{"id":1309,"date":"2026-05-14T13:02:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T17:02:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/?p=1309"},"modified":"2026-07-07T09:42:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T13:42:47","slug":"how-to-rescue-young-catholics-drowning-in-a-secular-culture-may-2026-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/blog\/2026\/05\/14\/how-to-rescue-young-catholics-drowning-in-a-secular-culture-may-2026-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Rescue Young Catholics Drowning in a Secular Culture: May 2026 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>In the May newsletter, Steve addresses a quiet crisis unfolding inside Catholic families \u2014 hundreds of thousands of young people leaving the Faith every year, even in devout households. Drawing on Scripture, the wisdom of Pope Benedict XVI, and a lifetime of theological study, he challenges parents and parishes to move beyond checklists and embrace a deeper, more transformative approach to faith formation \u2014 one rooted in a living, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He also announces his new book, Transforming Grace: How to Rescue Young Catholics Drowning in a Secular Culture, offering it free (through August 15, the Feast of the Assumption) to readers as a resource for families navigating an age of cultural apostasy.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>From the Desk of Steve Wood at the Family Life Center (May 2026)<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>How to Rescue Young Catholics Drowning in a Secular Culture<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This year\u2019s Easter saw an encouraging influx of young adults joining the Catholic Church. What\u2019s even more remarkable is that the largest percentage of those joining were young men.<\/p>\n<p>In this newsletter a year ago, I reported that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A large Bible publisher reports that Bible sales have surged by 30% in the past year, especially among younger demographics.<\/li>\n<li>The <em>WSJ<\/em> reports that Bible sales are booming, fueled by first-time buyers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One of my new personal prayer practices is to hold a map of the United States and then a map of the world, and to pray for the young people in these states and countries. The future of our country and our Church depends directly on the younger generation. If the trends mentioned above continue and expand, we can expect a hope-filled future. My opinion is that the assassination of Charlie Kirk and a fracturing secular culture, quite unexpectedly, set in motion a youth spiritual awakening.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, some disheartening statistics indicate that all is not well with Catholic youth. We need to be both optimistic and realistic. While thousands are entering the Church, it\u2019s estimated that between 500,000 to 1,000,000 Catholic youth and young adults are leaving every year. Between 65-80% of Catholic-raised youth stop practicing their faith by their mid-20s. <strong>Only 15%<\/strong> of those raised in Catholic families and catechized in the Church regularly attend Mass.<\/p>\n<p>No wonder that Pope Benedict XVI warned of an \u201ceducational emergency\u201d in passing on the Faith to the coming generation.<\/p>\n<p>In the Navy, sailors are required to learn how to fight shipboard fires. At sea, you can\u2019t just go outside and wait for the fire department to arrive. One day near where I was working, a fire broke out. I ran to the scene as we were all trained to do. I found a handful of my shipmates standing with a frozen stare at the growing fire. I shouted at my shipmates to get extinguishers to help put out the fire.<\/p>\n<p>The Catholic youth faith crisis and the corresponding \u201ceducational emergency\u201d are so severe that shocked silence and inaction are the reactions.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What Catholic Parents <u>Shouldn\u2019t<\/u> Do<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>One Catholic father, representing a small group of faithful Catholic parents, called me for advice. It seems that despite having a good parish, homeschooling, and following a long checklist of pious practices, a significant number of their children had abandoned the Faith. While several in their group still had children in the home, they wanted to learn what they were missing from their\u00a0 Catholic checklist.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, the dad I spoke with didn\u2019t seem to grasp that dependence on the checklist may be the prime problem.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The First Step for 21st Century\u00a0 Parents <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The first necessary step before forming a parenting or catechetical strategy is to gain a clear grasp of the cultural situation we find ourselves in.<\/p>\n<p>I believe the cultural shift over the past half-century has brought our culture to a dark low point. Our children and grandchildren are not living in the same culture we grew up in.<\/p>\n<p>Pope Benedict warned, \u201cWe are living through an apostasy from the Faith. It is as if the connection between European-American culture and Christian culture was being dissolved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you agree that we are facing a cultural apostasy, then Jesus warning should be at the forefront of the minds of parents, priests, and catechists.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cAnd because wickedness is multiplied, most men\u2019s love will grow cold.\u201d (Matthew 24:12)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Christian parenting advice often teaches about raising good kids while assuming that we are living in normal times. We are not. I repeat: we are not living in normal times.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A New Book for Rescuing Young Catholics<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019ve just completed a new book. Its purpose is to clearly and succinctly describe <u>how to raise faithful Catholics in a collapsing culture<\/u>. The title is: <strong><em>Transforming Grace: How to Rescue Young Catholics Drowning in a Secular Culture<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1310 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/book-masculine-hero-CU2l3bg4.png\" alt=\"Transforming Grace book by Steve Wood\" width=\"654\" height=\"607\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/book-masculine-hero-CU2l3bg4.png 654w, https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/05\/book-masculine-hero-CU2l3bg4-300x278.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 654px) 100vw, 654px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Many parents and priests may wonder if keeping kids Catholic is even possible in today\u2019s world. At this turning point in history, I believe it\u2019s important to remember that the Catholic Church is experienced in dealing with cultures just like ours.<\/p>\n<p>The pagan Roman Empire was transformed from the inside out by the power of the Gospel of grace. This transformation was one of the most remarkable manifestations of divine omnipotence in human history. This transforming power is available to you, your children, and your grandchildren.<\/p>\n<p>The book isn\u2019t a checklist of things for parents to do. Neither does it contain any brand-new psychological or child-raising insights. Rather, it\u2019s a compact compilation of what I\u2019ve learned through serious study of theology, the Bible, and the dynamics of the spiritual life over the past half-century. The goal is to build a strong, close, and personal relationship with Jesus. In other words, a vibrant life with Jesus Christ is the not-so-secret secret to successful Christian living in the 21st century for both youth and adults.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A Word of Caution, So You Won\u2019t Burn My New Book<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>I advocate numerous major changes to the way parents and parishes spiritually form Catholic children. Logically, if we keep doing what we are doing, then the disastrous youth hemorrhage from the Church will continue and perhaps grow even larger. <u>Therefore, if you aren\u2019t willing to have your thoughts on spiritual formation seriously challenged, then this book isn\u2019t for you<\/u>.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, if you are willing to investigate overlooked ways to keep youth from quitting the practice of the Faith, then I would really like you to have a copy.<\/p>\n<p>Here are just a few of the many things you will learn:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How parents can provide a solid faith formation in the midst of a culture going astray<\/li>\n<li>Which catechetical strategies really work and which don\u2019t<\/li>\n<li>How to pass on a living faith and avoid the danger of notional beliefs<\/li>\n<li>The overlooked key to genuine spiritual renewal<\/li>\n<li>How to encourage a personal attachment to Jesus Christ<\/li>\n<li>What is spiritual transformation, and why is it so vital<\/li>\n<li>What St. John Paul II &amp; Benedict XVI said about transforming grace<\/li>\n<li>Why a sea-change in religious formation is desperately needed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Am I Crazy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Here\u2019s my slightly insane financial publishing plan for <em>Transforming Grace: How to Rescue Young Catholics Drowning in a Secular Culture<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Through August 15<\/strong>, the Feast of the Assumption, I plan to give away my new book. That\u2019s right. We are offering the book at no charge while asking for a donation of any amount. After that, the book will be available through the usual venues.<\/p>\n<p>You might ask, \u201cWhat if someone gives only a $1 and the cost of just shipping is $5?\u201d That\u2019s fine, because someone with substantial funds may recognize that this project offers substantial hope for families and the Church and chooses to give $1,000. (We can only offer this giveaway to U.S. residents.)<\/p>\n<p>If you are receiving this letter in the mail, it means that you are, or have been, a donor to the Family Life Center. We want to express our deep appreciation for your generosity. Therefore, we don\u2019t require a donation for you to receive a copy. Just return the enclosed reply card and let us know that you\u2019d like a copy. That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How to Receive Your Copy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>By Mail: <\/strong>Simply fill out the enclosed reply card and check the box requesting your free book\u2014we\u2019ll take care of the rest. <em>(Donation optional.)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Online:<\/strong> Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/rescuingyoungcatholics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RescuingYoungCatholics.com<\/strong><\/a> to request your copy with a donation of $1 or more in support of the Family Life Center.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Questions?<\/em> We\u2019re happy to help: Contact@BibleforCatholics.com<\/p>\n<p>Yours in His Majesty\u2019s Service,<\/p>\n<p>Steve Wood<\/p>\n<p>P.S. Please pray for <em>Transforming Grace<\/em> to help parents and parishes.<\/p>\n<p>P.P.S. Friends not on this mail list can receive a giveaway copy by making a donation in any amount at <a href=\"https:\/\/rescuingyoungcatholics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RescuingYoungCatholics.com<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>P.P.P.S. <em>Transforming Grace<\/em> is also available on Amazon for those outside the U.S.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the May newsletter, Steve addresses a quiet crisis unfolding inside Catholic families \u2014 hundreds of thousands of young people leaving the Faith every year, even in devout households. Drawing on Scripture, the wisdom of Pope Benedict XVI, and a lifetime of theological study, he challenges parents and parishes to move beyond checklists and embrace [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":1311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[176],"tags":[108,181,179,178,183,180,119,184,177,182],"class_list":["post-1309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsletters","tag-catholic","tag-catholic-youth","tag-parenting","tag-parents","tag-raising-kids","tag-religious-teaching","tag-steve-wood","tag-teaching-catholic-faith","tag-transforming-grace","tag-youth"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1309"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1342,"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1309\/revisions\/1342"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bibleforcatholics.com\/faith-family\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}