Late last year, I spent an evening at The Catholic Worker House, 55 East Third St. in Manhattan. I usually invite myself over to The Worker once a year to give a lecture. Whenever I go, I hope that I will have something to say that interests the 50 or 60 people who might attend.
On my most recent visit, I discussed my book on Pope Francis’ spirituality. As usual, I received more from being at The Worker than I gave. The people at the house are marvelous and the movement is motivated by love of God and neighbor. I believe that Dorothy Day, who founded The Catholic Worker with Peter Maurin, is a saint even though she has not yet been formally canonized.
What was different about this particular evening was the presence of about seven or eight college students. One young lady I spoke with was a student at Fordham University and a theology major. I asked her whether she had one of my favorite American Catholic theologians, Sister Elizabeth Johnson, C.S.J. The young lady’s face lit up and she said what I expected, that Sister Elizabeth is a wonderful teacher.
During my presentation, I made reference to what I think of as a very serious problem, namely that large numbers of Catholics, those perhaps from college-age to their mid-30s, seem to have stopped attending Sunday liturgies. Many seem to have left the Church and either no longer believe in God or are at least indifferent to religion.
After my talk, one of the college students stood during the question-and-answer period and said something to this effect: “I don’t believe in God or in the supernatural. I don’t believe in anything beyond the grave. I don’t think about questions dealing with religion and I don’t miss not having religion as part of my life.”
Giving up on Religion
It took courage for him to make such a statement in that setting. I wish that I had a chance to speak with the young man. I would have asked him what he thought was important in life, what excited him and what he believed about Jesus. His answers might have helped me understand him and others his age who seem to have given up on Catholicism, and perhaps on any religion.
One of the most enlightening and provocative, though discouraging pieces of writing on this topic is a book review by Thomas Baker in the Oct. 24, 2014 issue of Commonweal. Baker reviews the book “Young Catholic America: Emerging Adults In, Out of, and Gone from the Church” (Oxford University Press, pp. 326, $29.95) written by Christian Smith, Kyle Longest, Jonathan Hill and Karl Christofferson.
Reporting on the current status of 18 to 23 year olds, Baker writes the following:
“Only 7 percent of these young adults who might have turned out Catholic can be called ‘practicing’ Catholics – if ‘practicing’ is tightly defined as attending Mass weekly, saying that faith is extremely or very important, and praying at least a few times a week. About 27 percent are at the other end of the spectrum, classified as ‘disengaged’ meaning that they never attend Mass and feel religion is unimportant. In between these two poles is a complex landscape of the marginally attached – perhaps willing to identify themselves as Catholic, attending Mass sporadically at best, and in general living life with their Catholic identity as a more dormant, if not entirely irrelevant, force.” (pp. 32-33)
The lack of interest in Catholicism among young Catholics is an extremely important problem. Quite honestly, I don’t understand what has happened and I don’t know whether anyone does. My most recent trip to The Catholic Worker has raised all sorts of questions and I am searching for answers.
Father Robert Lauder, philosophy professor at St. John’s University, Jamaica, is the author of “Pope Francis’ Spirituality and Our Story”
Dear Father Lauder,
Recently I saw your opinion piece in The Tablet entitled Practicing to Disengaged: Young Catholics and the Church. I admit that I rarely read this publication, and usually it is tossed in the trash as soon as it gets to my mailbox. This time, however, I happened to be in the vestibule of my parish church when this article caught my attention. I had retreated to the back of church because I was bored during a blessing for new Catechumens – talk about disengaged! As a young Catholic myself, at 24 years of age, this title immediately piqued my interest.
Although I am only one person who cannot speak for all other youth, I can still give you my reasons for being disengaged. Hopefully this will help you on the search for answers referenced at the conclusion of your article.
The Mass causes a great deal of my recent apathy. I believe in God, and I believe in His only-begotten Son, Christ Jesus. What I cannot believe, however, is that He is pleased with what goes on inside churches in the Diocese of Brooklyn, and around the world. I can’t help the feeling that we are being more disrespectful than we realize. For a people that believe in the Presence of God in the Tabernacle and on the altar, we sure do not act like it. There are many reasons that I say this. Here are some:
1. Almost nobody genuflects to the Tabernacle during the Mass. The priests even usually settle for a nod of the head – something I may do to a stranger on the street.
2. We shake hands and say hello while Jesus’ Body and Blood are on the Altar. Everyone seems to forget He is there.
3. We frequently clap for people and do things more appropriate to a Broadway show, not worship. Is the Mass for our entertainment and gratification, or for rendering to God the praise that is due to Him?
4. Priests often crack jokes and actively try to make the congregation laugh (see #3). I can find better entertainment for free elsewhere – but entertainment is not what I am looking for.
5. The music makes me feel one of two ways: a) like I am in a bad ‘60s movie or b) like I am at a Restaurant … Instead of like I am in Church and should be praying.
6. At least once a year a video screen is pulled out on the altar at some point during Mass. Why is this okay? Again see comments in #3.
7. There is constant noise and talking, leaving no time for prayer. I’ve tried praying after Communion, only to be interrupted with “Please join us in singing hymn 307 in your misallette.” No time is left for silent prayer, and when Mass is ended everyone engages in mindless gossip in the pews. We are lucky to get in a solitary “Thank You” to Jesus after Mass. Imagine if you went to someone’s home on a special occasion and never said a word to them while you visited. That must be how God feels when we go to Mass.
There are many more reasons that I see Mass as an occasion of great disrespect to the Almighty. All of them give me serious doubts about attending Mass.
Additionally, I do not see why it is important to be Catholic as opposed to something else. If I listen to Church leaders, I get the impression that it would be okay to change religions. Perhaps that is just what I need. Is it okay to be Lutheran? Muslim? Would God be better served if I left the Church? My search for reverence and proper worship seems to lead me away from Catholicism.
As you mention, the reason for youth apathy towards religion is very important. I believe the Church is driving away youth by being disingenuous in its teaching and worship. I don’t want to belong to a Church that disrespects God, and I certainly do not want to follow leadership that doesn’t have any backbone. Others my age may feel the same way.
Since you have taken an interest in my generation, permit me to ask if you have any advice for me. What would you do in my position? How should I change my point of view? Or perhaps should the Church leadership change their point of view? I would appreappreciate any advice you have for a disengaged young Catholic such as myself.