A Catastrophic Problem

This blog is the first of several in a series that accompany our Kickstarter campaign. Over the course of four weeks, Andrew Ministries is raising funds to begin development of a new youth ministry strategy and program - one that is specifically designated to fight and reverse the disaffiliation of Catholic youth.

We are losing 91% of our Catholic youth.

Yes, you read that correctly.

When I first read that stat, I was so surprised that I immediately thought, “that can’t be right.” I contacted the source to confirm that it was reliable. I knew things were bad, but I had no idea that they were this bad. 9 out of 10 children baptized Catholic end up leaving the Catholic faith.

This information does track with what we have been seeing now for several decades. Belief, Mass attendance, parish giving, and vocations are all in decline. In some areas of the country, parish consolidation is becoming the norm. In the United States, older generations of Catholics consistently made up about 25 - 30% of the American population. Among Generation Z, only 12% identify as Catholic. This is especially staggering if we consider the enormous Catholic Latino population in the United States who almost certainly make the Catholic youth population stronger and larger. I am not familiar with the data in places like Australia and New Zealand, but recent conversations that I have had with leaders in these areas suggest that they are seeing the same trends.

I look at the data and I say to myself, “this is unsustainable.” We are headed for a collapse.

Even anecdotally, I can look at friends within “strong Catholic circles” and tell story after story of parents who lament their children walking away from Catholicism. I had coffee with someone a couple of weeks ago who shared about the strong Catholic upraising he tried to provide for his 12 children. He was extremely grieved because 9 of them were no longer practicing.

So, what’s driving the exodus?

Understanding the Problem

Before we delve into solutions, we must grapple with the complexities of the issue. Young people leave the Church for myriad reasons, but they share a common thread: their fundamental human needs aren't met by the Catholic Church.

Consider this: millions of Catholic youth and parents have engaged with our sacraments, schools, liturgies, and parish programs, only to conclude that what they seek cannot be found here. Imagine if this were the response to encountering Jesus himself—a dissatisfaction so profound that nine out of ten walked away.

Our youth aren't encountering Christ. They're not experiencing the transformative power that comes from surrendering to Him.

Pope Francis’s Insights

The Vatican's recent Synod on Youth, which actively involved young people, led to Pope Francis's exhortation, "Christus Vivit" (Christ is Alive). In it, he critiques traditional youth ministry, acknowledging its failure to resonate with young people's concerns, needs, and issues. He says:

Youth ministry, as traditionally carried out, has been significantly affected by social and cultural changes. Young people frequently fail to find in our usual programs a response to their concerns, their needs, their problems and issues.

- Christus Vivit, 202

Presented another way, you could say that the Catholic Church is collapsing because of the familiar statement that echoes in the in sanctuaries of many half-empty churches, “We have always done it this way.”

Something has to change. Youth ministry, in the Catholic Church, needs a drastic overhaul.

First Principle - Who is God?

Over the next few weeks, Andrew Ministries will unveil our battle plan—a catalyst for change in the Church.

At its core is a fundamental truth: God is relational. It's not enough to desire a relationship between young people and God; it's essential to grasp that God's very nature is relational—a Holy Trinity of love. Transformation through God occurs within the context of relationships, mirroring our creation in God's image. Thus, for Catholic youth to engage positively, they must be immersed in relational experiences—within family, parish communities, with mentors, and peers.

You can’t teach the Catholic faith with a video curriculum. You can’t teach it with a textbook. Jesus Christ is not easily found in silly youth group games or stale pizza. Encounter with God necessitates authentic relationships. Our battle plan hinges on this principle.

Andrew Ministries is launching a Kickstarter for a brand new Youth Ministry Program - one that meets the needs of youth in today’s Church. We need to raise $25,000 in the next 30 days to begin development on this project. Click below and read about our story. Please consider being generous and sharing this project with others. Donations of all sizes ($1 - $10,000) are greatly needed and appreciated.