Multiple Catholic dioceses around the US are reporting an upsurge in new members [1], according to an informal survey by the New York Times.
This Easter the Archdiocese of Detroit will receive 1,428 new Catholics into the church, its highest number in 21 years. The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will have its most in 15 years. In the Diocese of Des Moines, the count is jumping 51 percent from last year, from 265 people to 400.
Bishops are talking excitedly among themselves about the surge, and are perplexed as to what is behind it, reports the paper.
“Of course we think the Holy Spirit is,” Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington said. “But we are kind of stymied.”
His own archdiocese is set to have 1,755 people enter the church this Easter, up from last year’s 1,566, which had already been the highest number in at least 15 years, according to the archdiocese’s records. Others have noticed similar trends.