Is Catholicism making a quiet comeback among the very generation many assumed had walked away from faith for good? 

In this episode of Newstalk Daily, Ciara Doherty is joined by international correspondent and broadcaster Colm Flynn to explore a surprising trend: a growing number of young people - especially within Gen Z - are re-engaging with religion, spirituality, and Catholicism itself. Just last weekend, more than a million young people joined Pope Leo for a mass as part of the Jubilee of Youth. The podcast draws on a range of recent polling findings, as well as Colm’s personal reflection published in the New York Post which describes what he’s witnessing among young people from Dublin to Lagos. 

The conversation digs into whether we’re seeing a new kind of faith practice emerging - one that’s digital, deeply personal, and far removed from the traditional Irish Church of old. From prayer apps and online pilgrimages to public meetings and quiet moments of reconnection, this generation isn’t necessarily returning to pews - but they ARE asking bigger questions about meaning, morality, and belief. 

Ciara and Colm also reflect on how the Church has tried to speak to younger audiences, especially via social media. They look at the impact of Pope Leo’s early efforts to connect with youth and ask whether time has created emotional distance between Gen Z and the legacy of abuse that so deeply damaged the Church’s credibility. 

Is this the start of a revival — or just a more open, questioning, and flexible kind of faith? And is it sustainable? 

Follow Colm Flynn on X @colmflynnire to keep up with his reporting from around the world.