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LIZ : When you met with Chancery staff in July after the announcement of your appointment as Coadjutor you touched on the upcoming Synod on Youth , Vocations and Discernment . What is the significance of this moment in the universal Church ?

Bishop Cantú blesses a family at Holy Name Parish in the Archdiocese of Galveston . Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of Galveston .

BISHOP CANTÚ : It ’ s not just diocesan-wide , it ’ s national and it ’ s global .

The issue of young people leaving the church has been an issue that the bishops have been aware of for at least a decade . Primarily we ’ ve been taught that young adults leave home , go off to college or move out of the house and disassociate from family , parents and from the Church . But what I heard at a conference from experts in the area just a few months ago just absolutely floored me . The average age of Catholics disassociating from the church right now is 13 . That ’ s the average age . Not the young age . So this is the reality of secularization and when you have kids that young walking away from their faith , it ’ s less seductive . It ’ s more about the family structure and more about young parents and what ’ s happening

with them or what ’ s not happening with them . It ’ s something that ’ s weighed heavily on my mind .

I think with some real energy , we need to think outside of the box about evangelization .

We can have the best programs for kids in our parishes ; however , if they go home to an environment that ’ s not supportive , we ’ re pouring water into a glass that has a hole in the bottom . We need to shift to a family type of catechesis . We need to look at different

models of thinking . It ’ s not just for any one parish or diocese . I think globally and particularly in the United States , we need to think strategically ; that ’ s what the new evangelization has called us to do with new models , new structures , new language and new zeal .

LIZ : Who or what were your early influences , both religious and non-religious growing up ?

BISHOP CANTÚ : I grew up in a large family . We did not have a lot of extended family in the city ( Houston ), most of our cousins , aunts and uncles were in Mexico . We generally got to see them about once a year . So , essentially the parish became our extended family . Sunday was a big family day in a broader way . We went to see our parish family every Sunday and we were always close with our parish priest . We invited them over to the house and it was like they were almost like part of the family . We were blessed to have several religious sisters in the parish and they were often at the house as well . They taught us to play guitar ,

sing in the choir , and were involved in youth group . They invited my parents to enroll us in Catholic school . The school community became part of our extended family as well . I would say those parish priests and religious had a really strong influence on my entire family .

Those were big influences certainly religiously and socially . A couple of my siblings became professional musicians for a while and that was an influence on my life . Sports were also a big part too . Most of my brothers played sports , it was a wonderful outlet for us as we were growing up .

I grew to love basketball but unfortunately , I stopped growing in eighth grade . I was really mad at God for a while , but then realized he had a different plan for me . I played varsity basketball at school and enjoyed sports as far as I could . I ’ m still a big fan .

I think it ’ s a good , positive outlet to some of the heavier stuff of life . Certainly a good conversation starter with people .

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