Send CathInfo's owner Matthew a gift from his Amazon wish list:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/25M2B8RERL1UO

Author Topic: Hallow: New Data shows a Surge in Catholicism on US College Campuses.  (Read 58 times)

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

https://hallow.com/blog/new-data-shows-a-surge-in-catholicism-on-u-s-college-campuses/

Hallow data shows rise in OCIA, other Catholic ministries at colleges and universities around the country
CHICAGO, Aug. 19, 2026 – The fall semester at USC doesn’t begin officially until Aug. 24, but Deacon Paul Pesqueira is already preparing for what could be his busiest year yet.
Pesqueira has overseen the OCIA program at the USC Caruso Catholic Center for 14 years. In 2023-24, 18 students participated in the program. The following year, that number jumped to 25. 
Heading into the 2025-26 school year, Pesqueira simply wanted to keep the growth trend positive.
“I wanted 26. God, in His infinite wisdom, mercy and generosity, gave me 44 students,” he said.
That marked a 76% increase in a single year, all without advertising the OCIA program.
“All of this has happened at USC with zero marketing. Nothing,” he said. “Always word of mouth.”
USC is far from alone. The school is part of a broader national trend of college-age people entering and returning to the Church.
Hallow obtained OCIA data from nearly 60 colleges and universities across the country and found a widespread increase in not only young adults entering the Catholic Church, but Catholic ministries of all sorts gaining popularity.