(RNS) — 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 U.S. dioceses, found that more than 80% are experiencing an average increase of 38% 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 are experiencing the most growth, with LA increasing its membership by 139%, followed by Chicago at 52% and New York at 36%.
Leading up to Easter, some religious and secular media outlets have considered whether the rise amounts to a Catholic revival, particularly among Gen Z, who make up a noteworthy portion of catechumens, or people converting or returning to the faith. But researchers caution that it is too early to make broad conclusions.
“I don’t know if I could call it a big revival at this point, but call back in three to five years and we’ll let you know,” said the Rev. Thomas Gaunt, executive director of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, a Georgetown University-affiliated research center that studies the Catholic Church. “It’s not clear to us whether these are isolated increases or part of a larger pattern,” he added, noting that long-term data, including studies from Pew Research Center, have shown a steady decline in Catholic participation.
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