Gen Z Catholics pay tribute to ‘progressive’ Pope Francis

Gen Z churchgoers have shared their “solemn” tributes to Pope Francis, after new figures revealed a dramatic growth in Catholicism among young adults.

A recent survey entitled The Quiet Revival, commissioned by the Bible Society and conducted by YouGov, showed 18 to 24-year-olds are the second largest demographic of churchgoers in the UK, having risen from 4% to 16% between 2018 and 2024.

The figures also found 25 to 34-year-olds have seen an increase from 4% to 13% in church attendance during the same time period.

The data suggests Gen Z are particularly drawn to Roman Catholicism, which accounts for a significant rise in the number of Catholics in England.

James Gallagher, 25, a youth minister intern from Aberdeen in Scotland, said young people are encouraged by the community aspect that the Catholic Church brings.

Mr Gallagher, an economics graduate, had started a career in the financial services after leaving university but decided to pursue a more meaningful career closer to his faith.

“I went into financial services for a year and a half, and I had done some other things for about six months after that, just some travelling, sailing and working at another company,” Mr Gallagher told the PA news agency.

“It was enjoyable and everything but this meant more to me.

“Christians go out, they go out to tell people that Christ loves them.”

Mr Gallagher, who was raised Catholic, said he started to take his faith more seriously when he became a student at the University of Edinburgh.

“At the age of 15, I thought I am Christian, and started taking things a bit more seriously,” he said.

“It wasn’t till I went to university and got involved in the chaplaincy and met other young people my age that I really became alive.”

Mr Gallagher, who says he had considered the priesthood, also volunteered with a homeless project run by nuns while studying in Edinburgh.

“Young people are encouraged by the community aspect of the Church,” he said.

“We’ve got more people coming and there is just more of an interest in all facets.”

Mr Gallagher, who is currently working at a Catholic Retreat Centre, in Keswick in Cumbria, said the passing of Pope Francis has brought Catholicism to the forefront again.

“Pope Francis was definitely going out to the margins, helping people and so on,” he said.

“He was progressive as he tried to do things with refugees and to kind of shake up things a bit and get us out of our comfort zone.”

He said he hopes the next pope will bring more of a focus on missionary work.

Alice Bryant, a 28-year-old primary school teacher from Harrogate in North Yorkshire, who was raised Catholic, said she started to take her faith more seriously in recent years.

“I kind of fell away from the Church, as I think a lot of people do,” Ms Bryant told PA.

“Then I came back just a couple of years ago, with a firm faith, whereas before growing up, it wasn’t as firm.

“I go to mass without fail every Sunday. And then if I can during school holidays, I might go during the day as well.

“I also quite often will go on retreats to either a convent, monastery or a retreat centre.”

Ms Bryant said a lot of young people are turning to religion as they are interrogating the world around them and figuring out how they want to live.

“There’s been a resurgence in young adults coming to church,” she said.

“I’ve been quite active in trying to create and be part of a community, because I think that is really important in your faith.”

Ms Bryant said although it is a solemn moment the passing of the pope came at quite a “beautiful time” at Easter.

“It is a very sort of solemn moment. But I think it’s come at a very beautiful time having, you know, he’s just celebrated Easter, and then Easter Monday for it to happen,” she said.