We had our @StClementYAC Friendsgiving last night. 75 young adults hanging out at the parish for home cooked turkey, mashed potatoes, and more sides than we could track. We took a group photo... and then another 30 folks trickled in.

We see about 800 young adults at Mass on a given Sunday, and we count about 2,000 in our "orbit." On a weekly basis, we have 5-7 young adult events. 3 Scripture groups: men, women, co-ed. At least one service project. At least one social event. A volleyball league.

At academic conferences and at #USCCB meetings, the question is ceaselessly asked, "How do we engage young adults?"

It's really not rocket science. We welcome them unconditionally, we feed them (literally and spiritually), and we help them build meaningful relationships.

Young adults crave meaningful relationships. They intensely desire to find a community, a home. In general, they're more mobile than previous generations, less geographically rooted, more digitally isolated, more professionally consumed, more economically stressed.

One of the most common sentiments that's expressed is a form of relief. "Finally." Finally, a place where I am wanted, I am known, I am able to have deeper conversations than superficial, "How's work?" at the bar on a Friday night.

As a pastoral minister, I try to learn every single person's name and facts about them.

I say, "It's great to see you! I haven't seen you in a while!" to let them know that their presence is important and their absence is noticed—but never with a tone of judgment or criticism

We have a leadership team of 12 young adults who plan all of these events. They receive intense formation and invest heavily in the community. Then we have "the 72" (which is really a group of about 200) who participate in at least one sub-ministry per week, e.g. scripture group

In turn, "the 72" are our missionary disciples out there in the world. When I see a new face, I almost always hear, "So and so invited me!"

We inculcate this default posture of outreach, invitation, and welcome.

And, if we're being honest, all this reflects a significant commitment of time and resources. So we help young adults understand what being part of the community really entails and try to cultivate authentic stewardship, which does involve a financial commitment to the parish.

More than half of the young adults in these photos won't be in our parish in 5 or 10 years. They'll start families and move out to the 'burbs, or they'll change jobs and relocate. We see this time as extremely formative to help them flourish as lay leaders in other communities.

But those who do stick around will be integrated and accompanied into the next phase of parish life, with Clement Couples, Clement Moms/Dads, a thriving school and RE program, and ongoing adult theology/community/service opportunities.

So if you are ever in Chicago, or you know any young adults looking for a home, we would love to welcome you and invite you to experience this firsthand at @StClement. We're trying to live out Pope Francis' call to have the parish be transformative in forming missionary disciples