortunately, none of this is being addressed. The church needs it’s men. It’s that simple. Dad’s, older brothers, single men, please take this message seriously.
 
if you are talking about young people still living at home with parents, light a fire under the parents and scare the pants off them about the threat to their immortal soul if they ignore their duty to their children.
 
Obviously we must start early. But if we haven’t started early than teen programs are great. Teen Bible study, a good, solid youth group that is prayer centered. I’m personally against the bands and all that. There’s a miracle that takes place at every mass. We don’t need a bunch of hoopla for that to happen. It cheapens the experience, IMO. Teens like to feel like rebels. That’s why there’s so many of them at the March for Life. They are using their teen rebelion in a good way. My oldest son loves being counter cultural. So going on about Jesus and the Church to his friends makes him happy. 🙂
 
There are so many religions out there the many teens don’t see the importance in the Catholic faith. To many it’s just another denomination. Of course this is not true for all teens. Also teens like all the fellowship activities. If its got a modern song in it you can bet a lot of kids will show up. I prefer the traditional way. But if there is gonna be modern music just please keep it out of mass. I wonder how many teens I’ll make mad if I take away the bongo drums and replace them with bells. (Our parish teens love the bongos like none other).I getting tired of hearing that stuff during mass.
 
I am a Youth Group teacher who started with maybe 8-10 eight graders in September. Sometimes I have 4-6.

We are talking 14-15 year olds. Who don’t know the Old Testament from the New Testament.

Who don’t know the stories let alone the books of the Bible.

So I decided because of the “Mass is boring” phrase to try to explain the Mass. I am still working on that. I only get 30 minutes a night once a week and I have a couple of boys who love to make me want to quit. (SSH don’t tell them I’m not a sissy and I’m not going anywhere;) )

What I am discovering by friends,coworkers,kids,and family members is that no one knows what is going on at Mass!

I am attempting to put a class together that hopefully will help people to understand.

Then there are the Hispanic people who go to the spanish Mass but don’t speak spanish and have no idea what is being said or taking place.

The Catholics who “know” their faith need to help other Catholics understand their own faith.

It’s great that we go out and try to win souls for Christ but what about those who are in the church and are lost? We need to help our families and friends first.

We need to reach out. Are you?

I am teaching Youth Group on Mondays.

I attended RCIA and helped four couples sign up and are geeting ready to complete their sacraments.

I am sub teaching CCD on Wednesdays

My husband is attending classes on Sundays

My daughter and I attended a weekend workshop at our parish.

I had my five children “play” Mass at home this Sunday so they could practice different roles. WOW! What a difference. I had my kids saying" oh is that what the priest is saying! “Oh is that what the Lector reads!” We take our children faithfully to Mass every Sunday, our children tell us when they need to go to Confession and they know that is Jesus on their tongue. And I have explained the Mass to them in detail and they still are learning.

They learned so much!

It starts at home, then it touches another home and before you know it…BAM! Great things happen!

Once a week for 30 minutes to an hour is not enough! People can not depend on the “CCD” teacher to teach their children everything. The parents are the primary teachers!

And if the parents don’t teach and they don’t drive them to some one who does then the kids don’t learn. Then attendence at Mass drops.
 
I just wanted to add something else.

I am not a stay at home wife with five children. I work full time on a graveyard shift. It is before this shift starts that I teach those classes.My husband also teaches CCD on Wed. with fourth graders. He is one of only two men there.Everyone else is female.

My Youth Group is made up of mostly girls. I only have three boys out of ten students.

I agree with “revelations” we need to see the men practicing their faith. Working it out. Somehow. The boys need male role models living out their faith.

I have read some great posts on this forum I hope that everyone here reaches out to their families and their communities somehow.
 
hiiii everyone,

i am a super enthusastic member of a now very larrge youth group and we did a great deal of it through music. i can tell from previous threads that most of you dont like the idea of ‘the band’ in church, but youth today are so attracted to music (its kinda crazy!) that for them sometimes belting out in praise is the best way they can communicate and praise. of course they get heaps out of the solemn stuff too but i really feel there is nothing wrong with really getting into praising God especially in the entrance and recessional!! the emotion some youth put into their music really expresses and strengthens their love for God and i am pro that!! we have youth rallies as well!!!

another comment i wantd to make bout encouraging youth is something i have learned from math classes in high school when i was there believe it or not!!

IF YOU DONT UNDERSTAND IT, ITS BORING AND YOU DONT WANNA BE THERE!!!

young adults and general youth these days really are not educated about the mass and all the special meaning and symbolism within it. and also the in’s and outs of their faith as well!! thats why we have youth meetings twice a month, and us youth leaders take turns running them, first with a get to know you game then getting down to some serious stuff. if they dont undrstand the mass they are celebrating no wonder they are bored as i was in my math classes!!!

i did a big talk on confession and did up an easy to understand booklet which was soooo basic but they were so intrested and fascinated cos they just didnt understand, they didnt understand why they had to go to a priest, if they could trust a priest, why they couldnt just talk to god, etc etc, even the basic process of how to go to confession scared so many of them off!!

after that meeting the youth were buzzing with questions about reconciliation and then many of them went!!! (yay!!!) also, 2 members of our youth group who were not catholic, recently went through the RCIA programme with myself and another leader as a sponsor and are now catholic and living out everything they have been learning!

very exciting stuff!!

sorry if i rambled a bit! i just get so excited bout youth stuff!!! its just so important

God Bless

Bec
👍
 
Every denomination of Christianity and most of the branches of Judaism (and for all I know maybe all the other world religions in the US) are suffering from the problem of the post 18 year old continuing to have a relationship with the religion. The hope for a long time was that as the demographic group had children, they would return to their faith. Barna’s statistics show even falling away by people who as children and teens were highly active in youth groups. I suppose the hope now is that as people start feeling their mortality, they’ll return.
 
It’s a conundrum, and frankly we should all pray for the youth. I am 23 years old (do i still count???), and their battle field is harder and harder to deal with. There are people literally throwing condoms and sexuality in your face all day long. Jesus is the butt of many many jokes. And peer pressure, holy smokes…

In our faith, there are many who just don’t understand what is going on, period. If you don’t understand, you won’t be interested. I was antsy to read a book about the Eucharist, but when I did the mass was transformed for me. It is the most beautiful day of my whole week.

And again,
  1. Starts with the men. Guys, show your faith! And if you cant, strengthen it!
  2. Start at home. Religion is for 7 days a week, not just one. Having a strong foundation at home is comforting to teens, knowing they can come back to a place where they can put all the issues they deal with during the day to rest.
-revelations
 
lak611 said:
Does your parish have any programs for young adults in their twenties? What can be done to keep them in the Church after college? It seems like I see lots of teens in church, but almost no singles in their twenties.
Click to expand...
Yes, we do have things for younger adults. We have a group specifically for the 20-somethings whether married or single. They have speakers come in and do other things. (I’m past that age group.) There is a young adults Bible study and a singles Bible study.

We have informal gatherings hosted at different homes for the college students when they return home on breaks. It lets them reconnect with friends from church and maybe get recharged if their college does not have a strong parish outreach.

We have a singles group and an over 40 singles group. It is not all about dating, but rather they sponsor events. There are also a lot of activitites that are not age specific in our parish that get younger adults to remain active. We usually have about 7 men’s softball teams in the local league. We have a fine arts organization that sponsors concerts for the whole parish and an annual art auction as a fundraiser. This group also hosts two dinner/dances per year that draw all ages (over 21). We have Catholic Scripture Study and other adult educational opportunities.

Our parish is huge now, but it started out small with few resources. We had a pastor for many years who encouraged lay people to find a need and then fill it with a ministry or organization. His main rule was that each group had to find their own way to fund their activities, and he got final approval over the group. The result is that we have more than 70 ministries/groups now from pre-school stuff to grief ministry to divorced people to day out for caregivers for the disabled.
 
jc-servant said:
Yes, we do have things for younger adults. We have a group specifically for the 20-somethings whether married or single. They have speakers come in and do other things. (I’m past that age group.) There is a young adults Bible study and a singles Bible study.

We have informal gatherings hosted at different homes for the college students when they return home on breaks. It lets them reconnect with friends from church and maybe get recharged if their college does not have a strong parish outreach.

We have a singles group and an over 40 singles group. It is not all about dating, but rather they sponsor events. There are also a lot of activitites that are not age specific in our parish that get younger adults to remain active. We usually have about 7 men’s softball teams in the local league. We have a fine arts organization that sponsors concerts for the whole parish and an annual art auction as a fundraiser. This group also hosts two dinner/dances per year that draw all ages (over 21). We have Catholic Scripture Study and other adult educational opportunities.

Our parish is huge now, but it started out small with few resources. We had a pastor for many years who encouraged lay people to find a need and then fill it with a ministry or organization. His main rule was that each group had to find their own way to fund their activities, and he got final approval over the group. The result is that we have more than 70 ministries/groups now from pre-school stuff to grief ministry to divorced people to day out for caregivers for the disabled.
Click to expand...
Wow, this is great! 👍 How did your pastor initiate these groups? I would like to know more. My parish could use this sort of thing, but I would like to know how it got started so I can mention it to my pastor.
 
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