Tom Daggett, a member of the Young People's Choir, looks at the importance of faith from a teenage point of view.

Why do so many of my friends not attend church? Many don't even believe in God.

Is it because it's not part of the teenage 'image'?

Or is it because the church isn't doing enough to reach out to the needs of my generation?

Perhaps my friends are too hung over from the night before to crawl out of bed!

I'm not so bothered about preserving my self image.

I feel inspired by the guidance that Christianity can give to my life.

I appreciate the work of the Diocese, and feel that the Church is reaching out to all.

And I'm certainly not a stalwart drinker, as my friends would reassure you (not on a Saturday night, at least).

It's possible that these are some of the fundamental reasons that I can be bothered' to go to Church.

But they're not the only reasons. I want to reflect upon my life; escape the stresses I face on a daily basis.

I'm sure that many readers will have had the good fortune to step foot into the Cathedral, or will have at least heard about the building.

My favourite time spent in the Cathedral is on a Thursday evening, before or after choir practice, when I can be alone in the darkened space.

Life's fast moving, and this sense of stillness and quiet shows me much about the tranquillity of God.

I think it's difficult to escape a hard time as a teenager, but look to the inner door of the Cathedral and read: "This is the House of God and the Gate of Heaven".

When I walk through those doors, that's when I can really escape the stresses of achieving specific grades, arguments with parents and teachers, peer pressure, and identity formation (which, according to my A Level Psychology teacher, we all go through).

This Lent, I'd encourage any other teenagers to put their image aside; make a giant leap forward - step into God's House.

Even just for 5 minutes, that time spent alone, I've found, can give so much clarity to everyday life.

And Lent, of course, is a period of reflection; a time to step out of one's self and look back in through the window.

It's part of adolescence that we question fundamental principles, and religion and God are hot topics for scrutiny.

It's good to be able to be in an environment where I can gain a better understanding of my God by listening to the teachings of others.

Although my facial expression during a Sunday morning sermon might scream "I'm so bored, when are you going to end!?" (no offence intended to any clergy, of course), look deeper, and you will find contemplation of my self and of Christianity (in the context of the captivating sermon, I almost forgot to add!).

So, for a teenager who questions, I find that attending worship helps me to collect and focus my thoughts.

When Facebook (similar to MySpace, for those who remain in the dark) is telling me that my friends hold no religious beliefs, it's really a cue for me to ask them during this Lenten period, "why?".

And I will do. Because my thoughts about religion, I think, can do nothing but grow through widening my knowledge of the beliefs of others.

What can I conclude? That's in the title. Of course, there's the argument concerning teenagers, 'it's only a phase'.

Come 25, I'm sure many of my friends will have picked up their faith.