Maybe you’ve noticed it. Across the media landscape the story is out: increasing numbers of young adults are discovering, or rediscovering, the Catholic faith.
At St. Joseph’s Church in New York’s trendy Greenwich Village, young adults pack the pews for Sunday night Mass, The New York Times reports. The Washington Post has also picked up the phenomenon of young urbanites descending upon Catholic churches.
Catholic dioceses across the nation note an uptick in converts who received the sacraments at this year’s Easter Vigil.
The Archdiocese of Newark reports a 72 percent increase in adult conversions over three years. In the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City there was a 57 percent increase in conversions celebrated at this year’s Easter Vigil, according to the National Catholic Register. From Connecticut to California, dioceses have reported the same trend.
The Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe is part of what some are calling a renewal. The friars recently hired Christopher Rivera to create an Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry. He is determined to create a space for young people to encounter the Risen Lord, much like he did through youth programs Rivera experienced while growing up in Manhattan.
In response to a growing need for connection, collaboration, and shared formation, the Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry recently announced the launch of a new province-wide initiative: the Virtual Fraternity, a digital and relational network designed to connect those serving youth and young adults across the province.
The initiative marks a significant step forward in the province’s broader strategic vision to build a coordinated Franciscan ecosystem of discipleship, rooted in this pathway:
Encounter → Accompaniment → Formation → Mission.
The Virtual Fraternity emerges directly from recent provincial listening sessions, where friars, ministry leaders and young people consistently identified both strengths and gaps in current ministry efforts.
While ministries across the province demonstrate strong participation, authentic Franciscan identity and a deep spirit of welcome, leaders also highlighted key challenges:
- Isolation among ministry leaders
- Limited communication and collaboration across sites
- A lack of shared formation and support structures
- Duplication of efforts across ministries
“This is not about creating something new for its own sake,” said Christopher. “It is about strengthening what is already alive by connecting it through fraternity.”
The Virtual Fraternity is envisioned as a province-wide network of connection, formation and collaboration that brings together:
- Youth ministers
- Young adult ministers
- Ministry volunteers
- Secular Franciscans (OFS)
- Friars and accompanying leaders
Rooted in Franciscan spirituality, the initiative seeks to ensure that those serving youth and young adults are supported not as individuals working alone, but as a fraternity on mission together.
The Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe serve in a variety of ministries around the world, including in education, parish life, and addressing the needs of the poor. A Planned Giving donation supports these Franciscan ministries and can be part of your overall financial and estate planning. Options for giving are available via bequests, charitable trusts, life insurance policies, and retirement accounts. To learn more about how you can help the Franciscan Friars, contact Bro. Paul O’Keeffe, OFM, via email at pokeeffe@friars.us or by calling 646-278-4699.