What will make more younger people come to mass?

[cmcgrath22]

In my opinion the traditional mass is fine what is missing is fervor. With very rare exception Ive found mass delivered in a monotone with the responses mumbled by people who seem to be “going through the motions”. I’m not suggesting anything outlandish just a delivery with feeling and force and a response to equal it.

 

[anniemart]

In my opinion the traditional mass is fine what is missing is fervor. With very rare exception Ive found mass delivered in a monotone with the responses mumbled by people who seem to be “going through the motions”. I’m not suggesting anything outlandish just a delivery with feeling and force and a response to equal it.

This sounds a little like the reasoning for preferring a priest that is more charismatic than one that isn’t. Not a criticism; just a thought aloud to myself. My problem here is where is the line that shouldn’t be crossed when you find yourself wanting to “follow the man” and not the Word? Does the teen generation recognize this to be a problem or one that even matters? Shouldn’t it though?

 

[cmcgrath22]

Allow me to elaborate on my original post. I certainly do not think that people should follow the man and not the word. I do however believe that the delivery of the word should reflect both its majesty and authority. The person delivering the word is a leader and any successful leader must inspire his followers. In the case of the church he is inspiring them to follow the word of God and in my opinion would do his utmost to reflect the authority of the word.

 

[anniemart]

Allow me to elaborate on my original post. I certainly do not think that people should follow the man and not the word. I do however believe that the delivery of the word should reflect both its majesty and authority. The person delivering the word is a leader and any successful leader must inspire his followers. In the case of the church he is inspiring them to follow the word of God and in my opinion would do his utmost to reflect the authority of the word.

I agree most heartedly with you. Unfortunately, there are some priests who find this more difficult to do than others. This is why it is imperative that *those who are young *and maybe easily swayed understand that the Word is far more the priority than its delivery despite the presentation not being up to par on any given Sunday. This should remain imperative as they enter adulthood; after all, I’m there to worship; not to rank right?

So we should teach that every cloud has its silver lining and in the clouds that are dark; it is up to me to find it as in a so-so homily for instance.

In a case where many of the young population are legitimately found to be leaving a certain parish, it would behoove the bishop to become involved; no? Otherwise, the problem becomes subjective and just a matter of opinion, perhaps?

I had the wife of an RCIA director tell me on a few occasions last year that she always follows the man because if the man can’t deliver the Word, then she’s not staying. Glad to say she didn’t have an influence on me.

 

[Genesis315]

Once I learned what the Mass was–Heaven on Earth–I couldn’t get enough. Teach young people what the Mass is and make the way Mass is celebrated reflect the Heavenly liturgy and more youth will fall in love with it

 

[Soldier4Christ]

Hmm lets c… im turning 20 soon and i used to go to mass but i stopped last year although i do consider myself more catholic then any other teen i know. I went to a catholic highschool and i didnt know anyone who actually followed the faith.

1. I dont think todays teens want to be told to remain celebate untill marriage, i think that would spoil a saturday night for most.
2. its not “cool” to be religious anymore. i remember reading the bible story about the pharrisees who would pray in the streets and fast in public, they were like the “cool” people of their day, total opposite now days. Its now cool to build up muscle at the gym and flex those muscles at a night club while either highly intoxicated or on drugs.
   Todays youth only look out for number 1.And the idea that you guys are going to get a growth in teens is laughable.
   Sorry to sound pessimistic but any topic regarding the downfall of teens in mass these days makes me angry.

Thanks for your insight, I find it to be quite accurate among the majority of people in our age group. That’s just the problem though.

In response to #1, teens not wanting to remain celibate until marriage–
Chastity is a gift from God, not a burden. Yes, it can be difficult at times. But you’re not really denying yourself, because instead of having sex right away, you will get to know her more personally with all the time you spend together. Just think, one day you meet that girl you can’t live without, begin a relationship, eventually get married. How overjoyed do you think she would be to know that you waited your whole life for her? Especially in today’s society, where chastity is not commonplace like it probably was long ago. And how would you feel if she did the same for you? Some might say they know they’re going to get married, so why not “get to know each other” before they get married…well I can tell you from experience that engagements do not always lead to marriage.

#2, it’s not cool to be religious –
Jesus probably wasn’t very cool in his day. That’s just something we probably have to accept. Christ Jesus did not have it easy, neither did his followers then, and although we probably have it easier than they did, it can still be rough. We have to take up our cross and follow him. But it’s a road that leads to salvation, and if you know and understand what you believe, show it through your actions, and defend the faith, others will follow and you won’t be alone.

Also, with the Pharisees praying and fasting in public…“Fast/pray in private and your Father will reward you in heaven” They were cool because they may have been the majority, but they were not doing God’s will by fasting and praying in public. Making highly visible sacrifices leads us to taking pride in how “holy” we are compared to the others. God wants us to be humble. We pray and fast to become closer to Him, not for self-gratification, which leads us away from God.

TO ALL: How many people have posted since this original was posted and not responded??? That is part of the problem. Catechesis is important, so is responding in outside the classroom settings, when someone may not understand something. Based on melbourne_guy’s post, he obviously already knows the teachings of the church. But it is the responsibility of all to explain in understandable terms the why’s and how’s behind things - and if we can’t do that we should do a little studying ourselves. I say this because only a few years ago, I was a beneficiary of some very good people, one in particular, who had answers to my many and wide-ranging questions about the faith. I have been Catholic my whole life, but my family does not really practice the faith. I didn’t get confirmed until I was 21. I think this is part of the reason why our Protestant brothers and sisters are better “recruiters” of young people, they’re generally not afraid to speak up, answer the tough questions. Though we know a lot of their answers are wrong, young, uniformed people may not, and are vulnerable to be pulled down the wrong path if they don’t get answers from us.

Another thing I think helps with newer Catholics is trying to stay on the positive side of things. Rather than saying “Sex before marriage is bad”, explain the benefits of chastity.

 

[DanB]

That’s why my ears are so big, my dad pulled me to Church in the day. I love going now, because I can hear so much better!!

 

[barbfromtucson]

Love.

The kind of love they can’t find in a bar. The kind of love that reaches out to the poor and the helpless, and invites the teens/twenties to join in and help out.

This kind of love starts OUTSIDE of Mass, when a teacher or sports coach or work associate invites the younger person to come to Church, perhaps by asking them to help with a “love” project, e.g., “We need people to help fill the trucks to help the poor. Please join us.”

Give young people something to do. Make it “necessary” for them to come to Church. If they have a “place” in Church that only they can fill, they will come because they know that they are needed. Make sure that they are MISSED if they don’t come.

I think that’s the biggest value of LifeTeen Masses–the kids do them (they DON’T do the sacred work of the priests! Life Teen Masses are liturgical).

Right now, in many churches, no one knows anyone. Remember Cheers–“I wanna go where everybody knows my name.” It’s true–that’s why people go to bars and nightclubs.

Talk to people before and after Mass. I know, I know, you want to pray and be silent. Well, maybe it’s time we all stopped thinking about what WE want, and started helping others to find salvation. I’m not saying we need to be irreverent and chat up everyone in Church, but there are plenty of times to pray quietly. You have about five minutes before Mass and even less time after Mass to reach out to people and make them feel welcome and loved in Church. It might be that your loving greeting and invitation to a church activity or Bible study will be what “hooks” a young person to keep coming to Church.

Arguing about whether young music and lifestyle is sinful or irreverent is only going to drive them further away. Would YOU want to go somewhere where everyone called your music “bad?” Isn’t that why a lot of traditionalists leave contemporary parishes–because they want to be comfortable in the Mass and hear the kind of music THEY want to hear? Walk in the young person’s shoes for a while; they feel the same way.

The Lord used many different methods to attract people to Himself. He told stories and parables, He preached “fire and brimstone,” He went to synagogue and did the traditional readings, He healed, He went to supper, He ate, He rode in boats, He walked and talked. In the same way, we should use different methods to attract different people to Jesus and His Church.

This reminds me of a story…I can’t remember it exactly but it was something to this effect–

a 15-year old wants to leave the church and the priest is sent in to talk to him. The priest asks, “Why are you leaving the church, do you disagree with the Pope?” and the teen said, “No, I like/respect the Pope and pretty much agree with everything he says”.

“Well is it the church’s teachings on Mary?” the priest asked.

“No, I love Mary, and pray the rosary.”

“Then why do you want to leave the Catholic church?” asked the Priest.

The teen said, “In all the 15 years that I’ve attended Mass, I have never felt loved.”

This is based on a true story.

–God Bless,
Barbara

 

[Bennie_P]

Encourage parishners to have larger families, maybe starting with ones own first? , Then more & more youth would be attending. Keeping them there after they are 18, while that may be more up to them, because you really can’t **make **anyone do anything (freewill), so at that point it is really between them and God.

 

[Marian_Carroll]

GENERAL NOTICE

We now have a Life Teen thread going so please save your posts regarding that topic for forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=181646

 

[mainusch]

What do you all think catechesis means?

Literally it means to teach by word of mouth. In other words, by talking. Those with knowledge giving it to those without by speaking to them. Mano a mano. Engaging!

I said before that the biggest problem in the Church is the catechetical failure. Part of that is this impression that catechesis means dry recitation of boring facts and historical irrelevance.

Some have said that “catechesis is important… but more important is engaging the youth and inspiring them.” That IS catechesis!

The Mass is relevant. The problem is that many don’t understand that it is relevant. The Church must fulfill its responsibility to teach our youth (and the rest of us) about how it is relevant. Putting on some window dressing can help, if done right. Playing different music can help. We should do it as a way to help teach them about our faith, however, and not to replace the very crux of our faith with mere entertainment. If you just want to entertain your kids, send them to the movies.

 

[po18guy]

So true. There’s a bit too much “make it about us, the people of God celebrating ourselves” that seeks to shrink the great mysteries to match our superficial expectations, rather than His eternal ones.

Such human limitations are the very nature of created things. We try to make God pocket sized. If we were to fall upon the ground and embrace the earth, we would feel only our body-sized contact with it-so limited are we. The immensity of the earth which we embrace is closer in size to the love God has for us.

Christ’s peace.

 

[mercygate]

NO ONE is giving credit to the intelligence of teenages. Everything is dumbed down, so they can “understand” and “participate” instead of making the students work hard to be better.

Don’t assume that the teens are stupid, don’t care, or need to be pandered to. Don’t dumb it down. Give it hard, give it straight, and state the Truth that the Church teaches.

[SIGN]AMEN![/SIGN] I’m strong and tough with my 6th grade CCD. I teach 'em Latin prayers, make 'em memorize Scripture, push 'em to UNDERSTAND what they are reading. I’m the drill sergeant in chapel: bow, genuflect, sign of the cross, silence, prayer, . . .

THEY LOVE ME! Kids may feel pushed when challenged, but if you set them up to LEARN, they can do anything. And I’m only dealing with sixth grade! Our teen group leaders also pitch high and the teens respond very well.

 

[po18guy]

[SIGN]AMEN![/SIGN] I’m strong and tough with my 6th grade CCD. I teach 'em Latin prayers, make 'em memorize Scripture, push 'em to UNDERSTAND what they are reading. I’m the drill sergeant in chapel: bow, genuflect, sign of the cross, silence, prayer, . . .

THEY LOVE ME! Kids may feel pushed when challenged, but if you set them up to LEARN, they can do anything. And I’m only dealing with sixth grade! Our teen group leaders also pitch high and the teens respond very well.

Amen! Industrial strength Jesus works the best.

 

[patches]

So, I suggest the first order of business is to LISTEN to what these kids/young adults have to say.

The next order of business is to address what THEY say is the problem.

Listening is important to understanding the problem, this is true. But isn’t the goal to get young folks to conform to the Truth, and not the other way around? Maybe the reason they’re not buying the “pearl of great price” is because we parents, teachers, and priests, who are charged with spreading the faith, aren’t all that interested in investing in the pearl ourselves. Like Father John Corapi has said, nothing will spread the faith like Catholics really living it. What we need most is people striving to be saints, who have a deep trust in Christ and His Church, and the courage to live that faith deeply and publicly. That’s why Catholic Answers and EWTN are spreading like wildfire, they’re full of people like that. Let’s pray that we will have the courage to follow their lead.

 

[agapewolf]

St. Gianna Latin Mass Community in Tucson AZ (saintgianna.net/) has a lot of younger parishoners. The young people are looking for direction in their life. They want people to tell them what is good and bad. How often are the evils of birth control, abortion or homosexuality addressed at LifeTeen Masses. Young people love the reveverence and worshipfulness in TLM. LifeTeen and other such programs bring in aspects of the secular world into the Church (modern music, disregard of the sacrifice of the Mass). The Church will never and should never compete with the secular world in the area of entertainment. If the young folks wanted a rock concert they would go see one.

If you want young people to be excited about the Mass inform them about TLM. Most people, including myself once, do not even know TLM exists or that it was celebrated for 1500 years until 1970. Educate them on what the Catholic Church teaches and that it is a hard path to follow to be true to it. Young people will take up the challenge. I think the only thing Life Teen produces in the next crop of Cafeteria Catholics.

How many times at ANY masses do you hear preaching about the topics you suggested. We do cover those topics at Lifenights by the way.

I really wish my previous posts would be read about the amazing conversions I have seen. As I said before, lots of conservative vocations, lots of church workers…NOT cafeteria catholics.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

How many times at ANY masses do you hear preaching about the topics you suggested. We do cover those topics at Lifenights by the way.

I really wish my previous posts would be read about the amazing conversions I have seen. As I said before, lots of conservative vocations, lots of church workers…NOT cafeteria catholics.

I am thinking that I am lucky- but Fr. Larry preaches on stuff all the time.

 

[agapewolf]

First off, we have been asked to put lifeteen topics in the lifeteen thread, however, it keeps being brought up…but it seems to overlap…

Who made up the rule that a lifenight has to be connected to the Mass?

Lifeteen suggest 2 catechetical nights per month, 1 issue night, and 1 social night

THere isn’t supposed to be a direct correlation to the readings. It isn’t CLOW. its a youth group/catechesis for high school. CCD doesn’t connect each week to that particular reading, nor RCIA.

And yes, it IS Lifeteen’s job to talk about all that stuff as a high school youth ministry.

As a music director, I can’t “make sure” my priest preaches anything. I can encourage and support when they do utter controversial issues, but I can’t “make sure”

 

[Conciliar]

Love.

The kind of love they can’t find in a bar. The kind of love that reaches out to the poor and the helpless, and invites the teens/twenties to join in and help out.

This kind of love starts OUTSIDE of Mass, when a teacher or sports coach or work associate invites the younger person to come to Church, perhaps by asking them to help with a “love” project, e.g., “We need people to help fill the trucks to help the poor. Please join us.”

Give young people something to do. Make it “necessary” for them to come to Church. If they have a “place” in Church that only they can fill, they will come because they know that they are needed. Make sure that they are MISSED if they don’t come.

I think that’s the biggest value of LifeTeen Masses–the kids do them (they DON’T do the sacred work of the priests! Life Teen Masses are liturgical).

Right now, in many churches, no one knows anyone. Remember Cheers–“I wanna go where everybody knows my name.” It’s true–that’s why people go to bars and nightclubs.

Talk to people before and after Mass. I know, I know, you want to pray and be silent. Well, maybe it’s time we all stopped thinking about what WE want, and started helping others to find salvation. I’m not saying we need to be irreverent and chat up everyone in Church, but there are plenty of times to pray quietly. You have about five minutes before Mass and even less time after Mass to reach out to people and make them feel welcome and loved in Church. It might be that your loving greeting and invitation to a church activity or Bible study will be what “hooks” a young person to keep coming to Church.

Arguing about whether young music and lifestyle is sinful or irreverent is only going to drive them further away. Would YOU want to go somewhere where everyone called your music “bad?” Isn’t that why a lot of traditionalists leave contemporary parishes–because they want to be comfortable in the Mass and hear the kind of music THEY want to hear? Walk in the young person’s shoes for a while; they feel the same way.

The Lord used many different methods to attract people to Himself. He told stories and parables, He preached “fire and brimstone,” He went to synagogue and did the traditional readings, He healed, He went to supper, He ate, He rode in boats, He walked and talked. In the same way, we should use different methods to attract different people to Jesus and His Church.

Wow Cat… not to pick on you, but your post represents much of the “feel good” side of the conversation. You certainly mean well, but question for you, is there ANY difference between what you are espousing and any number of Protestant fellowship get-togethers?

The love-in, entertainment appraoch might temporarily appeal to some, but ultimately it is just another hollow, self-focussed celebration of community. The moment we feel like we need to compete in the fun and friendship game with the bar scene at Mass, we’ve blown it. Patches was on the money in reply 1 - catechesis that teaches teens what really goes on at Mass is the answer.

Rock music and a community celebrating itself only serves to obscure what really happens at Mass. Something incredible and unique happens there. Something that is available nowhere else. Why on earth would we water that down or obscure it with the kind of fun and frinedship activities that young people can find in numerous other places???

That said, there is a place for all of the activities you mention. These things may help to make the parish a home for these kids; a hub for their social life, a place to meet and make friends, to engage in charitable activities, etc… The Mass isn’t the time nor the place though. Remember, the OP is about bringing more young people to Mass, not “keep them coming to church.”

 

[PatienceAndLove]

That said, there is a place for all of th meet and make friends, to engage in charitable activities, etc… The Mass isn’t the time nor the place though. Remember, the OP is about bringing more young people to Mass, not “keep them coming to church.”

I agree.
How many of us have seen teens just go to LT or Youth Group, but bypass Mass?