Young adult Catholics ready for change
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Comments (7)
Young adults still feel the "call to action," the director of the church reform organization of that name writes.
By Guest Blogger Jim FitzGerald
Next August, thousands of young Catholics from around the globe will gather for the start of World Youth Day. Many older Catholics wonder how young adult Catholics will shape the future of the church.
The reality is that young adults not only still call themselves Catholic, but that they are increasingly open to changes in the church. Whether one looks at the statistics of Catholics who, for example, disagree with the church's views towards contraception, divorce or gays and lesbians, the youngest generations are most ready for change.
Research from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life shows that among Catholics aged 18-29, 72 percent believe that gays and lesbians should be accepted by society. This compares with 55 percent of Catholics 30 and older. Similar research is found by the Life Cycle Institute at the Catholic University of America, which has been tracking Catholic generational differences since in 1980s. Their research also shows that each generation of Catholics grows less willing to give sole authority to church leaders on moral teachings.
We see these statistics come alive in the growing number of young adults who are part of Call To Action 20/30. Formerly known as Call To Action's NextGeneration, these inspiring young adults see the suffering in our church that comes from exclusionary teachings and they are responding. They run faith-sharing communities in cities across the country, they blog about their beliefs, and they take leadership in campaigns for church justice. They are committing themselves to the church and to its change--and they are not looking to the church hierarchy for approval.
What I find most hopeful is that despite all the problems in the church today that could turn these young adults away, they still find meaning in being Catholic. There is still something about the faith that transcends the teachings they find troublesome. Young adults in this generation are willing to call themselves Catholic at the same time that they are ready to call their church leaders to greater accountability and change.
During preparations for World Youth Day this coming year, I will not only see youth on fire for the church, but I will also see youth on fire for change. And that gives me hope, not only for these young adults, but for the future of our church.
Guest blogger Jim FitzGerald is the executive director of Call To Action, a church reform organization based in Chicago. He works with young adults through the Call to Action 20/30 program (leadership team pictured).
Guest blog posts express the views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of U.S. Catholic, its editors, or the Claretians.
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Help Pope Benedict
By MH (not verified) on Monday, May 30, 2011I recently listened to three online audio messages addressed to Pope Benedict, part of a series of personal missives urging Pope Benedict to return to people truths that are owed them, truths about Jesus, the Secrets of Fatima and the Mary Prophecy.
These messages make the point that serving God is not the same thing as serving one’s superiors, no matter what titles they hold.
After listening to these messages you might wish to help get word to him about the same.
Help Pope Benedict do the right thing.
Here are a few excerpts from the audio messages:
"Do you want to continue the wealthy, earthly rewards oriented lifestyles of popes like your predecessor, John Paul II, who took spiritual energies from others instead of giving to others the spiritual energies of God’s Love?"
"Or would you like to begin a new era by learning how to nourish your own Angelic Light Body, Soul, mind and earthly body with the energies of God’s Unconditional Love, and be able to give these heightened energies of God’s Love to others?"
“This switch is why you confessed to a certain Austrian priest that two things weighed on your Soul. One of those events that you told the priest was about your mishandling of the Message of Fatima on June 26, 2000. You confessed to the Austrian priest that in the Fatima situation, “My hand was forced”.
"My sources inform me that you wanted to reveal both the 4 page text of the vision and the one page of Mary’s prophecy, on June 26, 2000, but that Cardinal Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State, vehemently disagreed with any thought of releasing the prophecy."
"You are offered the opportunity of revealing the truth to people, before you are executed by Rome’s Catholics, for hiding the truth and misleading them in the last days of the End Times."
The entire series of messages is available here:
http://www.merkaba.org/audio/benedict.html
Truth is bigger than the Church.
Best
- JR
Millennials Speak Up at LOST? Conference about 20-Somethings
By Gen (not verified) on Friday, February 4, 2011http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqszq6TTVQ0
Interesting feedback on the subject from some 20-somethings who were at a conference on this subject last week.
millennialcatholic.com
I love young people.
By Anonymous (not verified) on Friday, September 10, 2010I love young people. However, I think anyone who supports Call to Action must know their agenda isn't Catholic. And, any magazine promoting a similar agenda should call itself something else as well. People have choice. If you want reform, convert to another faith tradition. You will find one that meets your needs. To say you know the truth of how to reform the Roman Catholic Church is arrogant and deceptive.
Youth Wants Change etc
By Stephen (not verified) on Friday, September 10, 2010We should immediately change our doctrines because of this. We can always change them back if young people happen to feel differently about in the years to come. Certainly, the Catholic Church should aim to please as many as possible.
What better way to know how to do this than by taking polls and relying on information from the Pew Report. As for me, I determine moral truth by watching the news and reading US Catholic and such like.
Lets see... I also am in
By Prodi-gal (not verified) on Friday, September 10, 2010Lets see...
I also am in hopes for change for such young peopel that clamor against the teachings of the Church; I hope they will become Roman Catholic!
Certainly the university students that witness for PRO-LIFE are not of the ilk described in this article.
It is time for a conversion of heart! Truth does NOT change, not ever. If someone cannot accept the teachings and the truths taught by the Church, then do everyone a favor and go somewhere where you are 'comfortable' and can create a 'Christ' in your own image.
Old liberals recruiting young Catholics and quoting Pew research
By World Youth Day (not verified) on Thursday, September 9, 2010I attended World Youth Day in Toronto with a wonderful Pope and nearly a million young Catholics who were on fire with a love of God and of the Church. The ones we met and talked to were NOT in favor of the liberal/Hollywood/Sexualized agenda you are using to abuse and mislead these young people--no matter what left wing polsters try to sell.
Youth wants change in the Church
By Teach them..don't confuse them (not verified) on Thursday, September 9, 2010Let's see:
-Push for the idea that Church leaders are not the source on moral teachings.
-Accept homosexuality.
-Accept cohabitation(sex outside of marriage--scandal)
-Accept the "lifestyle choice" of out-of-wedlock births.
-Accept artificial birth control.
-Accept divorce.
At some point aren't we outside of the CATHOLIC CHURCH--no matter what we SAY we want to be called??
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