I have encapsulated myself within an illusion. The illusion was that the vast majority of the young Catholic folks (let’s go with 40 and under) of today do not understand the faith the way that they should. So, what way was that? I attended Catholic school in the 50’s and early 60’s. Yeah, yeah–I’m a died-in-the-wool senior citizen, and I have been getting coffee discounts for a long time–sorry, I digress. Anyway, my illusion has been smashed to smithereens. It is not that they don’t understand the faith; it is that they just don’t give a damn. Man–that changes everything.
Look, I read this survey on “why Catholics do not go to Mass”. Back in the early 1960’s almost 75% of Catholics attended Mass on Sunday. Today we are at 23%. Dang, that is unbelievable. What happened? Here comes the smashing of the illusion, the brick through the plate glass window, the shattering of the unthinkable. According to the survey, 62% of “Catholics” who do not go to Mass on Sunday do not go because—GET READY, because they “do not care”. I was expecting job requirements, or family responsibilities, or maybe illness, or taking care of bed-ridden relatives as a primary reason for not attending Mass. Astonishingly, these reasons were in the low twentieth percentile. “Do not care”, “It’s no big deal”, “I need my sleep”, “it is not a sin” do not simply lead the pack of reasons, they trounce the other reasons. It is like Secretariat winning the Belmont Stakes by 30 lengths over 30 years ago. No contest.
So, why don’t the young folks care? All I can come up with is, They do not know. That’s right, they do not know squat. They have not been taught squat and therefore it is not their fault. Mention the word “Incarnation” to a post- 1970 Catholic and see how many have even heard of it, no less have an answer for it, and that is the central mystery of our faith. How about the difference between an epistle and a gospel, or what is the “paten” or an alb or a chasuble. Ask why we say “The Word was made Flesh”, or what is Transubstantiation? They do not have a clue and these thing are uniquely Catholic, part of our traditions, part of who we are as a faith community. We all have our personal family traditions, especially around the holidays. Marriage combines traditions. But they are NEVER discarded or ignored or, God forbid, demeaned as “old fashioned”. We cherish them and carry them onward and forward and embrace them as OURS.
Vatican II was never a call to “purge”. It was a call to “renew”. It is time to get back to teaching tradition and embracing it. We owe it to the young folks.There are over two thousand years of it to draw from, and there is so much beauty in it, and they would love it if they could only get to know it. It would be as if they went to Ancestry.com and found a great, great, great, uncle who had been a King, and now they KNEW for a fact that He was actually a part of their family. How cool would that be for someone.
LarryPeterson
Larry is a Catholic/Christian author and blogger and posts weekly commentary. His work has appeared in such publications as Zenit from Rome, Aleteia, New Evangelists, Top Catholic Blogs, Big Pulpit, Catholic365.com and others. His first children's picture book, "Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes" was published in 2011. In 2012, his full-length novel, "The Priest and the Peaches" was released. His second novel, "The Demons of Abadon", was released in the spring of 2016. Larry’s latest novel, “Horizon Homeless” was released in ebook format in May of 2017 and the paperback followed on July 27, 2017. Larry belongs to the Catholic Writer’s Guild, The Catholic Writer’s Society, The Knights of Columbus, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He has been an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion for over twenty years bringing communion to the homebound and hospitalized. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other. His first wife died of cancer in 2003. He remarried four years later and became the primary caregiver for his wife, Martha who came down with Non-Hodgins Lymphoma in 2011. The cancer was in remission when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in October of 2014. Sadly and unexpectedly, Martha passed away on March 27, 2017. The writer says, "God has me where he needs me and I try my best to make Him proud. Larry’s blog site is http://www.slipperywillie.blogspot.com You can find more at www.larrypeterson-author.com
From my own observation and experience, yes, it’s true: They don’t care. In fact, they don’t even know that they *should* care. Neither do their parents (who gave up caring in any practical way a long time ago). You want to talk to people who care, talk to the recent converts. They get it, even if they are still kind of fuzzy on some of the details.
This just gives me great incentive to start writing.
We could debate this forever, but (as Snuffy Smith used to say in the comics) “Time’s a’wastin’!” Already thinking angle, treatment, and venue.
Rather what’s your personal witness of what’s it’s like to be a Catholic in today’s world?
Exactly, Kathryn. I have 6 adult children and one younger one. All raised “well” in the faith. Not all are practicing Catholics but they KNOW darn well where (and what) the answers are. And we continue to witness to them (not in a preachy way, but by our lifestyle).
And I also belong to an on-line Catholic Mother’s Community. We have a fair number of seasoned Catholics, but also a great many younger moms and many converts. Being there, sharing my thoughts and life, is a witness. (I’ll grant you that the young people there are LOOKING for Truth, many in the world seem not to be.) I’m not bragging, just sharing one way I am trying to do my part to witness.
But Kathryn I think asks a very important question. What are YOU doing about the problem? What is God calling YOU to do? (Have you asked Him?)
Choose God,
Kathy
The real point of this particular forum is to illuminate issues and create dialogue. This article has done that regardless of whether someone thinks it is well written or not. Then there is the “next step”. There are scores of people out there who are incensed enough that the Church has done a bad job of catecheis for the last two generations or so. It has. I credit the 70’s and the “self actualization” , everyone gets trophies genre. We are now experiencing the children raised by the people who lived the no judgement/no responsibility generation. These young un’s today firmly believe that if they perceive something is hard, boring, or inconvenient that is a perfect reason for them not to trouble themselves. The great deception when it comes to having a rich life, but I digress. Blame laying is not the answer and committing ALL 40 50 and 60 somethings to the catechetical classroom is not the answer. Rather what’s your personal witness of what’s it’s like to be a Catholic in today’s world?
The only thing really unique about Jesus was his “presence”. There was something about him that people just couldn’t get out of their heads. Do you love the Church, are you knowledgeable, do you live/express your faith publicly without hesitation? When you leave a location do people find “something” about you that they want to emulate? Do you demonstrate a quality and calm about your life that people envy? This is more potent teaching than a hundred catechetical classes. When people ask you what’s so different about your life, invite them to Mass. If they say no invite them again! Your witness to the world is constant teaching. Good Catechesis for the kids is wonderful but if they don’t see it lived out the message is moot.
Gnosticism, Secular Humanism has persisted for quite some time. The difference is that in days gone by it was answered straightforward with no sugar coating the oral and written arguments…. Against the Heresies 1 (Ancient Christian Writers)
by Irenaeus of Lyons
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/501653.Against_the_Heresies_1
P.S. Greg,
You ask, “How many more programs and events are needed? How many more programs and events to water down the Word of God?”
Exactly none are needed not of that kind but I am not and was not talking about that kind of program.
As you are keen to note how you think I make assessments of others you may like to take a page out of your own play manual as you presume overly much of my comment and template onto it your own experience. Again, the programs I refer to in my original comment are not at all about watering down God’s Word or Church teaching.
Regarding watered down programs you state, “That is not what our Catholic faith is about.” And I fully agreed and still do however you missed the point. You continue, “There is a level of intellectual dishonesty and misdirection in your comment and assesment of others.”
Not at all but good try. I have already said that what you call the liberalization of Catholicism, –what is more correctly referred to as heterodoxy as (to repeat) liberalism to politicize that which not in essence a matter of the political left or the political right– needs to be addressed that I added doing so is not the end of the story nor even the best practise is not misdirection.
Ooops, just correcting my typing errors so the final paragraph above actually makes sense 🙂
Not at all but good try. I have already said that what you call the liberalization of Catholicism, –what is more correctly referred to as heterodoxy as (to repeat) to call it liberalism is to errantly politicize that which not in essence a matter of the political left or the political right– needs to be addressed that I added doing so is not the end of the story nor even the best practise is not misdirection.
Greg,
you continue to misunderstand me.
In my reply comment I have already agreed with you that individuals within hierarchy at all levels are in part responsible for the state we are in as a Church today and should be, in some measure, held to account, yet you continue to focus on that one point. This isn’t news.
My point is that rather than simply pointing the finger at either youth of today or leadership of past and present it’s time to work toward solutions.
You offer the great Archbishop as proof of your stand. Proof isn’t needed as this is news we already know. However, as a devote of Sheen I have seen nearly all the Youtube offerings available of his various homilies and talks. I also have a set of his talks on audio on my smartphone.
That is to say, I am quite familiar with how Sheen spoke boldly both about objective Catholic teaching and about the failures of the hierarchy, religious communities and laity alike. You may want to emulate him in that not only did he do as has been noted he also fully engaged the people, including the youth of his times using (what was then very forward thinking means of) media to create touchpoints, to encourage dialogue and to build relationship.
You say, “It is the youth that will return the church…” and I agree fully, however, it’s not enough to look back and point the finger if we want to reach the youth or any age group for that matter.
Regards.
My experience teaching Confirmation preparation to 15/16 year old high school students parallels Mr. Peterson’s point in his original post. Young people, in general, don’t care about their faith, and so teaching them about it is ineffective. My view is the reason they don’t care is that their parents don’t care either. Few of the 22 kids in my class this past season attended Sunday Mass. But these same kids would often travel on weekends to other, distant cities to participate in sports, cheer or dance competitions, missing Mass and our Confirmation classes.
By far, the popular focus is on success, recognition and reward, not on faith, spirituality or salvation. Reece (above) makes a very good point that we have pinpointed the problem but have failed to offer a solution. Frankly, I don’t see a solution. Benedict XVI has predicted a smaller Catholic church in the future and I believe that we are already experiencing the shrinking process. Most of two generations of Catholics will fall away before the rebuilding begins.
Good Catholic writing can help keep the candles burning for the faithful and for the future generations to see the light and come home.
Reece: When CCD and yes even Church Leadership, Heirarchy Adopt and actively promote a New Age, Wavy-Gravy Theology they have made themselves no different than the secular world.
How many more programs and events are needed? How many more programs and events to water down the Word of God?
That is not what our Catholic faith is about. There is a level of intellectual dishonesty and misdirection in your comment and assesment of others.
To point out the root of the new age, wavy-gravy theology that has infected the church and laity is not a blame game as you call it rather calling it what it is…Post Modernism, Gnosticism.
It is the youth that will return the church…
Finally I leave you with Archbishop Fulton Sheen:
http://youtu.be/QiGRDqFeQT8
The Devil & the Diabolic
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiGRDqFeQT8&w=420&h=315%5D
Jennifer.
You may beg but you don’t differ. In fact you make precisely the point I was making, indeed using similar examples. Please read my own comment more attentively. Best regards. 🙂
Stylistically this a poorly written article but what is worse is that it raises a problem while providing no solution. Rather it seems to lay blame, whether on the young people of today or past decades of adults or perhaps both one can’t be sure. Regardless, no solution is offered.
Greg Kelly helps only in a small way in shifting the blame from the youth of today to various levels of hierarchy and ‘liberalization’. To find any solution in Kelly’s comment one must do so by inference only, i.e. the official Church hierarchy is to blame and must sharpen up. Fair enough as far as it goes.
Christian offers, “Part of the fix is for those who do know squat to get into the catechetical classroom and teach.” However, this is indeed the smaller part as those who need to “get into” the classroom are not at all likely too and shaming and blaming them isn’t a draw. They won’t be reading this article and if they did they wouldn’t be likely recognize their need as stated here.
The comments and the article appear to put the onus on the wrong group entirely.
Our parish (by which I mean your average Catholic lay person as well as any priest) is creating numerous events and programs geared for youth which are either only partly catechetical in nature or not at all but which create bridges to meet young people where their interests are while opening dialogue and communication, in short creating relationship. These and other more catechetical specific programs, including teaching Masses, move the students into the teachings of the Church.
As the Holy Father has well said, this thing we call Christianity isn’t about rules and dogma but relationship with Jesus Christ. If we want anyone to understand and believe dogma and to follow good rules and practices we must begin with relationship because Christ himself does. I would have hoped by now we were beyond the blame game.
Reece,when you write, “those who need to “get into” the classroom are not at all likely too”. I beg to differ. Our parish draws several hundred students of all ages, eager to learn about and practice their faith. Relationships are important — essential. But it can’t stop there. Good catechesis builds on the relationship by offering sound and thorough instruction. It is impossible for the young or the old to choose a reasoned and well-grounded faith, if no one will teach them the reasons for what we believe.
“They have not been taught squat…”
Yes. Part of the fix is for those who do know squat to get into the catechetical classroom and teach.
So, do you know squat?
There is in the youth today a core that is searching for their faith that means more, retains substance over Catholicism Lite. It is unfortunate but true that many are searching for the Sense of Sacredness or even an Orthodoxy as presented in Chestertonian Thought but are rebuffed by the current Church Heirarchy, structure in the U.S. Catholic Church.
Make no mistake about it that the Social Justice Agenda being pushed that sacrifices their local parish school on the alter of Urban Agenda Political Correctness does not go unnoticed either. Perhaps the adults should consider the youth just might be more aware of what is currently being committed by the powers that be that do not have their best intersest in mind.
They do not care because The Church with its loss of the Sacred and Liberalization has become that salt that has lost its flavor…