USC Catholic Center sees record number of students entering the Church

A growing search for truth and lasting meaning is drawing a record number of University of Southern California (USC) students to the Catholic faith, according to a recent report.

The growth at USC reflects what Angelus News described as a broader resurgence of Catholicism across the U.S., noting that during the 2025–26 academic year, USC's Caruso Catholic Center welcomed a record number of young adults to Mass and into the Church. 

The report also noted that 50 people have already registered to receive the sacraments during the upcoming 2026–27 academic year.

The renewed interest in faith has become so pronounced that USC's own Trojan Family Magazine recently featured what it described as a "golden age" of religion and spirituality on campus.

Deacon Paul Pesqueira, coordinator of sacramental preparation at Our Savior Parish, home to USC’s Caruso Catholic Center, said the growth reflects a broader search among young people for something deeper.

“They're seeking substance, something that has transcended time,” he said. “That's the Roman Catholic faith.”

The report said the number of catechumens and candidates at Our Savior Parish more than doubled to 44 between 2023 and 2026. At the 2026 Easter Vigil, 16 students were baptized into the Church, while 49 others received confirmation. 

The report attributed part of that growth to the Catholic Center's combination of traditional campus ministry and an active social media presence.

"They come because they see the reel, but they stay because of what has been built," Deacon Pesqueira said.

According to the report, campus pastor Father Matthew Wheeler has become a leading voice in that outreach. Since arriving at Our Savior Parish in 2024, his Instagram following has reached 190,000, while his TikTok account has attracted more than 35,000 followers.

"I know young people are thirsting for that encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist, encountering God in the silence in prayer," Father Wheeler said. "The Lord is doing a lot of good through that and we're trying to make that accessible."

Father Wheeler said the Catholic Center's partnership with USC also provides opportunities to help students navigate the broader challenges they face.

"I definitely see us, on one level, being able to partner with the university to alleviate a lot of these struggles and challenges that young people are having today," Father Wheeler said. "To serve their soul is to help serve them holistically, body, mind, and spirit."

Among those drawn to the Church was USC junior Nathan Torres, who first attended Mass at the Catholic Center during Lent before entering the Church this spring.

"I sat in the front row and Deacon Paul looked me in the eyes while he was reading the Gospel, and he said, 'Let us rejoice for my son, who's home,'" Torres told Angelus News. "In that moment, I was like, 'I'm home, I need to become Catholic.’”