Poll for Church Membership (18-34 year olds)

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Catholic21

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Hello,

I wanted to gain some perspective on how millennials view the Church.

Those who are practicing Catholics, why do you still remain Catholic?

Those non-practicing or unaffiliated, what are your reasons for not coming to the Church?

Thank you for any responses.
 
My goodness, I despise that term. I am Catholic (a convert), and I remain Catholic because I legitimately believe Catholicism is true. (I am 31)
 
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the formulations of your questions seems a little strange!

I “remain” Catholic, because there is no way I escape what I had become through my Christening.
I believe Catholicism is the way to God, the legitimate Church, and it wordldview is the true one.

And that I have a responsability to remain Catholic and educate my children as Catholics.
 
Catholic21 said:
Those who are practicing Catholics, why do you still remain Catholic?
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I’m 33, so I barely make the cut. “Still remain” makes it feel like it maybe is meant to reference the scandals so I’ll go from there.

As an American high school student in the early 2000’s I was confronted in mainstream culture with things that challenged my beliefs…gay marriage, contraception, that early wave of clerical abuse scandals. But through it all, whenever I had doubts, the saints had answers if I only spent the time to look. In some cases, Catholic Answers Forums pointed little teenage me to the answers I needed!

The recent scandals fill me with sadness, but they cannot shake my faith in the truth of Catholic Church. I was shook up a long time ago and landed somewhere steady.
 
Catholic21 said:
I wanted to gain some perspective on how millennials view the Church.

Those who are practicing Catholics, why do you still remain Catholic?

Those non-practicing or unaffiliated, what are your reasons for not coming to the Church?

Thank you for any responses.
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I count as a millenial by your standards (in my 20’s)

Why I’m not affiliated with Catholicism: ultimately because I believe Orthodoxy is the true church and lacks nothing. So there’s no reason to leave. If I thought it was incorrect, I wouldn’t be here 😉
 
I disagree with your conclusion (but think you are mostly correct, this is the Catholic POV), but I believe the question was specifically for Catholics. (I could be reading it wrong)
 
ReaderT said:
Why I’m not affiliated with Catholicism: ultimately because I believe Orthodoxy is the true church and lacks nothing.
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What are your main reasons? Was it through personal study or being raised in the faith?
 
DisorientingSneeze said:
The recent scandals fill me with sadness, but they cannot shake my faith in the truth of Catholic Church
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I agree with your sentiment. Hopefully this will finally be a thing of the past and people will be held accountable abusing their roles as Shepards in the church.
 
Catholic21 said:
What are your main reasons? Was it through personal study or being raised in the faith?
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Thanks for asking. I was raised Methodist and converted to Orthodoxy. There are a lot of big and small things which I don’t necessarily agree with in Catholicism - not to start an argument:
  1. I don’t believe the Pope alone had the authority to insert more words into the Creed when it took whole Ecumenical Councils to draft it in the first place. In fact, an anathema was announced at the Fourth Council of Constantinople (879-880) against anyone who would do just that.
  1. The immaculate conception (which Orthodox don’t believe in): If Mary didn’t have original sin, she is in a pre-Fallen state like Adam or Eve before the Tree. Without sin, there should be no death. But countless Popes taught that Mary died (including John Paul II), and all Eastern Catholics believe she died (Dormition).
  2. Orthodox spirituality is deep. It is filling and satisfying. And Orthodox services teach a lot of wisdom that other people don’t seem to receive. For example, David mentioned the Virgin Mary in Psalms. But if you don’t know where, I’m not telling 😜
Please forgive me - I hope that isn’t too polemical 🧐
 
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ReaderT said:
The immaculate conception (which Orthodox don’t believe in): If Mary didn’t have original sin, she is in a pre-Fallen state like Adam or Eve before the Tree. Without sin, there should be no death. But countless Popes taught that Mary died (including John Paul II), and all Eastern Catholics believe she died (Dormition).
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Regarding the natural death of Mary, in Orthodox teaching how does this apply to the death of Christ since he himself did not have original sin?

I do love the rich liturgical traditions the Orthodox have and I wish more Catholic Churches retain this instead of making things contemporary.
 
I ‘remain’ a practicing catholic because the church has answers to the difficulties of daily life.

After growing up with popular culture shoving ideas like sex before marriage is good for you, divorce is good for kids, gay relationships are the same as straight relationships, and all religions are the same down my throat, the church has lead me back to the truth.

And the truth has lead me to happiness.
 
Catholic21 said:
Regarding the natural death of Mary, in Orthodox teaching how does this apply to the death of Christ since he himself did not have original sin?
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We don’t believe in the idea of “Original Sin” either - so that is not an issue 👍
Catholic21 said:
I do love the rich liturgical traditions the Orthodox have and I wish more Catholic Churches retain this instead of making things contemporary.
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I wish they did also - there are some very beautiful Catholic churches/cathedrals, luckily 🙂
 
I’m 27 and only converted to Catholicism in 2015.

I remain a member because I believe in the Church and it’s teachings. I follow the Pope of Rome and feel a huge benefit when I attend mass or pray to God.
 
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