The generation that was supposed to leave is returning

Generation Z was raised in the most technologically advanced era in history and told that religion was dying. Yet it now appears that young people are rediscovering faith at a time when many believed it was something only their grandparents still practised.

As Easter approaches, fresh data from Ireland, alongside trends across Europe and the United States, suggests something that many of us would not have predicted only a few short years ago.

In my own parish in Ferrybank, young people remain a minority, but we see a glimpse of youth returning, some at Mass, others coming into the Church outside of Mass times to perhaps sit in silence, or to admire the undeniable beauty in there. Across the river in Waterford on Sunday evenings in the old Dominican church, there are often long queues for confession. These queues are not what you might expect. Many are young men and women in their early twenties. Something is happening – but what?

And Ireland is not alone.

In the United States, several dioceses have reported significant increases in adult conversions, with some citing rises of between 30% and 70%. In many cases, the first contact with faith is no longer through parish life but through podcasts, YouTube and TikTok.

In France, 10,384 adults and 7,400 young people were welcomed into the Church last Easter – the highest number recorded in decades. Some reports are suggesting 20,000 adults will be welcomed this Easter.

Revival

In Britain, there are reports of a ‘Quiet Revival’ seeing rising church attendance among young adults. Bible sales have reached their highest levels since records began according to NielsenIQ BookData.

Back home in what many call ‘post-Catholic’ Ireland, recent surveys and reporting have suggested a small but notable shift: Gen Z appears more open to faith than the generation before it. A recent Turning Tide report has revealed a growing interest in religion among young adults aged 16 to 29. An Amárach survey found that 18 to 24-year-olds are more likely than millennials to describe themselves as spiritual or religious and are more open to faith-related content online. While RTÉ reported a rising participation in Catholic marriage preparation courses, particularly among younger couples.

While social stigma and hostility may deter some, others still appear willing to explore questions of faith – something that would have seemed hard to believe only 10 years ago”

This does not erase years of secularisation. But it does change the narrative a bit.

All of this is occurring in a country where public expressions of Catholic identity can still invite ridicule or controversy, as the reaction to journalist Fionnán Sheahan’s participation in Ash Wednesday showed us. Not to mention the recent arson attacks on two churches in Westmeath. So, while social stigma and hostility may deter some, others still appear willing to explore questions of faith – something that would have seemed hard to believe only 10 years ago.

But why?

Young people seem to be coming searching for many reasons, such as purpose and meaning. Bishop Niall Coll has observed that in today’s fleeting and unstable world, young people want a Church that acts as a strong anchor rather than one that adapts to the world around it. Catholicism offers something modern life rarely speaks about, that is, what is good for the soul, and with that, comes transformation.

In a culture that often leaves young people feeling adrift, the Church offers structure and a path toward freedom. A freedom that helps people step back from habits and trends that pull us in every direction. It also offers something the modern world rarely does – authentic beauty. In its liturgy, its sacred spaces and in its vision of the human person and the natural world.

Access

Gen Z has grown up with unlimited access to information. Claims can be fact-checked instantly and arguments dismantled publicly. In such an environment, incoherence is quickly exposed. When articulated clearly, Catholicism presents itself as intellectually coherent – connecting suffering, freedom, responsibility and hope within a single moral vision.

Perhaps most striking is that this attraction is not only intellectual, but deeply spiritual. At the centre of the Mass lies a mystery – one that cannot be fully explained. Yet in an age where answers seem to exist for everything, many young people are drawn to precisely this mystery: “This is my body, this is my blood.” The theology, the tradition, the sacraments, the saints and the history of the Church all carry a weight that young people appear wanting to explore.

More and more digital theological communicators have brought Catholic theology and explanation into the online space, where millions encounter faith and find the difficult questions answered. Questions previous generations might not have dared to ask – about doubt, morality, identity, and suffering, are now asked openly. And what is more – these questions are encouraged.

The stability their parents once took for granted, particularly owning a home, now feels increasingly out of reach for so many young people”

Part of the answer to this new data may lie in the conditions this generation has inherited. Gen Z has come of age during a housing crisis and never-ending economic strain. The stability their parents once took for granted, particularly owning a home, now feels increasingly out of reach for so many young people. In that climate, a pull toward something grounded should not surprise us.

Easter, at its core, is a story about life emerging where death seemed certain. Whether or not someone shares the theology, the metaphor resonates. And if the data emerging across America, Europe and Ireland tells us anything this Easter, it is this: that the most technologically advanced generation to have ever existed is asking ancient questions about truth, meaning and purpose – and what’s more, it is looking to the Church for these answers.

Something is stirring. Part of it may be counter-cultural. Yet this seems less like a backlash and more like a spiritual journey of personal encounters, Scripture, online content, and in many cases, the steady witness of a believing grandmother.

Whether one shares the faith or not, this is difficult to ignore.

Gary O’ Neill is a Criminology Graduate, and was recently awarded a scholarship for an MA in Applied Spirituality. He manages a surf school in Tramore, offering faith-based retreats. He is the Aontú Rep. for Carlow-Kilkenny.