London, England, Mar 22, 2018 / 02:01 am
Young Catholics in Europe live in a culture where religious affiliation, church attendance, and regular prayer are generally at low levels, according to a sociological study of their demographic across most of the continent.
"Twenty-three percent of French young adults identify as Catholic, compared to only ten percent in the U.K.," said the report, which classifies 16- to 29-year-olds as young adults.
"Notably, however, in both France and the U.K. Catholicism is the dominant Christian identity," the report continued. "Both countries have a significant minority – around one in every ten 16-29 year-olds – of members of non-Christian religions, with Islam being the largest contributor. Yet overall, 'no religion' is the default identity of French and British young adults alike, accounting for around two-thirds of each."
Catholics have a few strongholds in the young adult demographic: they make up 82 percent of young Poles, 71 percent of young Lithuanians, 55 percent of young Slovenians, and 54 percent of young Irish.
The report, "European Young Adults and Religion", primarily aims to inform the Synod of Bishops, which in October will hold a general assembly on the theme "Young People, the Faith and the Discernment of Vocation."