Parents, you are so important in whether or not your child will continue to practice their Catholic faith as emerging adults 18-23. This recent book, which delves further into the National Study of Youth and Religion by following the same teenagers they interviewed in the beginning show many indications to your importance.
- pg. 190, Certain factors appear to be nearly necessary conditions for a high level of religious faith and practice in emerging adulthood. For example, only 3% of Catholic youth who do not have at least moderately religious parents end up being highly religious as emerging adults. Necessary conditions are like keys to a door with many locks: if one door is missing one of the keys, it is impossible to unlock the door.
- pg. 198,Without highly religious parents or numerous close ties to other religious adults during the teen years, Catholic youth are likely to display very little religious faith and practice as emerging adults. Lacking bonds to religious adults is a path to low religiosity even for youth who believe that religion is very important, read the Bible, or report having had several religious experiences.