“People are leaving the Church. This is a true and important story, but it's not the only story.”
These are the words of Father Casey Cole, a Franciscan Friar and YouTuber who creates videos for his nearly 400,000 subscribers, where he offers his engaging and young perspective and clarifies misconceptions about the Catholic Church.
And in one of his most recent videos, Father Casey highlighted his hot take: that now is the best time in history to be a Christian. Even in the midst of a priest shortage and the decline of Christanity in the Western world, Father Casey stands firm in this view.
Father CASEY COLE
Franciscan Friar, “Breaking in the Habit” YouTuber
There are some opportunities here that maybe haven’t existed for thousands of years, where we are becoming the minority. We are living in a world that is not necessarily defined by us—and so that is sad but it’s also exciting that we get to go and evangelize. We get to meet people who have never heard the name of Jesus.
In becoming a minority as a church and watching the “culture of Christianity” dissolve in much of the West, Father Casey says that the active faithful have an undeniable strength, rigor and dedication. Pews are now filled with people who choose to be there.
Father CASEY COLE
Franciscan Friar, “Breaking in the Habit” YouTuber
When we look around our churches, we know that there are no social pressures to people to be there anymore like there were maybe 50, 200 years ago, where you went to church because you had to go to church, because that’s what everyone did. Now, when you look around the church, you know people are there because they want to be. For me it creates a more rigorous church, a more dedicated church and maybe a church that is interested in going out and making a difference.
To the young and old who are living out their faith in this age, Father Casey says to not be afraid to take risks, speak up and become a leader. He emphasizes that although the road ahead is tough, the mission is much stronger—and now is the best time to make a difference in the Church.