One of the other new places I am writing for is Loyola Press’ DRE Connect, a site that connects ministers in faith formation across the country.  The first article they invited me to write was on “Moments of Return for Young Adults in the Catholic Church”.

Talking with other faith formation ministers about young adults (defined by the bishops as ages 18–39), I often hear these comments: They are just not at our parish. I never see young adults. They never show up. As both a young adult myself and as a person who ministers to and with young adults, I could not disagree more with these comments. I know young adults are showing up in our parishes. The question is: Are we aware of the moments of return for young adults in the Catholic Church?

What do I mean by a “moment of return?” This is a moment when we, as faith formation leaders, are given a golden opportunity to be not only in front of young adults, but also to acknowledge their presence within our parishes, to listen to their stories, to invite them to participate, and to share information with them.

To read the rest….

If you are in ministry, I invite you to connect with other men and women in faith formation at DREConnect.  To all of us, I invite us to embrace and celebrate the moments of return for young adults!

Becky Eldredge

Becky is an Ignatian-trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and writer. She is the author of the Busy Lives and Restless Souls (March 2017, Loyola Press) and The Inner Chapel (April 2020, Loyola Press). She helps others create space to connect faith and everyday life through facilitating retreats and days of reflection, through writing, and through spiritual direction. With nearly twenty years of ministry experience within the Catholic Church, Becky seeks to help others discover God at work in the every day moments of people’s lives by utilizing St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises and the many gifts that our Catholic faith and Ignatian Spirituality provide.