By A.M. Kelley
Catholic Herald
Teens adults attend National Catholic Youth Conference every other year
SUPERIOR -- The National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry hosted the National Catholic Youth Conference Oct. 27-30 in Atlanta. More than 16,500 teens from parishes throughout the United States showed up. That represents quite a growth spurt for the federation that began as a small athletic program for Chicago youth in the 1930s.
Catholic teens and their chaperones now gather every other year for days of prayer and celebration and workshops exploring issues ranging from forgiveness to sexuality, leadership, and the shaky place of the Catholic Church in the lives of teens.
Chris Newkirk, a chaperone and the assistant director of Religious Education and Youth Ministries at the Bishop Hammes Center in Haugen, said one workshop she attended had a powerful message for adults who work with teens in the church.
" The church is not a relevant place for teens to grow in their faith," Newkirk said.
That information came from the University of North Carolina's 2005 National Study of Youth and Religion.
Some of the study's main points are:
* Religion is important in the lives of many United States teens -- they have a "hunger for the holy."
* Teens are conventional in their religious beliefs.
* The majority accept the religion in which they are raised.
* The majority call themselves Christians.
* Mormon teens are faring best.
* Teens are most influenced by their parents when it comes to religion.
* Teens have a poor understanding of their religions.
* Many other activities and organizations come before religion in the lives of teens.
* Religious teens seen to be doing better in life than less religious teens.
The NFCYM took the results of this study and made some conclusions of its own.
"Teens are not rebelling against he church," Newkirk learned. "They're basically ignoring the church, not faith. There is a clear distinction."
The church needs to continue to invest in trained youth ministry leaders, reach out to teens and their families, and educate them in the life of the church.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NFCYM members are United States dioceses and the National Catholic Committee for Girl Scouts and Campfire.
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2005