Youth, faith and future: a portrait of how Portuguese envisions the future in the light of World Youth Day 2023

Abstract

In the context of the World Youth Day, to be held in Portugal in August 2023, and following the Covid-19 pandemic, which has had a relevant impact on the way each of us lives our lives, CEPCEP has developed a study for the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference with the aim of better understanding how the current generation of young people between 14 and 30 years old live the spiritual dimension in their lives, religion and faith, and face the future. We now present this article based on the study Youth, Faith, and Future (Dias et al., 2023). Several authors agree that children and youth were particularly vulnerable during this period, as in addition to their individual situation, they were also exposed to stressors coming from their parents (Imran, 2020). The disruption of daily routines, in particular the temporary closure of schools and confinement, as well as the fear of becoming ill and the social distancing from friends and peers resulted in a decrease in the physical and psychological well-being of children and adolescents.