A fragmentação da identidade religiosa dos jovens portugueses

There is a widespread idea that young people are less and less connected to religion. The reasons are related to the growing secularization of society, the loss of religious identity and the credibility and influence of religious institutions, the increase in materialist tendencies and immanentism. The use of interviews with young people and pastoral workers confirms the perception that the connection of young people to the Church has been declining, although, of course, the motives presented by young people and pastoral workers are different. Although this connection is now marked by indifference, there is no contempt or any belligerence towards the religious phenomenon. There remains, without any doubt, a strong historical and cultural influence of the Catholic religion in the discourse of young people.