From the smoky cafés of 1920s Paris to the curated feeds of Gen Z, this talk traces a century of growing alienation and the quiet ache beneath every age. We look at how today's neo-pagan culture offers counterfeit gods of sex, power, money, and self, and how events like the murder of Charlie Kirk jolted a generation into asking what is truly worth living and dying for. In the middle of this war between two altars (the pagan and Catholic), we explore why young adults are drawn to the beauty, ritual, and authority of the Catholic Church, and how we can accompany them into real transcendence, authentic community, and a life of courageous mission in Christ.

This talk was given at the Diocese of Arlington Catechist Conference on Nov. 15, 2025