catholicsphere

So, what does any of this that I’ve presented mean? Well, the Barna Group has released findings that show that 20-somethings are disengaging from Church. The report says that even though they had strong involvement in their teen years, it didn’t translate into involvement in their 20s, even in parenthood.

The Church (and not simply the Catholic Church) is really not doing the job of evangelizing people. In fact, I would say that the “seeker sensitive” ministries that have popped up over the past 7 - 10 years have created a “catch phrase Christianity” that will get people in the door and sustain them for a short while, but does not sufficiently move them to a mature faith. These get rote and boring, just as some accuse the Mass of being. Soon, these people move into their own niche of practice, struggle on their own, and eventually fall away — learning the “doctrines” that the world preaches to them daily.

The Church must find a way to distinguish the doctrines and teachings from that of the world — although this is hardly a problem as we see in the mainstream media’s reaction to various doctrinal reinforcement statements. Then, it must be made pertinent to the lives of those in the congregations, and continue to be made relevant. Sermons and/or homilies must also offer that which is reasonably challenging to the seeker, the new catechumen and the believer mature in his/her faith. Likewise must be both the offering of, and the proper level of insistence on attendance of, bible studies, community outreach and evangelization, and congregational enrichment activities. This may also include offering helps and advice on simplifying the family’s or individual’s lifestyle in order to concentrate accordingly on being able to hear, carry out, and share with others the will of God in their lives.

Church involvement is as crucial to one’s faith life as is church attendance, or the sacraments or prayer. It joins the Body to its Head, Christ Jesus, so that proper growth and discernment may be found.

Once we realize this, we should speak about this plan, and organize through our church communities — particularly with our pastors and lay leaders — events and planning which will accomplish this.

[tags]church, state, current affairs, catholic, christian[/tags]