Effects of Modernization on Youths’ Morality: A Case of Karuri Catholic Parish, Kenya

It is evident in the present times in Kenyan society moral decadence among the youth is fast becoming the norm and sadly pointing to waning of the highly desired moral values. The patterns of behavior among the youth reveal morality level is at an all-time low; long regarded as a consequent factor of modernization. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the effect of modernization on moral values taught to young people in Kar?ri Catholic Parish. To achieve this, the study engages qualitative research and employs questionnaires, interviews, focused group discussions and review of prior literature to gather the relevant data. A sample of 115 respondents were selected comprising two elders, three priests and two family experts selected purposively and 40 mothers, 36 fathers and 34 youths selected using the snow balling sampling method. The findings confirm that modernization, through mediums such as social media and urbanization have provided new opportunities and structures which negatively influence the inculcating of moral values into young people, and as such society has lost most of its rich cultural ideals which characterized the Ag?k?y? youth in the past. Despite most youth generally appreciating the importance values have in their lives, a number hold the notion some moral values which in earlier periods gave meaning to human life are less important. The study establishes an urgent need to fill the gap created by the changed structures of inculcating values for the purpose of healing the shaky family foundation aggravated by youths’ failure to fully understand the principles of being morally right and calls for the work of redeeming the lost youth to intensify.