Mine is “university parish.” I get to know a lot of bright, young, eager, thoughtful, and committed young Xtians. I’m tearing up as I think of them. Many are so committed that they have joined orders (lay Dominicans like me) or groups like “Communion and Liberation “ or Opus Dei. They are purposeful in their prayer and disciplined in their studies — while they get their degrees and start their families.
I have had the honor of “forming “ (training) nine inquirers to the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). Home -schoolers, physicians, people wth great gifts who eagerly seek a deeper commitmeht to Xt and his Gospel.
These are hard times for Xtians. But it is in hard times that our God shows his power and sets hearts on fire.
But sadly the preaching i have known, with few and somewhat exceptions, is one that presumes regeneration by proxy faith, and then fosters confident reliance in the church and one's merit to save, some mercy being expected, no matter how nominal, and never having coming to Christ as a damned culpable sinner and destitute of any means of rescue, and thus casting all their faith in the risen Lord Jesus to save them by His sinless shed blood, and so follow Him.
And false hope is not restricted to Catholicism but i see more to support it.