A Catholic Comeback? Gen Z Heads To Church

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Ahead of Easter this Sunday, Catholic dioceses across the U.S. are reporting some of their largest groups of new converts in years.

• THE NUMBERS: In Detroit, more than 1,400 people will join the Church this Easter — the highest number in over 20 years. Houston is seeing its biggest class in 15 years, while Des Moines is up more than 50% year over year.

  • All two dozen of the nearly 200 U.S. Catholic dioceses recently surveyed by the New York Times reported growth, from major cities to smaller communities.

  • The new members will be formally received during the Easter Vigil Mass, held the night before Easter.

The rise comes about a year after Pope Leo XIV became the first U.S.-born pontiff, but the numbers appear to reflect more than just homegrown pride.

A surprising group is helping drive the surge: Young adults, fueled in part by a cohort of social media influencers encouraging peers to join church communities. Others are discovering religion through podcasts. Church leaders say many are seeking connection, meaning, and community after years of isolation.

ZOOM OUT
At the same time, for every young person coming into the Catholic Church, around 12 young people left, a 2025 Pew Research Center study found. And religion in America remains in long-term decline.

Less than 50% of Americans now say religion is “very important” in their lives, according to Gallup — down from nearly 60% a decade ago and about 75% in the 1950s and 60s.

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