A surprising surge of young adults, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, is filling pews and baptismal fonts across the globe, defying decades of religious decline. According to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, the Catholic Church is witnessing a “sacred surge” as youth seek clarity and purpose in a culture increasingly marked by confusion and chaos.
Writing in the New York Post, Dolan recounted recent conversations with cardinals and priests during the election of Pope Francis XIV in Rome. All agreed: young Catholics are on the rise. Whether in Saint Peter’s Square or university groups visiting the Vatican, clergy from around the world observed more teens and twenty-somethings turning toward faith.
That trend isn’t limited to Rome. Dioceses in Fort Worth, Texas, and Lansing, Michigan, report up to 70% increases in baptisms and conversions among young adults. Worldwide, the surge is even more pronounced. Austria saw an 85% rise in adult baptisms, while Belgium, Sweden, and Canada report similar spikes.
At Texas A&M, Father Will Straten baptized 20 students this year—more than any time in the last decade. “They’re looking for something that’s authentic and real,” he said. His observations echo what priests in urban centers like Manhattan are also witnessing.
Father Raymond Maria La Grange of St. Vincent Ferrer in New York confirmed that a majority of new converts in his parish are in their 20s and 30s. They come from all walks of life—Protestants, atheists, former Catholics—and are united by a shared hunger for moral order in a society adrift.
As Father La Grange put it, “The world cannot provide them with any moral order or reasons for living.” Now, many are finding those answers in the timeless teachings of the Catholic Church.
