Connections

Some have charged that young adult Catholics (Millennials) do not look as “Catholic” as their predecessors. Using various traditional measures of Catholicity, including Mass attendance, attitudes about the sacraments and the Mass, and others, the future of the church as we know it looks bleak. However, I argue that the issue here is not that young adults are “bad Catholics.” Rather, researchers and church leaders are using “bad measures”; that is, definitions of what it means to be Catholic that are less salient to this generation. Looking at other indicators, including receiving the sacraments, cultural Catholic indicators, and others, Millennials are “just as Catholic” as other generations.

The result is an exciting time in the church. Increasing connectivity, coupled with openness to the church, opens the door for more engagement with younger Catholics. They are listening; the question, then, is ‘are we communicating the timeless and beautiful message of the church in a way that is salient to them?’