On this episode of Footsteps to Heaven, Terry Modica talks with Michael Snellen, the founder of the Sacred Heart Christian apostolate. Michael shares about the faith of young men in Gen Z, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on today’s active participation in the faith, and how to welcome young men in a parish. To learn more about his ministry visit: sacredheartchristiancreators.com
Video Excerpt
Terry Modica:
Do you think that your experience, that the age you were during the COVID lockdowns, then the isolation you mentioned, do you think that contributed to your interest in Catholicism?
Michael Snellen:
I started to see these lectures online. One was a talk by a monk, and I kind of just Googled around, like, what were the Catholic churches near me? I was kind of interested in visiting one. And I saw these monks — actually the monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani, where Thomas Merton went — and I saw these monks who were committing their lives to the faith.
So they weren’t like my exposure to people kind of treating religion as a social club growing up, but they were people dedicated to prayer, to the Christian faith. And so that was really attractive to me, even subconsciously. And ultimately, it was maybe a couple days after that, that I said, all right, I’m going to make the decision to become Catholic….
Terry:
Well, the ministries that you started after you became Catholic, you know, I want to hear about those ministries and, what I’ve been aware of, they’ve just been multiplying. You have such a creative mind. You’re an entrepreneur.
And you’re focusing on the faith and helping people connect in the faith. So, I mean, you just mentioned the young men are looking for community, but they’re not knowing how to find the community, but you’re offering community online.