Hardwired for Communion

Jan. 1, 2026

Young men won’t find fulfillment in digital distraction, but in a life shaped by faith, fraternity and self-gift

By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly

Jan. 1, 2026

Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly (Photo by Michael Collopy)

Last November, I participated in the inaugural Symposium on Young American Men in Washington, D.C. Convened to address the growing crisis of isolation and disconnectedness among young men, it brought together experts and scholars to discuss the reasons behind the crisis — and to offer solutions.

Polling data presented at the symposium by the research firm Cygnal was startling. Nearly 70% of Gen Z men (born between 1997 and 2012) spend one to six hours a day online, and 27% spend six hours or more — browsing, gaming or scrolling through their social media feeds. More than 44% spend between three and six hours per day on YouTube alone, and 11% spend even more time on the site than that. Internet gaming — which researchers link to increased exposure to pornography — is rampant among Gen Z. More than half play video games daily, and nearly 36% play for more than two hours a day.

The data shows that heavy digital usage has a clear link with poor levels of happiness and mental health among young men. Brad Wilcox, a professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, says the addictive nature of gaming, social media and pornography is causing men “to lose their drive and ability to socialize, learn, date, work and form a family.” He notes that many of his college-age female students lament that they have never been asked out on a date.

At their core, all men have a deep desire to be challenged with a vision of life that calls them to sacrifice for a higher purpose.

Amid the discouraging findings, there were some rays of hope. The polling showed that other behaviors correlate with positive outcomes. Young men who practice their faith, exercise regularly, have male mentors, and spend minimal time online report significantly higher levels of happiness and better mental health.

Isolation and disconnectedness are nothing new. What is new is the way today’s technologies are designed to be immersive and addictive, which makes it so easy to fall into isolating patterns. The men of Blessed Michael McGivney’s time were not drowning in internet addiction, but they were struggling with a host of other challenges: low wages, domestic hardship, alcoholism and rejection by mainstream society. These realities shaped Father McGivney’s response — and our current realities must shape our own.

The Knights of Columbus can make a real difference in the lives of young men by showing them a path to greater fulfillment and connection. Young men need to know that there is a Christian vision for their purpose and destiny. They need brother Knights to serve as mentors and friends — men who can inspire them to get offline and connect with that vision. They need to understand that they are hardwired for connection and communion — with one another and with God. And they need to know that the Church respects their inherent dignity as men and offers them a compelling vision of authentic masculinity. It’s a vision that calls them to make a gift of themselves to others — and through that sacrifice, they find authentic flourishing.

Men deserve better than a life of mediocrity spent online and without a Christian vision of their purpose. St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, canonized this past September, put it this way a century ago in a letter to a friend: “To live without Faith, without a patrimony to defend, without steady struggle for Truth, that is not living but existing.”

At their core, all men have a deep desire to be challenged with a vision of life that calls them to sacrifice for a higher purpose. And in today’s society, there is no greater challenge for any man than to fully embrace a Christian life. This is a life of real heroism. It is a life of consequence that our times demand. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Yes. And it is a life that will make all the difference — in this world and the next.

Vivat Jesus!

This Nativity scene is part of a diorama of Bethlehem made by Father Allen Kuss and Don Keller.

Hardwired for Communion

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