I think there needs to be MANY More young adult groups!

[Bryan77]

Funny story, I have been thinking the same thing for a while. Why aren’t there any young adult groups?! I just about gave up. Then I started struggling with my faith, and I talked to my good friend who’s non catholic about it. He invited me to some college service at his non catholic church. I almost didn’t go, but I felt this strange feeling that God wanted me to go. Anyways, while there, I met a fellow Catholic who told me about the catholic group at his parish. I started attending. Then one day at a protest in front of an abortuary, I met another catholic who is part of a young adult group another day of the week. They even told me about another group they put on (which is on the same day as the first one I mentioned) AND I found out that the Archdioceses has a team to put on events for young Catholics. In such a short time I realized that there are ALOT of things for young adults where I live. However, the problem is advertising. I had to randomly meet some of the people for them to tell me. If I didn’t go to these events, or I didn’t talk to these specific people, I wouldn’t have found out.

So I think the problem lies in that everything is hidden. Maybe there actually is stuff for you, but you just don’t know where to look. It should be easy to find, but it’s not. I’m working on finding out everything going on in the city, and putting together some sort of centralized information center where people can look at a calender, and see all the stuff going on at different parishes through out the city on different days.

 

[Jessup]

I’ve tried looking for groups like that, but they’re all about dating. I’m not called to marriage, so I’m just looking for other Catholics my age. My priest says the reason we don’t have groups for young Catholics is because there are so few young Catholics around here.

I’m going to look into the Knights of Columbus soon to see if I’m called to that kind of thing.

How do you know your not called to marriage? I don’t understand how people claim they have a calling. I find it so confusing when they say God this; or calling that.
It seems like God lets some people know and others just ponder the idea. Anyway good luck with K.O.C.

 

[Jessup]

Funny story, I have been thinking the same thing for a while. Why aren’t there any young adult groups?! I just about gave up. Then I started struggling with my faith, and I talked to my good friend who’s non catholic about it. He invited me to some college service at his non catholic church. I almost didn’t go, but I felt this strange feeling that God wanted me to go. Anyways, while there, I met a fellow Catholic who told me about the catholic group at his parish. I started attending. Then one day at a protest in front of an abortuary, I met another catholic who is part of a young adult group another day of the week. They even told me about another group they put on (which is on the same day as the first one I mentioned) AND I found out that the Archdioceses has a team to put on events for young Catholics. In such a short time I realized that there are ALOT of things for young adults where I live. However, the problem is advertising. I had to randomly meet some of the people for them to tell me. If I didn’t go to these events, or I didn’t talk to these specific people, I wouldn’t have found out.

So I think the problem lies in that everything is hidden. Maybe there actually is stuff for you, but you just don’t know where to look. It should be easy to find, but it’s not. I’m working on finding out everything going on in the city, and putting together some sort of centralized information center where people can look at a calender, and see all the stuff going on at different parishes through out the city on different days.

Dude you just said it perfect.

 

[AnotherSonofGod]

I do agree how some of them are accidentally hidden because of lack of advertising, however I think that is because most of them were started up years ago when advertising was more local word of mouth, but since then the new trends have distanced the new from the old and the old have gotten older and now most of the people who go to them are older people and not so much young adults so now there is still a need for more young adult groups and also ones that deal with current day issues from newer young adult perspectives of how to evangelize in todays times.

I do think the idea of making a calendar of all the groups and events is a great idea…
If you do that I recommend that you get on board with the diocese and give them that information to put up on their diocese website that way there is a centralized location to find out that type of info more easily rather than guessing on where to find that type of info.

The dioceses will need to update their websites and spread the word of how to find the info
and hopefully anyone who adds info gets credit for it.

 

[Jessup]

All of that problem could be fixed if the Diocese Bishop would just assign one or two parishes for young adults to go to mass to. Sometimes I think its more about money then Christians. I know a few people in various denominations who just decide to go to bars instead and partake in the behavior; rather then trying to live a righteous life.

 

[PatriceA]

All of that problem could be fixed if the Diocese Bishop would just assign one or two parishes for young adults to go to mass to. Sometimes I think its more about money then Christians. I know a few people in various denominations who just decide to go to bars instead and partake in the behavior; rather then trying to live a righteous life.

What if you’re a young adult that doesn’t live anywhere near those two particular parishes?

I don’t understand your opinion that its more about money then Christians. Can you explain further?

 

[AnotherSonofGod]

I do think the idea of making a calendar of all the groups and events is a great idea…
If you do that I recommend that you get on board with the diocese and give them that information to put up on their diocese website that way there is a centralized location to find out that type of info more easily rather than guessing on where to find that type of info.

.

I just wanted to add to this by saying that I would not recommend that you go to other religions to try to find that type of info. But yes the diocese needs to make more effort to have a centralized or more known way of finding how to socialize with people of the same age groups. Or even special events for all age groups.

 

[Jessup]

What if you’re a young adult that doesn’t live anywhere near those two particular parishes?

I don’t understand your opinion that its more about money then Christians. Can you explain further?

Yes, because there is no community for young adults in the catholic church.
But I can pick up a bulletin and find a paid advertisement for the local bar and grill in the middle of the drunk district of town. Or parking places at parishes that have sponsors on signs, so that when you pull into church you see their advertisement. It just seems to cheapen the whole church / living for Jesus experience. Not to mention at one time the Diocese Bishop where I am at, spoke at a parish for a charge of 50 dollars a person to listen.
I think it was a fund raiser though to be honest. Non the less. I don’t remember Jesus ever charging anyone admission to hear the sermon on the mound.

 

[AnotherSonofGod]

I wonder what can we do or say to help the bishops understand the importance of more young adult outreach and good community rather than bad publicity?

There are young adult communities but they are not always easy to find or get to.
That is one of many reasons why we need more.

So if you can start one up in your parish today!

 

[DlandFan06]

I have the same problem. I live in the Sodom and Gomorrah Bay Area (more commonly known as the San Francisco Bay Area), and there are almost no Catholics between 18 and 40 around here, except those with kids. Even those who attend Mass are Catholic in name only. I know a conservative Baptist who says his church has the same problem.

But socialization is not what existence is about. God is. So I decided to forget the whole thing. If it’s that hard to find others your age, maybe it’s just not God’s will. I think God is calling us to evangelize rather than stick to our own kind.

what are you looking for in a young adult group?

 

[PatriceA]

Yes, because there is no community for young adults in the catholic church.
But I can pick up a bulletin and find a paid advertisement for the local bar and grill in the middle of the drunk district of town. Or parking places at parishes that have sponsors on signs, so that when you pull into church you see their advertisement. It just seems to cheapen the whole church / living for Jesus experience. Not to mention at one time the Diocese Bishop where I am at, spoke at a parish for a charge of 50 dollars a person to listen.
I think it was a fund raiser though to be honest. Non the less. I don’t remember Jesus ever charging anyone admission to hear the sermon on the mound.

Again, YOU are the Church, it is YOUR job to start a group if you see the need for one. That’s how any group starts in a parish, be it a bible study group, a mother’s group, a men’s group, etc. etc. YOU have to do the work.

Those paid advertisements, one way to help keep the parish financially afloat as a whole. Parishes can not function on the tithing of the parishoners alone. Fundraising efforts must be activated. Its not about “charging to hear the sermon on the mound”. Mass is free for all to come and celebrate. But it takes the parishoners volunteering to meet the needs of the parish, including someone stepping in to start a ministry group such as a young adult group or ministry. You can’t expect someone else to do the work for you.

 

[PeterJohn]

Again, YOU are the Church, it is YOUR job to start a group if you see the need for one. That’s how any group starts in a parish, be it a bible study group, a mother’s group, a men’s group, etc. etc. YOU have to do the work.

Those paid advertisements, one way to help keep the parish financially afloat as a whole. Parishes can not function on the tithing of the parishoners alone. Fundraising efforts must be activated. Its not about “charging to hear the sermon on the mound”. Mass is free for all to come and celebrate. But it takes the parishoners volunteering to meet the needs of the parish, including someone stepping in to start a ministry group such as a young adult group or ministry. You can’t expect someone else to do the work for you.