I am a deacon serving at a Catholic church in western NC. Over the past couple of years I have noticed an increase in young men attending our Sunday Masses.
I am in Charlotte and we have no problems at our church. Our son is a pastor at a Catholic church in the mountains and things are quite difficult up there - fortunately his church is high enough that flooding is not an issue and they never lost power. He does have some parishioners who lost everything to the flood.
I will have to keep a closer watch on the congregation. Over the years, I had read about and noticed the feminization of the Church, noted by many. I guess I noticed that this is not the case in our parish, as evidenced by the increase in the young men. Our parish is more traditionally minded and we have a reverent NO Mass. Young women do attend our parish, though I haven't noticed the differences between singles vs. engaged and married.
I am 65 years old and my wife and I attend a nondenominational church in Tallahassee, Florida. The church is currently averaging 800 adult attendees over three services each Sunday. Tallahassee is a college town—Florida State is one of three colleges/universities—and our attendees are roughly 75% college students. And of that 75%, well over half are females. This is obviously anecdotal evidence against the article, but it is my reality. Over the last couple of years the fellas have started showing up and, yes, marriages are piling up (my wife and I conduct a lot of premarital counseling sessions). I write all this as a probable outlier, but a positive one. God does not work within our conceived boxes, thank goodness.
I am a deacon serving at a Catholic church in western NC. Over the past couple of years I have noticed an increase in young men attending our Sunday Masses.
I hope your church is OK in the flooding. Where are you?
Are you seeing the pattern I mention in the post -- lots of men, lots of COUPLES (married and engaged), but few young single women.
I am in Charlotte and we have no problems at our church. Our son is a pastor at a Catholic church in the mountains and things are quite difficult up there - fortunately his church is high enough that flooding is not an issue and they never lost power. He does have some parishioners who lost everything to the flood.
I will have to keep a closer watch on the congregation. Over the years, I had read about and noticed the feminization of the Church, noted by many. I guess I noticed that this is not the case in our parish, as evidenced by the increase in the young men. Our parish is more traditionally minded and we have a reverent NO Mass. Young women do attend our parish, though I haven't noticed the differences between singles vs. engaged and married.
I am 65 years old and my wife and I attend a nondenominational church in Tallahassee, Florida. The church is currently averaging 800 adult attendees over three services each Sunday. Tallahassee is a college town—Florida State is one of three colleges/universities—and our attendees are roughly 75% college students. And of that 75%, well over half are females. This is obviously anecdotal evidence against the article, but it is my reality. Over the last couple of years the fellas have started showing up and, yes, marriages are piling up (my wife and I conduct a lot of premarital counseling sessions). I write all this as a probable outlier, but a positive one. God does not work within our conceived boxes, thank goodness.
Thanks for your input. I appreciate the content.