What can be done to bring more young people into the church?

[Magnanimity]

When people have a real free choice to join the religion of their choice or to change religions or leave religion altogether, they more and more decide to leave religion altogether, or to become “culturally”, but not practicing religious.

The coercive methods available to religious groups in the past are no longer in force. There is no longer any stigma in not being associated religious among younger people today. In fact, the opposite is quickly becoming true.

So very true… Even the saying, “there are no atheists in foxholes” has fear as the underlying motivator to turning to God. Belief in Hell itself (which according to Pew continues in a steep decline, among the educated young, most especially) has fear as a fundamental motivator. And it very clearly seems to be the case among young folks, beginning with Millennials and on down to Gen Z, fear as a motivator to believing much of anything, is not going to fly.

The affluent West also finds itself in a period of general peace and ease. What is there to fear? There is even an expression that floats around these days–“first-world problems.” Starvation, unemployment, disease, war–none of these things are on the horizon for today’s young in the affluent West. So, what is there to fear? Fear itself is probably seen as a negative reaction–to be avoided.

homophobia and xenophobia

Fear. It has no traction today. And if peace and prosperity extend well into the future, fear itself will have even less relevance. And maybe, just maybe, this is a good thing…in the long run.

 

[MNathaniel]

My area has a fabulous and active young adults population, and I attribute that especially to:

Active young adult missionaries in our area, part of a national organization that sends missionaries to evangelize students on university campuses, especially coordinating small group, guided, multi-week ‘faith studies’ for strengthening the faith of existing (though perhaps non-practicing) Catholics. These faith studies are awesome for growing in our relationship with God, and can expand beyond active Mass-goers and practicing Catholics, because individuals can learn how to lead them, then reach out to their own friends to bring them in. It doesn’t have to stay on campus. Also, these faith studies give young adults something to ‘do’, and other Catholics to be connected with in a sort of mini community, to get to know, and encourage one another as we grow and take more steps in our faith.

We also benefit from a couple vibrant, vocations-focused priests. Enthusiastic and knowledgable (AKA orthodox and non-dissenting from Church teaching; able to excite young people about the intellectual and spiritual richness of our tradition, and challenge us to grow, instead of trying to be conciliatory with something ‘easy’) priests are so helpful. Those who know how to connect young people to something to ‘do’ in the Church (especially at the beginning level, of learning more about the faith and making perhaps one’s first friends in the Catholic community). Even if all the priest does is let local missionaries/faith study leaders make an announcement about faith study opportunities at the end of Mass – that’s helpful.

If you don’t have a priest like that in your area though, I’d suggest definitely reaching out to missionary organizations in your country/region, who are focused on small group or other community learning programs, for young adults! Events with food are often popular, though not necessary. In my opinion it’s the opportunity for young adults to talk back, and have long conversations while going deeper in their spiritual walk, that attracts people to the small groups. Just listening to a lecture isn’t enough; it’s the conversation piece (in my experience) where people light up. It needs to be guided by someone familiar with the material who can make sure the Church’s positions are explained (study guides are provided by our group) – but everyone needs to be able to talk and share with each other. That’s where it comes alive.

 

[catholic03]

Hello

I am a young person, around 10 years younger than you - I understand that there are many issues surrounding young people and the Church.

I think that young people who are “into” the faith either like

• LifeTeen Masses or lively, charismatic Masses.

OR

• The Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

I prefer more traditional liturgies, be they in the Ordinary Form or the Extraordinary Form.

Unfortunately, I really don’t see a solution to completely reverse secularism and bring young people to Christ. I live in a very secular country where people my age scoff at religion.

Sadly, I can’t think of a solution. Teaching people the faith from when they can talk is the only real way to give them a good chance of not falling away, but because parents are unlikely to be religious it makes this harder.

There are many young people who love the Church and Our Lord. I just don’t know how we’ll ever regain the number we used to have.

May the Lord be with you,

Catholic03.

IC XC NIKA.

 

[catholic03]

It’s a big issue because young people like the OP often feel a bit lonely and concerned when they are going to Church and to Church functions and they don’t see many other people their age around.

This is a huge problem - and I think a big reason why many young Christians join charismatic evangelical ecclesial communities that seem to act as a magnet for young people.

I only know a couple of people who are my age out of 220 people who attend 10am Mass at my church every Sunday. I do feel lonely, and that is a big issue and I suspect that some who are especially immature may leave the Church for one of those evangelical communities because they know there will be many young people there.

For example, this evangelical ecclesial community (arise church wellington nz - Google Search…0…1…gws-wiz…0i71j0i67j0i22i30j0i13j0i333.R9nLSF6tCpg&ved=0ahUKEwiy4YLNvJrnAhUBwjgGHSSLBIEQ4dUDCAs&uact=5) was mentioned by our last Archdiocesan synod as an ecclesial community full of young people - my friend goes there are from what I see, young people are the majority.

 

[MNathaniel]

Because Christ’s Church is for everyone! And the younger we are when we come home to it, the more of our lives we can spend growing in a healthy, rightly-ordered relationship with God, with the benefit of the sacraments He gifts us with through the Church.

That’s “the point”. God created His Church out of love for us. and He calls us to invite everyone else into it, for their own well-being. Our relationship with God changes our lives: changes us, forever. And the sooner (read: younger) we enter fully into that relationship, the more of our lives we have to give to God, for Him to make something completely beautiful with.

That also leads to my suggested ‘how’: by improving catechesis (both the quality of the teaching, and the actual ACT of teaching!) so young people (as well as old people! Just: everyone!) understand what good news it is to be invited to Communion with Jesus Christ! How concretely real His salvation is; how eternal the joy is, and how it can begin now! Give people the gifts He meant for us to give them. Be who God meant us to be, and we will set the world on fire.

PS I’m an adult convert. And this year I found out that my next door neighbours, growing up, were Catholic… and they never gave any sign. And I was a deeply disturbed and lost child, and teenager, and young adult – and an active spiritual seeker! I’ll be honest with you: I felt angry when I found out, after my perhaps unnecessarily long and painful journey, that I had lived next to silent Catholics who might have given me a shortcut home – a shortcut past the suffering I experienced while lost and ignorant – but never shared their faith. Because I realized how much earlier in life I might have come home to God in His Catholic Church, and how different my life might have been. Please… do consider what a blessing it is for people to be fully alive in their faith while young. There genuinely are opportunities we lose as we age, and pains we unnecessarily suffer, if we don’t live in the right relationship with God until we’re older. So those of us who know where God is found… we need to at least extend the invitation so we’re not the one standing in someone’s way (by our silence which results in their continued ignorance). Every young person not in the Catholic Church… is a young person whose life would be better if they were in the Catholic Church. That’s “the point”.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

The thing about young people is that we aren’t as monolithic as we may see at times.
There are those people that retreats, epic-sounding music, communal worship, and the pastor guy emotionally speaking will touch deeply. Then there are the people that don’t care for such things for whom rational appeals work immeasurably better. Then there are the people that are just struggling just to survive or that don’t see why they should possibly care.

You can’t reach everybody the same way.

This is also a really good point. When I was a teenager, I knew some other teenagers my age who were really affected and drawn to the Church by doing social justice stuff such as peace marches, volunteering to work with the poor in the inner city or the missions, etc. I don’t feel called to do that, and the big example they kept showing us was a young laywoman only a few years older than us who had been martyred (raped and shot) in El Salvador. She was actually from one of the parishes I sometimes attend and they have a memorial to her and her companions who were religious sisters and met the same fate.

At age 22 I did not want to go to some remote mission and get murdered. I actually wondered if that made me a bad Catholic because I just wanted to stay in US and have a life and figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

 

[MNathaniel]

Beautiful traditional music – not cringeworthy hippie music.
Orthodox teaching – not conforming to the world.
Both truth and gentleness from our pastors – not either/or.
Enthusiastic community learning opportunities – not assuming young people already have community, or know how to get involved.

Prayer.
Living out whatever God calls us to do, every day.
Learning apologetics (listening to Catholic Answers radio helps!) so that we can answer questions intelligently when young people ask, which makes them curious to learn more, and at least helps them counteract cultural prejudices that say there’s nothing worth hearing from religion.
Be loving, and patient, and be there for others – over the long haul. Don’t compromise the truth, but be even more loving (while telling the truth) than others are, who tell young people what’s easiest to say, while not actually doing the daily hard work of loving them. Form personal relationships for the long haul (maybe your whole lifetime), with just a few people. Jesus started with twelve. You’re not called to do everything: only to do what you, specifically, are called to do.

 

[Le_Crouton]

Because in 20 years our churches will be empty if theres no one to take the place of the elderly who will probably die in that time. Many, many churches will close

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Because in 20 years our churches will be empty if theres no one to take the place of the elderly who will probably die in that time. Many, many churches will close

While I share your interest in attracting young people to church and making them feel at home, please remember that many of the middle-aged and elderly you see at church were not lifelong engaged churchgoers. Some of them were lukewarm, some of them were lapsed, some of them entered the Church in later life.

You’re always going to see a lot of middle-aged and older people practicing a religion, for the simple fact that middle age and older is when most people start to experience death and loss, and it causes them to think more deeply about faith than when they are 21. Other people do think deeply about faith for many years starting when they are young, but only commit to their faith practice when they hit middle age and are raising children of their own and decide it’s important to set an example for their kids or teach their kids.

 

[GraceJ]

Tradition and orthodoxy.
Good, traditional music.
Catechesis- if they are high school students, make it a high school level class. Be thorough.
The emotional, this-is-my-story approach may work for some, but many other young adults would rather a rational explanation. I nearly left the church because all I was hearing from youth ministers & teachers was them sharing how they came to believe in God; how their faith helped them; and how it would feel to put your trust in God; etc. Sadly for them, I don’t feel very strongly, am highly rational, and am not in the least interested in hearing some stranger’s life story. Period.
For clarity, I am currently a college student.

 

[Le_Crouton]

Yeah but with more and more people leaving the church before they start dating or as they start dating, less and less people will be coming back to the faith when they do settle down and have children—if they ever do

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I think all those saying “traditional this and that” need to keep in mind the above comment about young people not being a monolith.
I do know young people who very much like traditional practices, but I know others who don’t find those helpful and would rather have the guitar Mass with themselves or their friends providing the contemporary music.
And still others who don’t care much one way or the other and are focused on a different aspect of the faith.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

You don’t know whether they will be coming back to the faith or not.
It’s best to not make assumptions about other people.

 

[Le_Crouton]

I’m just looking at general statistics of people leaving the church.

 

[Le_Crouton]

I concur with this. I play guitar at a contemporary music mass

 

[goout]

The Church is now more like the nascent Church than ever before.

In the last few centuries the dominant culture supported religious belief. Many people were in the Church due to cultural expectations and peer pressure. I think the western Church got very comfortable and complacent with the culture at large for quite a few centuries. Being a Christian would not gain you ridicule or persecution in most of the western world, generally speaking, although denominations persectued each other.

Now, the Church is at odds with the culture, as it should be. And the dominant secular philosophies are openly hostile to religion. People are not under any kind of cultural pressure to stay or enter. They enter of their own volition (cooperating with grace).
The positive is, we have a more intentional and committed Church than we did prior to say…the sexual revolution. Although it is smaller in numbers.

The nascent Church was not very popular with the dominant culture either.

 

[goout]

I think all those saying “traditional this and that” need to keep in mind the above comment about young people not being a monolith.
I do know young people who very much like traditional practices, but I know others who don’t find those helpful and would rather have the guitar Mass with themselves or their friends providing the contemporary music.
And still others who don’t care much one way or the other and are focused on a different aspect of the faith.

My experience with my own kids who are now 27 and 31:
youth Mass was seen as baby boomers pandering to young people with music their parents still think is hip from the 70’s. Many an eye roll from our kids when asked why they don’t like the “contemporary” music. It’s middle aged folks imposing hipness on young people.

My son is a musician. He would prefer the soundtrack from “Lord of the Rings” any day to Catholic folk music. The intensity and reverence are missing from folk music. And this is not to disparage all folk music. I happen to appreciate some of it…

I think we sell the next generation short if we don’t give them credit for appreciating traditions.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I’m not a big fan of some of the current Catholic contemporary music. I did like the music from the 1970s when I was in high school. Part of the reason I liked it was that we had about 10 people, all pretty good musicians, playing and singing it and it sounded much better than some parishes where there are maybe 2 people who are not very good musicians playing and singing it.

However, I’m pretty sure the students at the Newman Center and at the Catholic Youth gathering for the county and the Lifeteen Mass at one of the parishes I attend are not being influenced by old hippies. For one thing, the music they use is mostly from within the last 20 years, not the old folkie stuff, and for another thing, there is nobody past their late 20s involved with planning the music for these Masses. The priests are in their mid-30s and are not hippie types.

In my experience, people of all ages have widely varying tastes in Mass music and that’s probably how it will continue.

 

[on_the_hill]

When people talk about the need to return to tradition, to traditional music, to traditional catechesis, etc., they imply that they want to go back to the good ol’ days that are perceived as a time of strong, vibrant Catholicism in the U.S.

But I think the reason so many Catholics were attending Mass regularly wasn’t because of the aforesaid, but because THEY HAD TO. It was peer pressure, it was social pressure, it was the way of life, it was fear of eternal damnation.

There were essentially no other choices for socializing, for friendship, for family gathering. My grandfather ran the parish ‘lyceum,’ which had a pool hall, a bowling alley, a gym, (probably a bar, too), etc. It was the center of neighborhood life.

 

[victrolatim]

My advice would be to evangelize by example and live your faith. As much as I love the Latin Mass that is not going to solve the issue and, as others have said, the issue is not limited to the Catholic Church. We’re facing major cultural behemoths nowadays. Mainly:

-Lack of respect for authority & relativism: according to mainstream culture we can no longer tell people what is right and wrong or “judge” anybody (kind of a buzzword nowadays)

-Weak family units
-Schools pushing liberal and anti religious agendas

If someone is growing up with all of these influences they are not going to be drawn to something where it feels like they are being told what to do.

The only church in my area that is growing largely is the evangelical mega church, although I have met some very lovely people that attend there they tend to broadcast the message of “Whatever you do in your life is OK as long as you believe in Jesus”. I have seen promotions where they promote themselves as a church but not a religion (the connotation is that religion is bad because it divides people).

The best way, again, is to evangelize by example. You may not lead a deluge of people to RCIA, but you may make a difference to one person. The young folks are out there but since being a practicing Catholic is “uncool” nowadays they may be more low key. There are the Newmann centers as mentioned, also Frassati chapters, and social media groups that can also be a great tool.