Fr . Michael Schmitz and
Peter Burak share insights on how to evangelize Millennials during lay ministry speaker series .
GOOD NEWS for this GENERATION
Close to four hundred lay ministers , parish staff , and students arrived on November 9 to Sacred Heart Major Seminary to participate in the annual speaker series for lay ministry , In the Heart of The Church .
The enthusiastic crowd , comprising of faithful from the Archdiocese of Detroit and neighboring dioceses , turned out to hear keynote speaker Fr . Michael Schmitz , director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth and chaplain at the University of Minnesota-Duluth . Father Mike is also known for his “ digital ministry ,” which features engaging videos widely viewed online .
Father Mike ’ s talk , “ Evangelizing Millennials ,” focused on how the Catholic Church can better understand and communicate with youth born between the early-to-mid 1980s and early 2000s . “ Successfully delivering the Church ’ s message to them will require a substantially different approach than that used to reach youth just one generation earlier ,” said Father Mike .
“[ Generation X ] was marked by a certain rebellion against their parents ,” Father Mike said , adding he and other youth ministers have found exactly the opposite in Generation Y . Millennials , according to him , are now being raised by members of Generation X who have grown up to rear their children in a manner that counterpoints their own upbringing , which was often marked by a more removed , arguably less available , parenting style .
“ Generation X were latchkey kids ,” Father Mike said , referring to children who returned from school to an empty home because their parent or parents were away at work , or a child who was often left at home with little parental supervision . “ They said , ‘ we don ’ t want to be the kind of parents we had ,’ and it gave rise to a generation of helicopter parents .”
Father Mike , a Minnesotan , suggested to laughter that things may have even gone further , referring to some members of
Marco Maceri
Generation X as “ Zamboni parents ,” a reference to the ice hockey resurfacing machines that smooth out every divot and imperfection in a rink .
According to Father Mike , this condition of over-parenting combined with dramatic shifts in culture have produced a Millennial generation rife with contradiction ; racked with fear and despair but anxious to make a positive difference in their world ; transfixed by smartphones and tablets but also bound to family and friends ; ill-equipped to make or even identify moral choices but embracing the idea of a loving God .
Despite their conflicted nature and polls suggesting a dim view of religion , Father Mike said there is hope yet to evangelize Millennials , as well as great need .
“ We have so much in the Catholic Church that can address this culture , as long as we ’ re not bought into the idea that we have to be the culture or imitate the culture ,” Father Mike said , adding that the Church can offer freedom and joy where Millennials are stressed and afraid .
“ There ’ s so much Good News for this generation ; for this Church to step in and be more . Because we need to be more ,” said Father Mike .
Following his keynote speech , Father Mike was joined by Peter Burak for an enlivening Q & A session . Peter , a Sacred Heart graduate with a master ’ s degree in theology , is the director of i . d . 9:16 , a ministry seeking to establish communities of missionary disciples and provide opportunities for young adults in their twenties and thirties to encounter Jesus Christ , hear his call , and decide to follow him .
Father Mike and Peter discussed various ways ministers can make meaningful contact with a generation of “ young people who don ’ t even know they ’ re hungry for God ,” as Peter called them .
At the end of the day ’ s events , Dr . Matthew Gerlach , dean of the Institute for Lay Ministry and director of online programs , invited attendees to learn more about Sacred Heart Major Seminary opportunities for lay ministry formation .
Marco Maceri is a freelance writer and editor based in Grosse Pointe , Michigan .
24 Sacred Heart Major Seminary | Mosaic | Spring 2018