Most Catholic college students are inconsistent Catholics, study shows

[JPUSC]

catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=14266

About 58 percent of respondents identified themselves as Catholic today and also while they were students at Catholic colleges and universities. Six percent were Catholic in college, but are not now, while only one percent were not Catholic in college but are now. Another 29 percent were not Catholic in their last year of college and are not currently Catholic, the survey says.

Further, 78 percent of all students disagreed that using a condom to prevent pregnancy is a serious sin, including 73 percent of current Catholics and 69 percent of the sacramentally active. Overall, about 57 percent agreed that same-sex marriage should be legal, including slightly more than half of current Catholics and slightly less than half of those sacramentally-active in college.

The survey also revealed significant statistics on moral behavior on Catholic campuses. About one in five students knew another student who had an abortion or had paid for one, while 46 percent reported engaging in premarital sex during their previous year at school. More than one in four reported viewing pornography in their last school year, while about 30 percent regularly got drunk.

So many people, young and old, leaving the Church or not practicing (as seen in this election). The USCCB and Catholic Newman Centers need reformation.

These statistics are from Catholic colleges…imagine the Catholic students in secular colleges with no religious culture. The statistics might be even worse.

 

[novaslasher]

It’s not really a surprise. At that age, a person is most vulnerable to temptations in sexual morality. Also, a lot of young people experience independence from parents for the first time and lose an important constraint on temptation. New found freedom, a campus full of coed peers, and bubbling hormones do not make a good recipe for faithfulness to sexual morality on the whole.

I went to a large secular university and saw this first hand with my fellow Catholic friends. Although they attended the Sunday late night masses at the University Catholic Center, most of my friends definitely didn’t agree with the Church’s teaching on sexual morality. They generally behaved the way a typical young secular American would behave.

This is also the time when a cradle Catholic is most likely to struggle with their faith, question established beliefs, and decide whether to embrace their childhood faith intellectually, repudiate the faith, or apathetically fade into cultural catholicism. Young adults need our prayers, need support, need understanding, and need patience from those who are older and love them (especially parents).

 

[mdgspencer]

I was going to post about this but I see the OP beat me to it. On several threads here the last seveal months on “Catholic” colleges, some have insisted that U.S. Catholic colleges are in good health. A minority of them are, but generally their health as religious schools is abysmal, as this study shows. This study can be read at
catholichighered.org/
On this webpage click the link at the top to “Behavior and Beliefs of Current and Recent Students at US Catholic Colleges.”

 

[KathleenElsie]

catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=14266

So many people, young and old, leaving the Church or not practicing (as seen in this election). The USCCB and Catholic Newman Centers need reformation.

These statistics are from Catholic colleges…imagine the Catholic students in secular colleges with no religious culture. The statistics might be even worse.

I forget where I read it but I read that there was a better chance of the youth to remain in the Catholic Church if they went to a public University.

From reading the news from the “Catholic” universities near me (the exception being St Vincents) the social scene isn’t any better then Pitt and Penn State. So save your money and go state universities or do your research and go for a true Catholic University.

 

[JPUSC]

I forget where I read it but I read that there was a better chance of the youth to remain in the Catholic Church if they went to a public University.

From reading the news from the “Catholic” universities near me (the exception being St Vincents) the social scene isn’t any better then Pitt and Penn State. So save your money and go state universities or do your research and go for a true Catholic University.

You might be right. I went to a non-Catholic private university and there were a lot of practicing Catholics as opposed to the local (Jesuit) Catholic university.

 

[Genesis315]

We need a new generation of missionaries to Catholics. I am currently reading a book by St. Anthony Mary Claret–who was just such a missionary a bit under 200 years ago. He went from town to town and found the people there uncatechized, led astray by bad newspapers, books and magazines, not receveiving the sacraments, living worldly lives, etc. His ministry and preaching were focused on “converting Catholics” and re-kindling faith and charity where it had grown cold. He had great success.

 

[Veritas248]

I guess I’m one of the lucky ones, eh? I’m a college student and believe everything the Church teaches down to the last detail. I admit that I’m not perfect, but at least I’m not discarding important Church teachings like these students. When I sin, I know its sin. Never did have “raging hormones” to tell you the truth, so I don’t really buy into that excuse. I’m also not affected by peer pressure. People try to talk me into stuff all the time. Does not work. At all.
I really don’t know why I’m so different. Proper faith formation I guess.

 

[BennyBoy89]

Well I’m a Catholic convert as of Easter 2008 and a college student. I have yet to compromise my Catholic beliefs. I’m currently involved (trying to pull out of actually) in the local university parish. It’s really a progressive parish masquerading as conservative. I swear if I have to hear another praise and worship song I’m going to die. They also have a very protestant emphasis on “community,” as opposed to “catholicity.” Blech.

Faith and morals are good (if you’re a puritan), but the liturgy falls apart. Ah, who doesn’t love charismatic benediction services??

 

[LilyM]

Young people rebel against their faith … what a shocking surprise … :yawn:

this should be news to no-one, it’s always been thus right from the time of St Augustine at least.