What Catholic Church in Egypt is Doing to Keep Youths Attached to the Faith

Bishop Emmanuel Bishay of the Coptic Catholic Eparchy of Luxor said the Catholic Church in Egypt is using formation programs and social opportunities to help young people remain in the faith. Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need, Bishay noted that many young Catholics leave the Church when they marry members of the Orthodox Church, who may require their spouses to follow Orthodox requirements.

To address this, the Eparchy provides catechesis to deepen religious understanding and creates ways for young Catholics to meet and build relationships with one another. While Bishay described official relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches as affectionate and positive, he identified the loss of youth through marriage as a major challenge for the Catholic minority in Egypt.