Non Attending Young People: Bridging the Gap for a More Inclusive Church

Abstract

The decline in numbers of young people in a once vibrant local parish prompted the same Church authorities to reach out to discover how it could render itself more relevant. It is the purpose of this paper to discover what matters to the young in their spiritual lives, to respond with a relevant young people provision. Semi-structured in-depth online interviews were held with six young people. The study informs the readers that young people have become disenchanted from religion despite their catholic upbringing and how young people have turned to their own ways of dealing with the current culture. The study suggests for the church to provide a safer environment, and a more modern approach for young people to learn about the faith. The study will suggest further pathways for dialogue with non-attending young people in a local parish.