A record number of catechumens are entering the Catholic Church this Easter in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey.
According to News 12 New Jersey, archdiocesan data shows that more than 1,700 local people will be initiated into the Church, a 30% increase from the 2025 numbers.
Father Armand Mantia, the archdiocese’s director of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, emphasized that the enduring teachings of the Catholic faith are attracting people in record numbers.
“People are realizing,” Fr. Mantia said as reported by the outlet, “that the Catholic Church contains the fullness of the truth, the fullness of God’s message. It is the Church that was founded by Jesus Christ that has existed in a substantially unbroken form for over 2,000 years.”
Fr. Mantia also noted that the Church has given individuals a firm foundation of faith during life’s trials.
“In my opinion, people are desperate to believe in something during these very uncertain times,” Fr. Mantia said. “The Catholic Church offers them stability, hope for the future and a defined core of beliefs that they can’t find elsewhere.”
According to the outlet, the archdiocese said that the increase in catechumens reflects a broader trend in recent years, with the number of people entering the Catholic Church rising about 70% since 2023.