The Hook Up Culture and the Catholic Alternative

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWt1Ttmk4Ug&feature=player_embedded

If sociologist Lisa Wade is to be believed, the “hook up” culture—an ethos of casual sex with no commitment or emotional attachment—while perceived as hegemonic and enjoying broad support, is in fact a source of much dissatisfaction to the students involved.  What she says seems to be in accord both with my long ago experience as an undergraduate, and more recently with my observations of student culture here at Trinity College.

Many students want an alternative.  Catholicism has one to offer.   This would appear to be, if you will forgive the turn of phrase, a match made in heaven.  Unfortunately, it is a match that I do not see happening.   In my opinion a key reason for this is that the Church has lost much if not all of its credibility on matters touching on human sexuality.    We are simply not listened to.  This lack of attention is not  restricted to secularists who reject everything the Church teaches.  Even within our community, large numbers of otherwise faithful Catholics simply ignore some or all of what the Church teaches.  You might object to my description of them as “faithful”, but simply dismissing them as “Cafeteria Catholics” or “Catholycs” does them and the depth and complexity of their faith lives a disservice.

While it is relevant to try to discern the reasons for this loss of credibility, I am more interested in a forward looking question:  what can we do to be heard, to present the Catholic alternative in a way that the current generation of young people will listen to and accept?  This is a pressing pastoral question, one which I have no good answer to.  My colleague Brett may have some in his recent book, but I must confess that I have not yet bought a copy.  (Sorry Brett!)

But reflecting on it, I wonder:  is it a package deal?  Must we present it as an all or nothing proposition?  Or is there a hierarchy of truths about human sexuality, and if so, what are the most fundamental ideas we should try to convince young men and women to believe?    My gut says begin with love, begin with the dignity of the human person.  But after that, I am uncertain.  Thoughts?