WORDS and PHOTOS Beth Doherty

Young people searching for a deeper experience of God will find a Mass that expresses their faith best.

Almost two years on from World Youth Day, Catholic parishes are trying to pinpoint the essential ingredients for bringing younger generations to Mass. The reality is that each person is attracted by something different.

In researching this article, I spoke to many young people about why they attend a particular church. Some I asked would drive more than 30 minutes out of their way to go to a particular parish, while others were satisfied with the knowledge that wherever they attended Mass, the Eucharist was the central aspect. Some young people said they were attracted by more traditional Masses, others fellowship, others charismatic praise and worship, and others social justice activities.

Fr Chris Ryan is a member of a relatively new group of charismatic priests called the Missionaries of God’s Love (MGLs). Fr Chris was chosen to lead the pilgrimage of the World Youth Day Cross and Icon around Australia and the Pacific in 2007 and 2008.

Accompanied by two teams of young people, Fr Chris visited parishes across the country and saw many faces of Australian Catholicism. He said young people who attend Mass are hungering for a deeper spiritual experience. They seek out the Church because of an experience in their life that has drawn them to God.

‘You become hungry for Mass when you have an encounter with or an experience of God’, says Fr Chris. ‘We encourage that and encourage people to seek that.’

Once the connection with God is made—at school, on a retreat, or at an event like World Youth Day—attending Mass is about continuing to build on that experience.

‘They go looking for something that will feed and nourish’, he says.

Fr Constantine Osuchukwu, a Canberra-Goulburn priest, says for many young people, Mass provides a place where they can get away from the busy world and listen to the gentle voice of God.

‘True prayer and encounter with God arises from listening and silence. We need to be silent but our gadgets don’t allow us—mobile phones, internet, Facebook, etc. So many young people go around with their iPods in their ears, listening to Lady GaGa.

‘We need to make time for listening to God if real prayer is to take place and Sunday Mass gives us time and space to be silent. And that is what young people yearn for’, says Fr Constantine.

Two young women who regularly attend St Benedict’s Parish in Canberra are Anna and Hannah. These two young women say that community, good people and good sermons are a big factor.

‘Also, coffees after Mass!’ says Anna, whose sister-in-law Hannah and her husband Tom have just started up a fair trade espresso coffee machine after the morning Mass.

Many comment on the ‘it’ factors that draw young people to St Benedict’s.

‘The parish priest Fr Ben Roberts is great. In fact, both our PP and our assistant priest Fr Dave Callaghan are great preachers and really try to engage with the community’, said one parishioner.

Stephen, from Canberra, was brought up Catholic, and attended his local parish youth group Antioch. While he used to enjoy the youth activities and the upbeat songs, he drives 30 minutes each week to attend St Christopher’s Cathedral. He feels that a more traditional style is appealing to him.

‘I’ve always preferred the traditional church songs. The choir and organist at the Cathedral are amazing and give that “holy vibe”.

‘The whole experience brings you closer to God’, he says.

WHAT ATTRACTS YOUNG PEOPLE TO MASS?

Fr Chris Ryan says some of the things that draw young people to Mass are:

Preaching

‘Young people find relevance when they hear a homily which touches them in some way—where they walk away and are moved or challenged by it. People are hungry to be fed.’

Music

‘People go for charismatic praise right through to quite traditional music. Just as there isn’t an identifiable subculture of music in the mainstream which appeals to everyone, music in mass is the same. One thing I will say is that music played badly will put people off.’

Other young people

‘Young people also have a need to be connected with other young people—a Mass which is already attracting young people will attract more. They need to know that they are not the only young person at Mass.’

Silence

‘I think that there’s a place for silence and quiet that draws young people, partly because there aren’t other places in our society where it is possible to be silent. It’s the one time in their week where they can be quiet and still.’
 

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