Editorial

Young Catholics: Have positive attitudes about priests,religious

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This year it seems as if news of the Catholic Church has been dominated by the sexual abuse scandals involving a very small fraction of Catholic priests.

At this point, we do not know whether these scandals have affected how today's young people view the priesthood and religious life. But a study released this year reports that today's young-adult Catholics have a very good opinion of priests and religious.

Survey of young Catholics. This study grew out of a survey conducted by sociologist Dean Hoge of the Catholic University of America. It was based on a telephone survey of 750 self-identified Catholics aged 18 to 39 and a series of focus group sessions in the Washington area and in the Midwest.

The survey reports that 78 percent of young Catholics have a positive view of the life of priests, sisters, and brothers. Ninety-three percent agreed that most religious-order members "have a genuine concern for the poor and the weak."

But the survey also revealed that young adults have little knowledge about what it takes to be a priest or religious. Only 57 percent thought a person must be Catholic to join a Catholic religious order. Those who attended Catholic schools usually were better informed.

Those who participate in Mass weekly "have a more positive image of religious life," the study said. So obviously the more they know about priests and religious, the better young people feel about them.

Need to educate. What this study points out, however, is that the Catholic Church and religious orders need to do a much better job of educating young people about church vocational opportunities. Our Catholic schools and religious education programs should teach students about church vocations. Inviting priests and religious to talk about the joys and challenges of their own vocations is one option.

Parents, too, can encourage their children to learn about church vocations and consider them as possible career choices to pursue. And if their children decide to enter a seminary or novitiate, they can offer them understanding and support.

Despite bad publicity about some priests, young Catholics today do have positive attitudes toward church vocations. It's up to all of us to provide the education and support to nurture the seeds of those vocations and help them blossom.

Mary C. Uhler, editor