The term “young adult” is widely used to describe everyone and, simultaneously, no one at all. It has been used to describe kindergarten kids and preadolescents, teenagers, middle-aged singles, and just about anyone else who considers themselves young and an adult. So what do we mean in the Catholic Church when we say “young adult?”
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) can offer us some help. Their 2024 document on Young Adult Ministry, Listen, Teach, Send, defined young adults as “those in their late teens, twenties, and thirties in college and in the working world.” This can include those who are single, married, divorced, or widowed; and with or without children. The bishops were quick to note that “more significant than age, the young adult years are best described through the various developmental tasks undertaken” and that the term “young adult” has various meanings in different cultural traditions. It is the bishops’ definition above that should help you settle any argument from here on out.
You might be a young adult yourself or you might know young adults — perhaps a son or daughter, niece or nephew, grandchildren, or people you know from work or church – but don’t skip this section! Even though you think you might have a good idea of who young adults are, it’s good to remember that your own experience may not encompass the entire spectrum of this diverse demographic.
Being a young adult means navigating the tumultuous years beyond high school graduation and emerging into the adult landscape all in the context of a tumultuous world. There’s a whole lot of transition, mobility, and movement happening at once and very fast. Jobs change, relationships come and go, money ebbs and flows. A young adult doesn’t often stay in one place for too long – sometimes by choice, sometimes not.
For many young adults there are very few opportunities for quiet reflection and critical discernment. Not many have had time to consider their life or their faith. One of the defining characteristics of young adults is their increased stress, fatigue, and depression without much time to attend organized activities and events. Many are far from feeling stable. Often, they feel they are not treated as adults by their bosses, their families, or their churches.
At the time of writing this, the young adult range includes two generations: Millennials (1980-1995) and Gen Z (1996-2010), though even this will soon be changing as most Millennials will not be considered “young adults” soon and Gen Alpha (2010-2025) will be young adults before we realize it. While Millennials and Gen Z have many surface level similarities, these generations are also wildly different and have different experiences of career, lifestyle, education, church experiences, ethnicity, and culture. Authors, sociologists, and church leaders have also categorized young adults’ approach to religion and spirituality. This diversity (whether spiritual, cultural, or lifestyle) is a challenge. Avoid a one-size-fits-all mentality when it comes to programming and outreach for young adults and keep in mind that not all young adults from ages 18 to 39 will respond to the same kinds of events and language. This has always been the case, but because of the increased diversity among the young adults of the 21st century, it is only growing more amplified.
So take time to learn the various cultural and generational nuances in your area so that you can minister effectively. But, believe it or not, there is actually an upside to all this complexity: the diversity means that there is a bigger pool of young adults out there than you might have ever realized. If all the registered or active young adults in the parish look eerily similar to one another, it might be a sign that you need to expand your outreach to include a more diverse demographic.
University of Notre Dame sociologist Christian Smith asked the question, “What happens to the religious and spiritual lives of American 18 to 23 year-olds look like and why?” in his book Young Catholic America (Oxford, 2014). He offers the following subsets of the religious practice of emerging adults:
The reality is, for the most part, young adults are not in church. One recent study by the Pew Research Center indicated that 28% of all American adults have no religious affiliation whatsoever.The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University found that in 2020 only 13% of young adults who call themselves “Catholic” come to Mass on a weekly basis. This means around 87% of self-identified Catholic young adults are not coming to Mass this or any weekend.
Unfortunately, many young adult ministry efforts are aimed at the 13% who come instead of connecting with the 87% who don’t. Very few consider the growing group of young adults who claim no religion at all.
Sometimes, these young adults do step into our churches – but not for long. We see these men and women visit for Christmas, Easter, and Ash Wednesday, as well as their friends’ and family members’ weddings, baptisms, and funerals. Communities that pay attention to these occasions as moments of welcome and opportunities for making a connection often find these young adults open to an invitation to return. Overall though, we see that the vast majority of our potential audience is somewhere other than our pews on Sunday – and we need to go there.
It’s the primary way to connect for many young adults with friends and build lasting relationships (including marriage) – and the most trusted place to learn new things and spend all their time. However, many young adults are also seeking in-person events, feeling they are too online and not really connected to others.
Young adults are overworked, overwhelmed, and overcommitted, so chances are, on Sunday mornings, they are either working overtime, studying, or taking a much-needed rest.
Surprisingly, even though young adults are going to church less often, studies show that many do strive for a spiritual life – through personal prayer, meditation and exercise, among other spiritual disciplines. According to the same CARA survey from above, at least 34% of young adult Catholics “report regular participation in groups that practice their faith, provide service, or evangelize others,” says Gaunt in “Faith and Spiritual Life of Young Adult Catholics in a Rising Hispanic Church.”
Recognize the diversity of these groups of young adults and find yourself in these groups. If you’re starting Young Adult Ministry from scratch, do what you enjoy but don’t forget the other categories of young adults who are potential parts of your ministry. Check other Young Adult Ministry in a Box Essentials for helpful tips and details on starting your own Young Adult Ministry.
