Why are these young Canadians catholic?

Abstract

Over the centuries the island of Newfoundland has been regarded as a bastion of Catholicism in English North America. Despite its rich Catholic history, there are evident signs of apostasy among the local population. Many studies regarding the rise of the “nones”, or the religiously unaffiliated, and the reasons why Catholic young adults abandon the faith have been carried out worldwide, but there is little research focusing on the reasons why young adults living in Newfoundland remain Catholic. This study intended to add insights to the current literature on the topic. The results of this research show the importance of parental involvement, particularly that of the father, in the religious formation of their children, as well as the precedence of the community over the individual for the successful passing of the faith. The study also sheds light on the presence of an inexplicable element kindling the thirst for the transcendent in the believer’s heart which in this study is referred to as ‘God’s grace’. The religious life stories of 8 Catholic young adults living in Newfoundland before the COVID-19 pandemic were presented, compared, and contrasted. The discussion and conclusions extracted from the analysis draw implications for the future of catechetical programs of the Catholic Church at the local, diocesan, and international levels.