Yet despite the number of enthusiastic teenagers who were willing to spend time in Brazil for a summer pilgrimage, the majority of youth in my city find it difficult to profess a commitment to the Church, let alone a belief in God. That is because for many belief is nothing but a childish hope that fails to explain the problem of evil in the world. For many more it is only a tradition passed down from one generation to the next that is incompatible with the claims of modern science. With these things in mind, it is no wonder that in our Catholic schools students are skipping Mass and demanding that the four credits of religion class no longer be mandatory.

But why exactly is it that so many young people don’t believe? I think the answer lies in the lack of attention to another question: does God exist? Often called The Inescapable Question, it is one that should not escape adequate coverage, especially in the religion classes of our Catholic schools. Unfortunately, it too often does.

Although I cannot speak for every classroom, it would seem that reflection papers and Church histories take precedence over everything else. The hard questions are ignored: can Christianity be reduced to a message of morality? Doesn’t evolution prove the Bible wrong? Why does God seem so vengeful in the Old Testament?

For this Church to thrive, and for Catholic education to be what it is called to be, the questions that surround God’s existence must be given more attention and explored to the fullest. To properly reach out to youth and tell them of the wonders of God, our ministers and our teachers should first show us He exists. Tell us how science is compatible with religion. Prove to us that the Gospels aren’t just a collection of legends that developed over time.

In this increasingly secular society, young people want reasonable and logical truths about what the Church believes. Apologetics must be brought to the forefront, and it must be done now. If the desire is to pique the interest of youth, nothing more will suffice. After all, how can anyone appreciate the saints and the sacraments as more than tedious beliefs and rituals if that person doesn’t see a God behind it all?

(Olivo, 17, is a Grade 12 student at Neil McNeil High School in Toronto.)