In recent years, an encouraging trend has emerged in Catholic communities across the globe: more young people are returning to – or discovering for the first time – the richness of the Catholic faith.
A rising tide of youthful engagement is unmistakable, but the Church must act to support these young people in their faith and allow them to flourish as active members of the Catholic community.
The Times cited a report in 2024 that while Britons are more likely than ever to be non-believers, a “quiet revival” in Christian faith is taking place among congregations under the age of 25.
In 2018, just 4 per cent of young adults aged 18-24 reported that they attended church monthly. As of 2024, this has risen to 16 per cent, with young men increasing from 4 per cent to 21 per cent and young women increasing from 3 per cent to 12 per cent.
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Every four years, the pope invites young people aged 18-35 to gather for an event called World Youth Day. In 2023, 1.5 million youths gathered in Lisbon, Portugal, for the final Mass, celebrated by the late Pope Francis.
As a newly qualified primary schoolteacher in my mid-20s, I am excited to be a part of this resurgence. As I write, I am preparing to travel with Bishop Fintan Gavin and 50 other young people from the Diocese of Cork and Ross to the Jubilee of Youth pilgrimage event in Rome, at the invitation of our new pope, Leo XIV.
There is a great joy and vibrancy in attending such events. Furthermore, online Catholic influencers and digital missionaries are bridging faith and tradition with modern culture in dynamic, creative ways.
However, Catholic communities appear to be functioning like social media algorithms, rewarding only those who seek them.
Once you dip your toe into the Catholic young adult community, you discover pilgrim hikes across the country, communities of prayer such as Youth 2000, day events such as CONNECT in Cork City, the recently launched Knock Youth Village, and many more. If you are not in the circle, however – in other words, if as a young adult, you haven’t actively searched for the Catholic community – these events remain hidden.
I challenge bishops, priests, religious and laity to joyfully display and share their faith in their wider community
They serve as a recharge of the “faith battery” for those who attend. I always return from these events with renewed vigour and hope for the Church.
They spark courage among attendees; courage to invite another friend to the next one or, at the very least, to discuss our experiences, prompting others to ponder their faith. This indeed is our challenge as young people, to welcome and support each other.
The Church cannot merely open the doors and hope that young people will walk in. We must go out to meet people where they are at – in schools, colleges and places of work. The Church must listen – truly listen – to the longings, questions, doubts and convictions of young people.
Blind faith is a thing of the past. In today’s world, there is so much knowledge and information at our fingertips, so the Church must be willing to be held to account, to be scrutinised and to confidently defend its core values.
Young people need to find the joy of being involved and invested in their faith communities. Inspiration can be sought from the likes of Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, who demonstrated how a joyful faith does not hinder but rather enriches the life of a young person.
Blessed Carlo – soon to be named a saint – was a 15-year-old who enjoyed soccer, video games and attending daily Mass.
Though Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati died on July 4th, 1925 – 100 years ago this year – his zest for life, socialising with friends, and commitment to helping the poor is an example we all might like to follow to this day. He is also due to be canonised later this year.
The Church should prioritise spaces where young people can wrestle with big questions.
One approach is to invite young people to join in community efforts and to support their parish through charitable organisations, such as the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul or youth clubs. We are not demanding the Church reinvent itself but that it rediscover itself: to be bold in truth, courageous in justice, radical in mercy, and uncompromising in love. We want the fullness of the Gospel, not a watered-down version.
We long for a Church that speaks with clarity on spiritual matters while also confronting issues of injustice, climate change, mental health struggles and social isolation. Again, this action must extend beyond the Church building.
I challenge bishops, priests, religious and laity to joyfully display and share their faith in their wider community.
The late Pope Francis, speaking at World Youth Day in 2023, exclaimed: “Will the mighty of the earth listen to this youthful enthusiasm that wants peace?”
The Church has a window of opportunity: to not only welcome young people, but to walk beside them, challenge them, and be challenged by them.
Sarah Ryan-Purcell is a 24-year-old primary schoolteacher from the Catholic diocese of Cork and Ross
