The Impact of Church Closings on Catholic Adolescents - Implications for Clergy, Church Leaders, and Parents

This book demonstrates that the primary impact of church closings is not emotional distress, but rather that adolescents from closed churches will see their faith as irrelevant and unresponsive as a result of not understanding the process of church closings and not being involved in the process. The book summarizes the professional literature about contemporary Roman Catholic youth and presents interviews with adolescents from two closed parishes in the Boston, Massachusetts area. The book concludes with concrete recommendations for parish leaders, clergy, and parents about how to help adolescents who are experiencing significant changes in their local church. Although Cathoic youth were the focus of this study, clergy from churches in other denoninations that are facing potential closure will find the book helpful as well.