Lack of young Catholics

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mathematoons said:
This is why I’m so big on evangelizing. It is next to impossible for us to find devout Catholics our age to marry (not that this is the only reason I don’t feel called to marriage), and it’s hard to raise children Catholic if you’re in a mixed marriage… but adult converts will actually stick with the faith. Why raise Catholic kids who might fall away when you can bring in outsiders who will be forever grateful?
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That’s where I find fault with the way the church is organized. Isn’t there some doctrine that states if you marry out side the church you loose your right to take communion. But yet the church offers no resources or organized fellowship for young people to socialize and meet and greet. Much like the LDS where I can go to the ward for young adults or thursday meet and greet, 3rd friday of the month social dances. ect.
. Would it kill the diocese if they had mass once a month for people say 21 - 39, would it kill the bishop if he would gather the younger crowed once a month for mass and homily from his busy bishop duties. considering one of the last times the bishop in my diocese spoke it cost 50 dollars to hear his homily. That’s why the younger generation is few and far between in the pews.rather then the church just give warnings over and over again on EWTN radio about the younger generation leaving the church for secular life., I honestly would not know any other Catholics in my age range if it were not for the internet.
 
Jessup said:
That’s where I find fault with the way the church is organized. Isn’t there some doctrine that states if you marry out side the church you loose your right to take communion. But yet the church offers no resources or organized fellowship for young people to socialize and meet and greet. Much like the LDS where I can go to the ward for young adults or thursday meet and greet, 3rd friday of the month social dances. ect.
. Would it kill the diocese if they had mass once a month for people say 21 - 39, would it kill the bishop if he would gather the younger crowed once a month for mass and homily from his busy bishop duties. considering one of the last times the bishop in my diocese spoke it cost 50 dollars to hear his homily. That’s why the younger generation is few and far between in the pews.rather then the church just give warnings over and over again on EWTN radio about the younger generation leaving the church for secular life., I honestly would not know any other Catholics in my age range if it were not for the internet.
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I’d say in general, there needs to be more functions outside of mass for people to get to know one another, period. If you have other activities then people with families will come, which means you will have kids and teenagers and maybe college age people attending.

If there is a sense of community, then those college age kids will get older and marry (maybe marry each other), continue to attend the parish, have kids, etc and the cycle continues.
 
TrueLight said:
I’d say in general, there needs to be more functions outside of mass for people to get to know one another, period. If you have other activities then people with families will come, which means you will have kids and teenagers and maybe college age people attending.

If there is a sense of community, then those college age kids will get older and marry (maybe marry each other), continue to attend the parish, have kids, etc and the cycle continues.
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Want to know how to attract students to come along? Easy, have the parish (if it’s near a large student population) offer a free lunch or a free dinner once a week, or once every two weeks, and the students come in droves, it’s the free food that attracts us 😉
 
Skeptic92 said:
Want to know how to attract students to come along? Easy, have the parish (if it’s near a large student population) offer a free lunch or a free dinner once a week, or once every two weeks, and the students come in droves, it’s the free food that attracts us 😉
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That’s a good idea. Of course that takes money and along with the free food should come some sort of lecture, or activity that shares the faith.

Maybe a talk on young Catholics and sex. Sex talk always attracts people too. 😃
 
I’m probably the only young one in my mass. I usually see people 50+ up. Sometimes i wonder if it’s even worth it anymore because there is no one my age to talk to!! :eek: however i see more of them around Christmas time or any other holiday. They are “seasonal” Church goers. Most of them are too wrapped up in their lives and have kids to worry about and church isn’t a priority.
 
Lily0fthevalley said:
I’m probably the only young one in my mass. I usually see people 50+ up. Sometimes i wonder if it’s even worth it anymore because there is no one my age to talk to!! :eek: however i see more of them around Christmas time or any other holiday. They are “seasonal” Church goers. Most of them are too wrapped up in their lives and have kids to worry about and church isn’t a priority.
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Get thee to a Latin Mass Parish.
 
Tridentinum said:
Get thee to a Latin Mass Parish.
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Well, I reside in a college town that I stayed in after graduating until I pursue higher education. In any event, my parish offers traditional Novus Ordo Masses (OF) and twice a month the Vetus Ordo Mass (EF). Regarding the young people population, I found that the younger Catholics that attend the TLM to be of a home school background and thus somewhat sheltered in live. On the other hand, I come from a worldly background and converted to the Catholic faith. In the end, I haven’t encountered much of anything worthwhile in my age group. Of course there is a large population of secular young adults around.
 
TarkanAttila said:
It would be nice to find a young-adult Catholic girl about my age who had a devotion to prayer and the Mass, and who wanted a guy in her life.

Maybe, then again, I am getting ahead of myself. I’m only 20.
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Nice to meet you. 😉
 
I must say, even at a LaSallian/Catholic college, it’s pretty unsettling how few true Catholics there are. I know probably less than 20 people on a campus of 2000+ that adhere to basic Catholic morals, teachings, and beliefs. It’s discouraging, but hey that’s why we pray for an increase in faith, right? :rolleyes:
 
First and foremost, my heart and prayers go out to those single, faithful young people who are struggling to find a faithful Catholic spouse. I’ve been there, and it is not fun, to say the least. Today’s rosary will be offered on your behalf.

As far as suggestions on that front, all I can say is be patient and especially look in the right places. I met my beloved wife at Mass. Thankfully, she was assertive enough to introduce herself to me after Mass one evening (I am a shy guy, and wouldn’t have dreamed of introducing myself to a beautiful woman like her), and the rest is beautiful history 🙂

But please, please, please, no matter how tempting it might be, do not settle for anything less than someone who will be faithful to the Lord and His Church. Faithful guys/gals are out there, they just may be/feel just as hidden as you.

To the OP topic. My parish is the biggest parish in my diocese, and probably has the greatest disparity in age range, with probably 75% being 60+. In my experience, it is extremely difficult to bring in those who have already gone astray. Life experiences and time sometimes bring them back later. My philosophy is that we need to keep the young in the Church and faithful to her through catechesis. Hence, I have been the Confirmation instructor for the past 4 years.

It helps that I am 31 and the teens feel they can “relate” to me, maybe a little bit more than were I a bit older. But ultimately this is the solution to the problem. We need dynamic, orthodox, people who are willing to teach the fullness of the faith to the youth. Those who know the faith, love it and are faithful to it.
 
Last night NET Ministries had an event with alumni and staff before our 6pm Mass. Not including our regular youth/young adult community, I’d say there was close to 50 - 70 young adults there.

And babies. A lot of babies. My son was a happy boy yesterday with all the fresh faces he could converse in babytalk with.

It was like this before the Companions of the Cross took over our parish, which is saying something because the Companions often have a large young adult community within their parishes.
 
Melchior said:
Last night NET Ministries had an event with alumni and staff before our 6pm Mass. Not including our regular youth/young adult community, I’d say there was close to 50 - 70 young adults there.

And babies. A lot of babies. My son was a happy boy yesterday with all the fresh faces he could converse in babytalk with.

It was like this before the Companions of the Cross took over our parish, which is saying something because the Companions often have a large young adult community within their parishes.
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Drawing a thought from your post. The population of young adults involved with Catholic parishes tends to consist of primarily young families with very little single young adults making an appearance. For my own parish, which I don’t plan to stay at for an additional time period in order to progress in my career prospects certainly lacks a population of single, practicing Catholics. On the other hand, it does contain the home school population I mentioned in another post.
 
My Fiance and I are both 28. I’d say the young adult crowd is mostly comprised of Married couples with small children.
I do see young adults here and there at Sunday Mass that are by themselves but I don’t know what there living situation is.

We will be joining that crowd quite soon as we are getting married very soon and expecting our first child even sooner…🙂

The last Mass I went to, our Mon Senior mentioned a young adult group starting at our parish that is for ages 18-30.

Another point to make…my Fiance and I just began RCIA classes and the class is mostly made up of young adults under the age of 30! 👍
 
I’m a 22 Single Catholic going through RCIA right now. Most of my RCIA group is under 30 and it’s a pretty big group too. There might be hope! 👍
 
Hi there,

It depends on your parish, certainly. While I did experience a time when I was away from the Church around that age (and, by the Grace of God, returned last year at the ripe “old” age of 32…), there are many active Roman Catholics in their twenties. In fact, some of the most Traditional Catholics I know are young people!

I would recommend talking to your Pastor about your concern and maybe looking at starting a young adults’ fellowship group; you might not be as alone as you think.

God Bless.
 
blanc10 said:
I’m a 22 Single Catholic going through RCIA right now. Most of my RCIA group is under 30 and it’s a pretty big group too. There might be hope! 👍
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My parish consists of one or two in their 30s, one or two in their 40s and the rest are over 50. And then there’s me… YOU STOLE ALL THE YOUNGUNs didn’t you??? Hmph. Share already.
 
I haven’t come across a lot of young adults at the place where I’m doing RCIA and I’m probably one of the younger people in the class. I went to another church that seemed to have more young adults events going on and a few days ago, I went to an event for young Catholics to pray the Rosary, do Eucharistic adoration (a first for me!) and since praise/worship songs. I had to travel a bit to get there but I was glad I went.
 
I’ve noticed a few comments including my own in regards to different ministries that are centered towards young adults. But I can’t comprehend why there isn’t parishes in the diocese that are dedicated strictly for ministry of young adults. Much like the LDS wards that are for young adults; or have a mass once a week where the other young Catholics in the community are called to celebrate. I have a hard time feeling that I really need to be in church when I feel like I’m more at a retirement community meeting, then doing a holy day of obligation. With out this support system and fellowship; the dedication to the faith is weak. This is something that the LDS understand. How can something from God not be organized?
Why is there 100 different societies and ministries that know one has ever heard of in each diocese that doesn’t communicate with one another. The problem isn’t just in North America, I’ve joined Catholic social sites and have talked to people in different countries online such as Peru, and India to name just two; who have said they live with the same frustrations.
All the more reason why I have a hard time believing anything the church tells me.
 
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