In a new interview with the New York Times, Fr. James Martin was asked: “The number of Gen-Z Catholics is actually increasing, right? That’s according to a recent Harvard study. [Other data shows that] young churchgoers seem to participate more deeply in the church than perhaps their older counterparts. They go to confession more. They participate in the sacraments. You minister to young Catholics. What do you think is going on?”

Here is his response:

I see different surveys saying different things. I see surveys saying what you just said, and I see surveys saying, Oh, no, that’s all overblown. But anecdotally, I experience that people in their 20s and even younger are going back to church. Someone described it to me as “post-secular,” which I like — that the secular world is just lacking for them. They want a sense of meaning. They want a sense of mystery. They want community. They want to belong. I think people have a natural desire for God in their lives. I really do. And I think for a lot of younger people, they’re finding the secular world just doesn’t do it. I think the challenge is to invite these people who might be looking primarily for an identity into a deeper relationship with Jesus and with God. That’s the key. So while you might be interested in a particular church because of the community itself, which is where we find God, there also needs to be a connection with Jesus and God. So it can’t just be me and my community. Are you helping the poor? Are you living out what Jesus says, or is it just about going to mass and ticking the boxes? People go to church to get something — to get spiritual nourishment, to get reflections on the Gospels, to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist — which is fine, but it also does need to be about giving. Are you doing the hard work of Christianity?