Perceptions of Ecclesial Language among Catholic Young Adults in Rome: The Role of Religious Socialization

Abstract

Research on youth religiosity shows increasing distance from religious institutions alongside persistent forms of belief. In Catholic contexts, this gap often appears in how ecclesial language is perceived and understood. This study draws on 22 semi-structured interviews with Catholic young adults (18–30) in Rome, balanced by gender, education, and urban location. It combines sociological, sociolinguistic, and cultural-psychological perspectives, distinguishing between linguistic code (restricted vs. elaborated) and discursive register (catechetical vs. experiential), and relating these to religious socialization. Ecclesial language is frequently perceived as abstract and distant from lived experience, even among practicing Catholics. However, variation is significant: some participants translate effectively between catechetical and experiential registers, while others experience a clear disconnection. Differences are better explained by socialization trajectories and communicative repertoires than by geography or basic demographics. Perceptions of ecclesial language reflect differing capacities to mediate between institutional and experiential meanings. The findings highlight the importance of communicative translation across plural symbolic worlds.