Gen Z’s Church Hopping: A Modernist Distortion of Holy Mass
The EWTN News portal (February 3, 2026) reports on three Irish youths—Luke Doogue, Neil Patterson, and Stephen Patterson—who replaced the secular “12 pubs of Christmas” with visiting 12 churches for Sunday Mass, later expanding to 40. While framed as a revival of faith, the article reduces the Most Holy Sacrifice to a social activity, measuring it by worldly standards like homily length and “experience.”
Naturalism Masquerading as Piety
The youths’ endeavor is portrayed not as latria (divine worship) but as a “social challenge” to replace “pints with pews.” Doogue admits:
“This journey didn’t start with holiness; it started as an alternative to the traditional ‘12 pubs of Christmas.’”
Such language exposes the naturalistic mentality condemned by Pope St. Pius X in Pascendi Dominici Gregis (1907), where faith is subordinated to human experience. The article celebrates Mass attendance as a “hook” for Gen Z, emphasizing “breakfast debates” and “fry-ups” rather than the sanctification of souls.
The Desacralization of the Most Holy Sacrifice
The youths evaluate Mass through a utilitarian lens:
- “Perfect length” of 35–42 minutes, criticizing shorter or longer liturgies as inconvenient.
- Homilies limited to 4–6 minutes, dismissing deeper catechesis as tedious.
- “Experience” prioritized, exemplified by Bolton Abbey’s “quiet, reflective” atmosphere.
This contradicts Pope Pius XII’s warning in Mediator Dei (1947) against treating the Mass as “a mere empty ceremony.” The article omits any mention of the Mass as the unbloodied renewal of Calvary’s sacrifice, reducing it to a community event where “music” and “choirs” enhance entertainment value.
Silence on Doctrine and the Crisis of Faith
Notably absent is any reference to:
- The Real Presence in the Eucharist, the cornerstone of Catholic worship.
- The necessity of sacramental Confession and the state of grace for worthy Communion.
- The apostasy ravaging Ireland, where 78% of Catholics reject transubstantiation (2024 Ipsos poll).
Instead, the youths’ “CFO Mass-goer” (Christmas and funerals only) peers are mocked, yet the article fails to rebuke their sacrilegious indifference. This omission reflects the conciliar sect’s refusal to preach extra Ecclesiam nulla salus (no salvation outside the Church), as defined by Pope Boniface VIII (Unam Sanctam, 1302).
Modernist Clergy Enable the Scandal
The youths praise “priests who smile” and “speak plainly,” echoing Vatican II’s aggiornamento (updating), which seeks to “make the Church accessible.” Bishop Denis Nulty’s endorsement—sharing “tea and biscuits” after Mass—exemplifies the Protestantization of the hierarchy. As Pope Pius XI declared in Quas Primas (1925), Christ’s Kingship demands reverence, not casual familiarity: “The Church is incapable of effectively defending evangelical ethics if it abandons divine authority for human sentiment.”
A Symptom of Ecclesial Collapse
This trend of “church tourism” mirrors the conciliar sect’s broader errors:
- Religious indifferentism: Treating all liturgies as equally valid, ignoring the Novus Ordo Missae’s inherent deficiencies (e.g., suppressed Offertory, vernacular abuses).
- Horizontal worship: Focusing on “community” rather than adoration of God.
- Subjectivity: Judging Mass by emotional impact (“suspended from normal routine“) rather than objective rubrics.
Pope St. Pius X’s Lamentabili Sane (1907) condemned such Modernist reductions, stating: “Divine inspiration does not extend to the whole of Holy Scripture to such an extent that all and individual parts of it are protected from every error.” By extension, reducing the Mass to human preferences is heretical.
Conclusion: The Kingship of Christ Versus Human Novelty
While the youths’ abandonment of pubs is commendable, their project remains a naturalistic imitation of true devotion. Until Ireland’s hierarchy restores the Traditional Latin Mass and condemns the conciliar revolution, such initiatives will only deepen the crisis. As Pope Pius XI warned: “Unless men recognize the reign of Christ, society will crumble under the weight of its own egoism.”
Source:
Gen Z students swap ‘pints for pews’ visiting 40 churches and counting (ewtnnews.com)
Date: 03.02.2026