ABSTRACT
Studies by Dutch sociologists show a steady decline in religious organizations, opinions and behaviour. In European studies, the exceptional position of the Dutch Catholics is related to the debate between the Dutch Catholic Church and the Vatican in the 1960s. The successful emancipation of the Dutch Catholics on the social, cultural and political levels can be attributed to this strategy of unity. In Europe, church membership varies substantially from country to country, and Dutch young people occupy a prominent place, but there are striking similarities among the opinions of all young people, including the Dutch. Prayer in particular is a widespread and important individualized ritual for the young: while only 39 percent of Dutch youth state that they are members of churches, 82 percent say they pray at least sometimes. Religious involvement determines the way in which youngsters pray. Prayer has important psychological functions in the construction of identity.
