Catholic dioceses across the United States are reporting a notable increase in adults entering the church this Easter, with some reporting the largest Christian initiation classes in history.
A recent report by the Hallow app, which aggregated diocesan data from more than 140 of the 175 US dioceses, found that more than 80 percent experienced an average increase of 38 percent in people entering the church through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults compared to last year. The Archdioceses of Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago experienced the most growth, with LA increasing its membership by 139 percent, followed by Chicago at 52 percent, and New York at 36 percent.
Leading up to Easter, some religious and secular media outlets considered whether the rise amounts to a Catholic revival, particularly among Gen Z, who make up a noteworthy portion of people converting or returning to the faith. But researchers caution that it is too early to make broad conclusions.
