How to reach Millennials in the Church

Friday, Aug. 21, 2015

Earlier in the summer I presented the demographic makeup of Millennial Catholics. Here is a quick recap: They are in their 20s and 30s, more racially and ethnically diverse than any other generation, and mostly single. This month, I will explore how Millennials engage in the Catholic Church. 

Of all Millennial Catholics, only 17 percent attend Mass weekly. However, this group of young adults is passionate, active and proud of their faith. These are the young adults whom you see not only in the pews on Sunday, but also seeking out other opportunities to grow in their faith. In our own diocese, a high number of young adults attend Eucharistic Adoration services, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly and sign up for young adult retreats. 

One CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) study found that Millennials are more serious about some parts of their faith than Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. For example, this study reported that Millennials are more likely to believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist than the previous two generations. Millennial Catholics are also more inclined to sign up for service projects and volunteer in their community as an expression of their faith in Christ. These young adults embrace Pope Francis’ image of a merciful Church that is a “field hospital that heals the wounded.”

Although we have a dedicated and passionate base of young adults active in the Church, we have to ask ourselves: Where are the rest of Millennials? When I think of my peers who are not practicing any religion, I come to the conclusion that it is not important to them for many reasons: They do not feel a sense of hospitality when they come to church; they experience a disconnect on what the Gospel teaches and how church-going people behave; and instead of being asked how they would like to engage in learning more about the faith, they are told what they can do to become better Catholics. 

We must do more to welcome young adults and let them tell us how we can walk with them on their faith journey. We also have to gain their trust by doing our best to model the Gospel in how we live our lives.

We’ll be discussing youth and young adult ministry during the upcoming Diocesan Pastoral Congress. In addition to workshops in English and Spanish that explore how to minister to young Catholics, we’ll have a luncheon roundtable for those interested in sharing the faith with teens. If you’re interested in this, I hope you’ll join us on Sept. 19 at the Pastoral Congress.