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Secularism is arguably the greatest threat to the established churches in the Western world. A growing number of millennials walk away from the faith of their ancestors in exchange for spiritualism.
Seeing the decay among the church among young people, two Franciscan friars are attempting to bring the message of the Catholic Church to some of the most resistant members of Generation Y — hipsters.
In February 2015, Franciscan Brother Nicholas Spano and Father Raphael Zwolenkiewicz began their mission in the hipster capital of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
According to The Catholic Register, the friars converted the Holy Family Slovak Church into the San Damiano Mission and replaced the large wooden doors with glass to show everyone that they were open for business. They’ve also become active in the local establishments including a small local radio station called “The Lot.”
“Us being here is more than a ministry of presence,” Brother Nicholas told The Catholic Register in an interview published on Sunday. “We get out of the church, wearing our habits so that it’s obvious who we are and we’re getting to know the people in the area. We’re letting them know we’re not scary or unapproachable. We’re bringing the church to the people in ways they hadn’t considered before.”
They’ve become regulars at coffeehouses, cookouts, and concerts, engaging in conversation with local millennials, and trying to show them that they’re down to earth.
“Part of our evangelization and outreach is just getting people into the church,” Brother Nicholas said in a video interview. “People have this vision that they’re going to burst into flames, that’s the number one thing I hear, I’ve never seen it happen to anybody.”
Engaging in current culture, especially among those most hostile to the message is probably the most crucial task for conservatives to win the future.