Conversation: Lyndon Cox, director of Catholic Youth Services

The
Catholic Weekly
Online

Sydney
18 April 2004

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Conversation: Lyndon Cox, director of Catholic Youth Services - Drawing the young back to the parish

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Conversation: Lyndon Cox, director of Catholic Youth Services - Drawing the young back to the parish

YOUTH MINISTRY: Former ‘lapsed Catholic’ Lyndon Cox issues challenge to the young

By ERIN TENNANT

The appeal of secular culture and a perceived lack of appeal in Church services are reasons the young are drifting away from the Catholic Church, says Catholic Youth Services director Lyndon Cox.

Lyndon, who deals directly with Cardinal Pell on youth matters, concedes that the Church could do more to draw young people back into parishes, but he is convinced that the faith can still offer youth “a better outlook on life and a more balanced life” than if they abandoned the Church altogether, he told The Catholic Weekly.

“Youth membership is extremely important because they are the future of the Church,” Lyndon, 28, said from the Youth Centre office at the former Presentation Sisters Convent in Clovelly, which serves as headquarters for 70 independent and parish youth groups throughout Sydney.

But between various sporting and entertainment fads aimed at hooking in youth, the Catholic Youth Centre, which boasts 10 missionary staff who work at generating youth activity in schools and parishes, faces an uphill battle.

“The world today is so attractive and there are so many different things out there for young people to be drawn into that it takes away from the Church,” says Lyndon.

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