Record 85 people at Harvard enter Catholic Church, chaplain says ‘God is clearly at work’

A record 85 people entered the Catholic Church this spring through the Harvard Catholic Center at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, including 45 Harvard students, faculty members, and other university affiliates, The National News Desk reported Aug. 25.

Father Nathaniel Sanders, Harvard’s undergraduate chaplain, said those entering the Church included former evangelical Protestants, young adults raised in culturally Catholic homes, and others without a church background, according to the outlet.

In an Aug. 28 statement to Zeale News, Father Sanders said the record is part of a years-long growing interest in the Catholic faith on Harvard’s campus.

“We have seen tremendous growth in the number of people interested in becoming Catholic or finishing their Sacramental initiation,” he told Zeale News. “While the past year was double our previous class, there has been a steady increase over the past 10 years.”

Father Sanders ultimately credited the growth to God’s providence.

“God is clearly at work in numerous souls. We are grateful to help bring people to know Christ and his Church,” he told Zeale News. “I don't think there is anything particular about Harvard or the Harvard Catholic Center, it is just the grace of God.”

The record continues growth documented in 2025, when Father Sanders reported more than 75 people in OCIA through the Harvard Catholic Center. Student Mass attendance also frequently topped 300, and hundreds participated in Bible studies.

Another 65 people have already registered for formation this year, according to The National News Desk, putting the ministry on pace with the previous year’s increase.

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