hi I’m Lucas and I use to be a Catholic but that’s just not how I wanted it to
but that’s just not how I wanted it to
but that’s just not how I wanted it to be I grew up really religious I went to
be I grew up really religious I went to
be I grew up really religious I went to church every Sunday I received the
church every Sunday I received the
church every Sunday I received the Eucharist I went to religious education
Eucharist I went to religious education
Eucharist I went to religious education programs every week for eight years
programs every week for eight years
programs every week for eight years receiving all three sacraments of
receiving all three sacraments of
receiving all three sacraments of initiation baptism Communion Christian
initiation baptism Communion Christian
initiation baptism Communion Christian confirmation I’ve done everything it
confirmation I’ve done everything it
confirmation I’ve done everything it takes to be a good Catholic but I just
takes to be a good Catholic but I just
takes to be a good Catholic but I just don’t feel like one I when I was younger
don’t feel like one I when I was younger
don’t feel like one I when I was younger I was really open to what Catholicism
I was really open to what Catholicism
I was really open to what Catholicism had to offer because it seemed like a
had to offer because it seemed like a
had to offer because it seemed like a really warm community where everyone
really warm community where everyone
really warm community where everyone connected and talked about God and it
connected and talked about God and it
connected and talked about God and it was something beautiful but I didn’t get
was something beautiful but I didn’t get
was something beautiful but I didn’t get that I wanted to feel connected to God
that I wanted to feel connected to God
that I wanted to feel connected to God and to everyone like my dad felt who was
and to everyone like my dad felt who was
and to everyone like my dad felt who was really religious and to peep and how
really religious and to peep and how
really religious and to peep and how people before him have felt but I didn’t
people before him have felt but I didn’t
people before him have felt but I didn’t feel that the church couldn’t appeal to
feel that the church couldn’t appeal to
feel that the church couldn’t appeal to me and many of the teenagers like me and
me and many of the teenagers like me and
me and many of the teenagers like me and we got lost from a psychological
we got lost from a psychological
we got lost from a psychological perspective there are three main things
perspective there are three main things
perspective there are three main things that religion offers that allows it to
that religion offers that allows it to
that religion offers that allows it to succeed those three things are hope
succeed those three things are hope
succeed those three things are hope community and engagement they work
community and engagement they work
community and engagement they work together to create a system that entices
together to create a system that entices
together to create a system that entices people to keep coming back but when I
people to keep coming back but when I
people to keep coming back but when I went to church I didn’t find hope
went to church I didn’t find hope
went to church I didn’t find hope community or entertainment all I was was
community or entertainment all I was was
community or entertainment all I was was just bored first I’d like to talk about
just bored first I’d like to talk about
just bored first I’d like to talk about hope in the past everyone feared disease
hope in the past everyone feared disease
hope in the past everyone feared disease famine death because we had no idea of
famine death because we had no idea of
famine death because we had no idea of how to prevent it so of course people
how to prevent it so of course people
how to prevent it so of course people looked to supernatural things in order
looked to supernatural things in order
looked to supernatural things in order to find ways to deal with these issues
to find ways to deal with these issues
to find ways to deal with these issues and the church filled that spot they
and the church filled that spot they
and the church filled that spot they were able to put hope into the masses
were able to put hope into the masses
were able to put hope into the masses and that created a good environment for
and that created a good environment for
and that created a good environment for people but when the Black Death hit
people but when the Black Death hit
people but when the Black Death hit Europe and priests started dying they
Europe and priests started dying they
Europe and priests started dying they found that the church couldn’t offer
found that the church couldn’t offer
found that the church couldn’t offer them that salvation they all wanted and
them that salvation they all wanted and
them that salvation they all wanted and attendance dropped and now in this day
attendance dropped and now in this day
attendance dropped and now in this day and age I looked at doctors in medicine
and age I looked at doctors in medicine
and age I looked at doctors in medicine and when I get the flu I don’t go to
and when I get the flu I don’t go to
and when I get the flu I don’t go to church I go to my local pharmacist to
church I go to my local pharmacist to
church I go to my local pharmacist to pick up some antibiotics and so I’m not
pick up some antibiotics and so I’m not
pick up some antibiotics and so I’m not getting hope in the same way that I used
getting hope in the same way that I used
getting hope in the same way that I used to and that’s an issue next there is
to and that’s an issue next there is
to and that’s an issue next there is community the church offered a sense of
community the church offered a sense of
community the church offered a sense of community and belonging to the people
community and belonging to the people
community and belonging to the people that went and it not only offered a
that went and it not only offered a
that went and it not only offered a pious holy experience it also offered a
pious holy experience it also offered a
pious holy experience it also offered a social gathering for the townspeople
social gathering for the townspeople
social gathering for the townspeople where they could come together and talk
where they could come together and talk
where they could come together and talk about like ideas what happened that week
about like ideas what happened that week
about like ideas what happened that week and it was a good way to break up day to
and it was a good way to break up day to
and it was a good way to break up day to day life
day life
day life but I went to church all that happened
but I went to church all that happened
but I went to church all that happened was us sitting there and once it ended
was us sitting there and once it ended
was us sitting there and once it ended everyone bustle doubt and left as soon
everyone bustle doubt and left as soon
everyone bustle doubt and left as soon as possible of course there were still
as possible of course there were still
as possible of course there were still old men and old women that went to the
old men and old women that went to the
old men and old women that went to the diner and talked after church but kids
diner and talked after church but kids
diner and talked after church but kids in my generation kids like me we’re just
in my generation kids like me we’re just
in my generation kids like me we’re just as antsy to leave as I was I no longer
as antsy to leave as I was I no longer
as antsy to leave as I was I no longer found that sense of community in church
found that sense of community in church
found that sense of community in church because I had found it with my friends
because I had found it with my friends
because I had found it with my friends at school my online communities and
at school my online communities and
at school my online communities and things like that next and most
things like that next and most
things like that next and most importantly there is engagement it is
importantly there is engagement it is
importantly there is engagement it is crucial that the church engages its
crucial that the church engages its
crucial that the church engages its audience and is able to spread their
audience and is able to spread their
audience and is able to spread their message in a successful manner and it
message in a successful manner and it
message in a successful manner and it had done that through when music wasn’t
had done that through when music wasn’t
had done that through when music wasn’t accessible people went to church to
accessible people went to church to
accessible people went to church to listen to music they heard biblical
listen to music they heard biblical
listen to music they heard biblical stories and visions of hell that were
stories and visions of hell that were
stories and visions of hell that were both scary and enticing but when I went
both scary and enticing but when I went
both scary and enticing but when I went to church
to church
to church all that happened was me again being
all that happened was me again being
all that happened was me again being bored I was unable to be engaged and to
bored I was unable to be engaged and to
bored I was unable to be engaged and to be honest the most engaging thing that
be honest the most engaging thing that
be honest the most engaging thing that happened was when the priest said the
happened was when the priest said the
happened was when the priest said the mass is ended you may now go in peace
mass is ended you may now go in peace
mass is ended you may now go in peace so how do we feel this engagement and
so how do we feel this engagement and
so how do we feel this engagement and the church isn’t connecting to us the
the church isn’t connecting to us the
the church isn’t connecting to us the way it used to even though I hate to
way it used to even though I hate to
way it used to even though I hate to admit it my generation just doesn’t have
admit it my generation just doesn’t have
admit it my generation just doesn’t have the same attention span as those past
the same attention span as those past
the same attention span as those past did so we found ways to say
did so we found ways to say
did so we found ways to say hyperstimulated all the time with cell
hyperstimulated all the time with cell
hyperstimulated all the time with cell phones TV while you ink dinner while
phones TV while you ink dinner while
phones TV while you ink dinner while thinking about all the drama that
thinking about all the drama that
thinking about all the drama that happened that day creates so much
happened that day creates so much
happened that day creates so much traffic in a kid’s brain that sitting
traffic in a kid’s brain that sitting
traffic in a kid’s brain that sitting down for church and being silent and
down for church and being silent and
down for church and being silent and disconnected for an hour and a half
disconnected for an hour and a half
disconnected for an hour and a half becomes excruciating so how are we going
becomes excruciating so how are we going
becomes excruciating so how are we going to make kids connected because the truth
to make kids connected because the truth
to make kids connected because the truth is many of us can’t
the only way to do this is connecting to
the only way to do this is connecting to us in a way that we can understand
us in a way that we can understand
us in a way that we can understand technology is such a big thing in our
technology is such a big thing in our
technology is such a big thing in our lives nowadays and the church isn’t
lives nowadays and the church isn’t
lives nowadays and the church isn’t tapping into that I have my phone with
tapping into that I have my phone with
tapping into that I have my phone with me tonight and I bet many of you have
me tonight and I bet many of you have
me tonight and I bet many of you have your phones with you today some of you
your phones with you today some of you
your phones with you today some of you might be on it in the audience so there
might be on it in the audience so there
might be on it in the audience so there is so much opportunity for the church to
is so much opportunity for the church to
is so much opportunity for the church to connect to us in that way but they just
connect to us in that way but they just
connect to us in that way but they just aren’t and why because they just don’t
aren’t and why because they just don’t
aren’t and why because they just don’t want to a few weeks ago might have been
want to a few weeks ago might have been
want to a few weeks ago might have been months the Pope actually said that kids
months the Pope actually said that kids
months the Pope actually said that kids should quote put down their cell phones
should quote put down their cell phones
should quote put down their cell phones and pick up their Bibles my phone is
and pick up their Bibles my phone is
and pick up their Bibles my phone is attached to my leg and whether I’m not
attached to my leg and whether I’m not
attached to my leg and whether I’m not whether I’m actually on it or not it’s
whether I’m actually on it or not it’s
whether I’m actually on it or not it’s always there and I’m not putting it down
always there and I’m not putting it down
always there and I’m not putting it down to pick up a Bible and what if the Pope
to pick up a Bible and what if the Pope
to pick up a Bible and what if the Pope ones comes and calls me am I gonna miss
ones comes and calls me am I gonna miss
ones comes and calls me am I gonna miss it because I’m reading my Bible many
it because I’m reading my Bible many
it because I’m reading my Bible many small organizations have actually tried
small organizations have actually tried
small organizations have actually tried to do this like the Protestant church
to do this like the Protestant church
to do this like the Protestant church 75% of Protestant churches actually have
75% of Protestant churches actually have
75% of Protestant churches actually have websites which seems like a good thing
websites which seems like a good thing
websites which seems like a good thing but only one half of these websites are
but only one half of these websites are
but only one half of these websites are actually using it to connect with their
actually using it to connect with their
actually using it to connect with their parishioners my church hands out a
parishioners my church hands out a
parishioners my church hands out a newsletter every Sunday
newsletter every Sunday
newsletter every Sunday that tells upcoming events when the next
that tells upcoming events when the next
that tells upcoming events when the next mass is what’s going to happen but it
mass is what’s going to happen but it
mass is what’s going to happen but it just becomes a piece of paper and when
just becomes a piece of paper and when
just becomes a piece of paper and when we get home it just gets thrown out
we get home it just gets thrown out
we get home it just gets thrown out we’re not getting that communication
we’re not getting that communication
we’re not getting that communication with the church that we should be and we
with the church that we should be and we
with the church that we should be and we don’t feel engaged anymore why not try a
don’t feel engaged anymore why not try a
don’t feel engaged anymore why not try a good website or email or other
good website or email or other
good website or email or other electronic means of communication that
electronic means of communication that
electronic means of communication that have been proven to be so successful
because the thing is if our generation
because the thing is if our generation isn’t connected to the church the morals
isn’t connected to the church the morals
isn’t connected to the church the morals that come with it
that come with it
that come with it we’re not getting and that is what’s
we’re not getting and that is what’s
we’re not getting and that is what’s important I might be a lost cause but I
important I might be a lost cause but I
important I might be a lost cause but I really want the importance of the church
really want the importance of the church
really want the importance of the church and religion itself to be passed on to
and religion itself to be passed on to
and religion itself to be passed on to our generation because we are the future
our generation because we are the future
our generation because we are the future thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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