Despite rising numbers of young people joining the Catholic Church, a Sheffield priest still believes more can be done.

With a Catholic population of 63,000 people according to The Diocese of Hallam, and a student population of over 60,000, Sheffield has to strike balance between the traditional Catholic community in the city and young people moving towards the faith.

Father Paddy Walsh, who spent 24 years at St Vincent’s mission hub before retiring to St Marie’s Cathedral said that the news of more young people joining and staying within the faith was obvious from the attendance of masses in the city centre.

Though he feels as though young people in the area are well provided for through youth work, he admitted that when it comes to attracting and keeping young people interested in the church “I think we could be doing a lot better to tell you the truth”.

A recent study suggests that Catholicism has become more and more popular throughout young people in Britain, especially amongst men aged between 18 and 34. However in Sheffield, where there is an increasingly young population and two large universities, it would appear that the realities of this are far more complex.

Father Walsh said: “There are quite a number of students and young people coming to the masses here” and that of the 800 or 900 attendees over a weekend a “Fair sprinkling of them are students”.

He also mentioned how youth work and mission hubs around the city help students to form a community and maintain their faith in a way that serves their busy and modern lives, including when they move away from home and come to university.

In terms of the Easter period, he agreed that Easter masses are usually more well attended that regular Sunday masses and that again, young people were regular attendees.

Easter, traditionally a period of Christian celebration and reflection on the death and resurrection of Christ has more recently become a modern event where families get together for a mid-term break and chocolate eggs.

However, despite members of the clergy noting this rising participation, some young people who grew up in the faith are finding it harder to resonate with the Church as they gather different life experience and separate themselves from their Catholic education.

Ciaran Eley, 22, a student at Sheffield Hallam University said that he feels that getting older made him realise that the Catholic church was no longer in alignment with his personal views.

Mr Eley was baptised Catholic and attended Catholic education until he was 18, “It was just something I accepted was part of my life, I didn’t really question it.”

“Now I say I feel completely separate from it, it doesn’t really form part of my identity anymore, not even culturally.”

He expressed how he felt young people no longer felt a connection with the church due to its stance on abortion, contraception and LGBT rights but admitted that in order to connect in this way “I honestly think they would have to contradict the doctrine itself”.

When it comes to celebrating Easter, Mr Eley said that his celebrations these days have nothing to do with the resurrection of Christ and more to do with chocolate eggs and Easter lunch with family.

Such conversations highlight the complexity of Catholicism and the barriers young people face when they reflect on the role religion plays in their lives.

Although some young people feel increasingly alienated from their faith, Sheffield does have an active youth mission at St Vincent’s and a vibrant university society membership.

Micah Walukiewicage, a student at the University of Sheffield and member of the Sheffield Catholic Society said that there had been a real push and drive over the last two years for people engaging with the Church when they come to university.

The Sheffield Catholic Society works from St Vincent’s Mission Hub and talked about how a social media presence appealed to those wishing to join the society and become involved in the events.

Mr Walukiewicage said that the tradition and unchanging nature of the church was something that students moving to University often found comfort in.

He said: “The Church nowadays is a pillar for lots of people, the landscape is changing but the Church stands on its message.”

The Mission Hub offers a masses and talks lead by the parish priest but students also prepare meals and organise trips in order to create a community feel and “Provide a home from home whilst at University.”

The Hub also reported that over the Easter and Lenten periods people were more likely to come and ask to be involved and watch a mass service, particularly on occasions such as Ash Wednesday.

Mr Walukiewicage admitted that social problems such as abortion and LGBT rights could push people away from the Church but said how members of the congregation can hold their own views yet still ultimately come under the umbrella of the Church doctrine.

He said that the Church and the hub itself aims to be a welcoming place for people to come together.

Whether or not people in Sheffield see Easter as a religious, cultural, or simply secular event, communities around the city are preparing for events around the period bringing families and people of all ages and walks of life together.