WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE BECOMING CATHOLIC?

Report Materials

Background

How We Got Here

In 2026, Catholic dioceses across the United States reported record Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) participation and growing interest in faith among young adults. This study is based on a survey administered to 2,127 U.S. residents who participated in OCIA in 2026. The survey was developed to better understand what is driving that interest and how the Church should respond.

The project began as a local effort within the Archdiocese of Chicago, yet interest from other U.S. dioceses expanded the project into a broader collaboration.

The survey was fielded in the following 20 (arch)dioceses: Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Fall River, Fort Wayne-South Bend, Lansing, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Peoria, Phoenix, Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, Springfield and Saint Petersburg. Data collection ran from February 22, 2026, through May 31, 2026, with surveys distributed in both English and Spanish.

While this study represents an early effort to understand this growing interest in the Catholic Church, the findings already provide insights. The process also suggested ways in which future iterations of the survey could be refined. We welcome feedback at [email protected].

Special Thanks

We are grateful to the diocesan leaders, pastors, parish staff, and OCIA teams across the country who supported this study; those within the Archdiocese of Chicago who helped shape this research; and those who generously shared their stories through interviews and survey participation.

Authors

Betsy Bohlen, Chief Operating Officer
Pat Brown, Strategy and Research Manager
Tim Weiske, Director of Department of Parish Vitality and Mission

For Media Inquiries

Contact Media Relations: 312.534.8227.

Recommended Citation

Archdiocese of Chicago, June 2026, “Why Are So Many People Becoming Catholic? 20 U.S. Catholic Dioceses Collaborate to Study Emerging Interest in the Catholic Church.”

Summary Takeaways

• OCIA survey respondents were almost equally motivated to explore the Catholic faith across two general paths: a “personal hunger” path and an “institutional Church” path.
  • Those interested in the “personal hunger” path strongly considered goodness, truth, inner peace, joy and purpose.
  • Those interested in the “institutional Church” path strongly considered truth, the Church’s liturgy and the wisdom of the 2000-year-old Church.
  • Those interested in the third path, less prominent than the other two, strongly considered Church community and the positive example of Catholics.
• Almost 30% of the respondents were “Nones” (i.e., no religious affiliation) before their journey to the Catholic Church. The majority of the other respondents were fairly evenly split between Catholics now completing their sacraments and Christians from other traditions.
• Fear-based factors were frequently reported as barriers to entering the Catholic Church, particularly among Gen Z. These included feeling spiritually unprepared, feeling uncomfortable participating in parish life without knowing anyone, feeling unsure if they would be accepted and fear of disapproval from others. Many also expressed anxiety about navigating the liturgy, feeling unfamiliar with and intimidated by the rituals of the Mass.
• The gender mix of the respondent group was generally balanced (54% female; 46% male). This contrasts with public discussion suggesting that increases in OCIA participation may be disproportionately concentrated among adult men.
• 26% of those entering the Church cited dating or getting married to a Catholic as part of their journey. This contrasts with historical data suggesting that dating and marriage relationships were a leading pathway into the Church for adults. Among respondents citing dating or marriage relationships, Gen Z respondents were more likely to be female (63%) than respondents from older generations.
• Most respondents’ prior perceptions of the Catholic Church were either positive or neutral / unfamiliar. Only a small percentage of respondents held a previous negative perception of the Catholic Church before they considered OCIA.
• The survey points toward several groups that appear underrepresented among those entering the Church today. This included individuals with lower levels of educational attainment. In addition, individuals seeking healing or belonging also appeared less represented than expected based on the Archdiocese of Chicago’s broader experience.

Key Insights

Who Joined the Church

INSIGHT #1. Respondents participating in OCIA were drawn primarily from three relatively balanced groups based on the self-identification of the participants: those who were previously religiously unaffiliated (“Nones”)¹ – 24%, practicing Catholics who are completing their sacraments of initiation with Eucharist and / or Confirmation – 23%, and those who previously practiced in another Christian tradition – 26%.

Prior Religious Background and Practice

Percent of total respondents by prior religious background and religious practice

INSIGHT #2. The gender distribution of respondents was relatively balanced. Respondents in this sample reflected a balanced gender distribution, with approximately 46% of respondents being male and 54% being female. This contrasts with growing public discussion suggesting that recent increases in religiosity and OCIA participation may be disproportionately concentrated among adult men.² This balanced distribution was also reflected in the Archdiocese of Chicago OCIA participation records in 2026.

INSIGHT #3. The respondents are relatively educated. Across Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers+, respondents reported higher educational levels than their peers nationally.

Bachelor’s Degree Attainment

OCIA Respondents (2026) vs. U.S. Population (Comparable Age Cohort) | Percent holding bachelor’s degree or higher

Note: OCIA age ranges are approximate. U.S. Census cohorts are the closest available match and do not align exactly.
Source: OCIA Survey (2026); U.S. Census Bureau, Educational Attainment in the United States (2024).

Motivations

INSIGHT #4. Personal growth in goodness, inner peace and an understanding of truth emerged as some of the strongest motivations for exploring the Catholic faith. Respondents were asked to assess how strongly a range of factors³ motivated them to explore the Catholic faith using a 1 to 5 scale. The percentages below reflect respondents who selected either 4 (“Considered strongly”) or 5 (“It was the most important consideration”). As expected, many considered both learning more about God and exploring a deeper relationship with Him as part of their journey toward the Church. Beyond these broad spiritual motivations, some emerged more strongly than others:

• Rated most strongly: wanting to grow in goodness and virtue (77%), desiring a deeper understanding of truth (76%), and seeking a greater sense of inner peace (72%).
• Rated moderately strongly: hunger for belonging and more meaningful relationships (56%) and a desire for healing or redemption from a personal challenge (51%).
• Rated least strongly: attraction to the Church’s stance on social issues (36%) and charitable services to those in need (34%).

Motivation Rankings

Percent rating each motivation as “Considered Strongly” or “Most Important Consideration”

Gen Z respondents generally reflected motivational patterns comparable to older generations, though they skewed higher compared to older non-Gen Z respondents on growing in goodness and virtue (81%), deeper understanding of truth (80%), exploring more about the existence of God and / or the person of Jesus Christ (77%), the liturgy (72%), longevity of the Church’s tradition (70%), belonging and more meaningful relationships (59%), and healing or redemption from a personal challenge (56%).

INSIGHT #5. These motivations group into three broad themes based on how respondents identified what drew them toward the Catholic faith: personal hunger, the institutional Church, and communal Church life. Respondents who strongly identified with one motivation within a grouping also tended to identify similarly with the other motivations in the same group. Analysis of respondent answers suggested the following three broad themes:

• Some motivations centered around a personal hunger for goodness, truth, inner peace and joy. These represented the most commonly cited group of motivations overall.
• Another group of motivations centered heavily on the institutional Church, including interest in deeper understandings of truth, liturgy, tradition and the Church’s teachings. These were nearly as prominent as personal hunger motivations.
• And finally, communal Church-focused motivations centered heavily on Church community, positive examples of Catholics in their lives, a desire to connect with family heritage and the Church’s charitable efforts. These were cited less frequently than the other two groups of motivations.

Motivation Themes

Respondents were asked to rate how strongly a number of factors motivated them to explore the Catholic faith. Three motivation themes derived from motivations frequently selected together.

Journey to the Church

INSIGHT #6. Initial interest in the Catholic faith generally emerged through two broad pathways: relational entry points and content / experience-driven ones. Respondents were asked to select which experiences⁴ were part of their initial interest in Catholicism, with multiple responses permitted. Certain entry points tended to be selected together, resulting in two broad pathways of initial interest:

Relational pathways included interest in having a faith-grounded family, invitations to Mass from known Catholics and dating or marriage relationships.

Content / experience-driven pathways included attraction to Catholic liturgy, and inspiration from faith-based books and digital content.

Entry Pathways

Respondents were asked to select which experiences were part of their initial interest in Catholicism. Respondents could select multiple items. Percentages reflect the share who selected each item. Pathways shown were derived from items that were frequently selected together.

INSIGHT #7. Compared to recent history, respondents were less likely to cite dating or marrying a Catholic as a factor related to their OCIA participation. About 26% of catechumens and candidates for reception into full communion cited dating or marrying a Catholic as part of their journey to the Church. By comparison, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), using data from Pew Research Center’s 2007 Religious Landscape Study (Conversion Recontact Survey), found that 72% of Catholic converts⁵ at the time said marriage was an important reason for becoming Catholic. While differences in survey design and sample composition should be considered, the magnitude of the difference suggests that a broader set of factors motivated this survey’s sample than prior years.

INSIGHT #8. The gender composition of respondents citing dating and marriage relationships differed substantially across generations. Overall, respondents citing dating or marrying a Catholic as part of their OCIA journey reflected a relatively balanced gender distribution, with 46% being male and 54% being female. However, generational differences emerged:

• Among Gen Z respondents citing dating or marriage relationships, women represented a substantial majority (63%), while men comprised 37%.
• The distribution was balanced among Millennials.
• Among Gen X / Boomer+ respondents citing dating or marriage relationships, men represented a clear majority.

Gender Breakdown of Respondents Who Selected “Dating or Marrying a Catholic” as Part of Their OCIA Journey

Percent of respondents citing dating or marriage as a factor in entering OCIA | By generation

Source: OCIA Survey (2026).

The reasons underlying these generational differences are not clear from the present survey and warrant further investigation.

INSIGHT #9. Most respondents approached the Catholic Church with either positive or neutral prior perceptions before becoming more interested in Catholicism. Respondents were asked to describe their prior perception of the Catholic Church before becoming more interested in Catholicism. Overall, 36% described their prior perception as positive, approximately 40% as indifferent toward or unfamiliar with the Church, and 18% as negative. At the same time, prior perceptions varied considerably across respondents’ religious backgrounds:

• About 51% of religiously unaffiliated respondents (“Nones”) most commonly described prior perceptions marked by unfamiliarity or indifference, reporting that they previously either did not know much about or felt indifferent toward the Church.
• About 29% of respondents from other religious traditions described prior perceptions of the Church as negative.
• About 57% of respondents who identified as Catholic already held positive perceptions of the Church.

Prior Perception of the Church by Religious Background

Respondents were asked to describe their prior perception of the Catholic Church before becoming more interested in Catholicism.

These findings align with prior Archdiocese of Chicago research⁶ indicating that the majority of young adults raised Catholic these days did not actively leave the Church but rather did not grow up in a regular practice of the faith. Among Chicago Gen Z adults raised Catholic who do not currently attend Mass at least monthly, 86% reported not attending Mass weekly during high school. Together, these findings may suggest more openness to the Catholic faith than might be sometimes assumed among those raised Catholic but currently not practicing or “Nones”.

INSIGHT #10. Proximity was the leading determinant of OCIA parish selection. Respondents were asked to identify the main reasons they chose the parish where they participated in OCIA, with multiple responses permitted. The survey included a broad range of practical (e.g., “It fits well with my work, school, or family schedule”), relational (e.g., “I was introduced to the parish through friends and family”), and parish-specific (e.g., “I enjoy specific aspects of its worship experiences, like music and preaching”) considerations. Nevertheless, the most commonly cited factor was that the parish was closest to where they lived (46%), well ahead of the next most frequently selected reason.

Reasons for Parish Selection

Percent of respondents selecting each reason for choosing their OCIA parish*

INSIGHT #11. Respondents reported high levels of engagement with a wide range of digital content throughout their faith journey. Respondents were asked in a free-response question to identify any digital content that had been meaningful while they were exploring the Catholic faith. About 66% of respondents provided at least one example of meaningful digital content. Additional analysis of digital content categories can be found in Addendum 3. Among individual sources, the most frequently cited included:

• Hallow app (15%)
• Ascension Presents / Fr. Mike Schmitz (14%)
• The Bible in a Year podcast (8%)
• Word on Fire / Bishop Barron (6%)
• Pints with Aquinas / Matt Fradd (5%)
• Counsel of Trent / Trent Horn (4%)
• The Chosen (3%).

Challenges

INSIGHT #12. Respondents reported a number of barriers throughout their journey into OCIA. Approximately 76% of respondents reported experiencing at least one barrier surrounding OCIA participation. At the same time, no single barrier was experienced by a majority of respondents. Responses reflected three broader categories of barriers:

• Fear-based barriers (avg. 25%⁷) were related to concerns about disapproval from friends or family, feeling spiritually unprepared, discomfort beginning OCIA without knowing anyone, or uncertainty about being accepted.
• Logistical barriers (22%) were reported by individuals who had been interested in deepening their relationship with Jesus in the Catholic faith for some time but found that OCIA did not fit their schedules.
• Prior negative experiences (avg. 6%) were related to previous negative experiences with the Church or prior attempts to participate in OCIA that did not meet the respondent’s needs.

INSIGHT #13. Among Gen Z respondents, barriers surrounding entering the OCIA process more frequently reflected fears, with two types emerging:

• Concerns surrounding entering an unfamiliar religious environment, including feeling spiritually unprepared, not knowing anyone or uncertainty about being accepted.
• Concerns surrounding possible disapproval from others, including fear of negative reactions from family, friends or other people in respondents’ lives.

Fear-Based Barriers by Generation

Percent of OCIA respondents selecting each barrier to participation

Source: OCIA Survey (2026).

OCIA Participant Segments⁸

INSIGHT #14. Overall, respondents reflected five distinct groups with different backgrounds, motivations, pathways into the Church and pastoral needs. The following five groups emerged from this analysis:

Open-Ended Response Themes

Respondents provided a substantial volume of qualitative feedback throughout the survey’s open-ended questions. Three themes stood out in particular:

INSIGHT #15. Many respondents described experiencing the Church as a source of both stability and hope within an increasingly uncertain world. Several respondents described being drawn toward Catholicism for its ancient traditions and moral grounding, in contrast to what they perceived as an increasingly chaotic world.

INSIGHT #16. Several respondents voluntarily provided richer descriptions of the nature of their fears surrounding OCIA participation.

• Many expressed anxiety about navigating the liturgy itself, often feeling unfamiliar with and intimidated by the rituals of Mass.
• Others feared not belonging in a parish, worrying they would feel like outsiders within an established community.
• Finally, some held back due to doctrinal uncertainty, unsure whether they could fully embrace all Catholic teachings and fearful of committing to a journey they might ultimately feel unable to complete.

INSIGHT #17. Several recurring challenges surrounding the OCIA process also emerged throughout respondents’ free-response feedback.

• Scheduling challenges: Many respondents described OCIA schedules and time commitments as difficult to navigate.
• Difficulties navigating parish processes: Respondents described difficulty finding clear OCIA information online, uncertainty about how to begin the process or delayed and inconsistent communication from parishes.
• Lack of post-OCIA opportunities: Several respondents completing the survey after the Easter Vigil expressed a deficit in opportunities for continued learning and community.

Meeting the Moment — Implications for Dioceses and Parishes

The survey findings point toward a set of imperatives for dioceses and their parishes. Many of these imperatives reinforce the Church’s vision for initiation ministry to accompany people from Inquiry through Mystagogy and invite them more deeply into the parish community’s life.

IMPERATIVE #1: Reduce barriers, particularly fear-based ones that were common among Gen Z. Respondents’ most commonly reported barriers stemmed from uncertainty and unfamiliarity with the liturgy, parish life and OCIA. The findings suggest a need to address these barriers through:

• More personal welcome and accompaniment to help newcomers feel known, connected and comfortable entering parish life (e.g., intentional welcomes and follow-ups with newcomers; an accompaniment ministry dedicated to walking with newcomers).
• Greater support around participation in the liturgy to help newcomers understand what to expect at Mass and other liturgical experiences (e.g., worship aids that explain the Mass).
• Clearer communication that the sacraments of initiation are beginnings in the life of faith, not signs that someone has already mastered Catholic teaching or practice.

IMPERATIVE #2: Create more accessible pathways for faith exploration at the earliest stages of the faith journey. Many respondents entered the Church from no religious background. This finding echoes Pope Leo XIV’s observation in a February 2026 letter to the priests of Madrid that there has been a “progressive disappearance of shared points of reference” and that we now inhabit “a different cultural horizon, in which words no longer mean the same thing and where the initial proclamation cannot be taken for granted.” Together, these observations suggest the importance of paying close attention to both the opportunities and the language used to engage those taking their first steps toward faith. In particular:

• Offer opportunities for faith exploration well before people are ready to enter OCIA. This may include exploratory opportunities (e.g., conversations about meaning, purpose, and belief in God) and experiences centered on an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ (e.g., the Alpha program).
• Use language accessible to those with limited familiarity with Catholicism. Invitations and communications should avoid assuming familiarity with Church terminology and instead speak to the questions and interests people bring. For example, invitations to “explore faith” or “learn about becoming Catholic” may be more understandable than invitations centered on participation in OCIA itself.

IMPERATIVE #3: Develop tailored formation and support for OCIA participants given the wide spectrum of starting points and backgrounds among participants. This may include:

• Intentional one-on-one discussions with newcomers in order to understand the starting point of each inquirer. Based on the survey results, questions could include the following:
  • What has been your religious background or practice up to now?
  • How would you describe the motivations causing you to consider the Catholic faith?
  • What do you know about the Catholic Church, parish life and the liturgy?
  • What perceptions or concerns might you have?; Are there any fears you have about exploring the Catholic faith?
• Formation opportunities tailored to participants’ backgrounds and interests. For those with limited faith practice, this may include introductory opportunities focused on meaning, purpose, belief in God and an encounter with Jesus Christ. For those with experience practicing another Christian tradition, this may include deeper engagement with Catholic theology, Scripture, Church teaching and the liturgy.
• A compilation of suggested resources based on faith starting points and motivations.
• One-on-one accompaniment throughout the journey that is tailored to the needs of participants. Some accompaniment ministers, for example, might focus on those with no religious backgrounds, while others might focus on those who have actively practiced in another Christian tradition.

IMPERATIVE #4: Offer continued post-OCIA formation and community for those entering the Church. Respondents frequently expressed a desire for continued formation and community beyond the Easter Vigil. This may be particularly important today, as many newer entrants begin with limited religious formation and familiarity with Catholicism, increasing the need for continued parish integration beyond OCIA.

IMPERATIVE #5: Invest in forming parishioners to become comfortable inviting others into opportunities for faith exploration. Personal invitations seemed to play only a modest role in many respondents’ journey toward the Church, with only 33% citing invitations to Mass and 21% citing invitations to faith-based experiences as factors that were part of that journey. At the same time, many respondents reported fears related to entering a parish community alone or without knowing anyone. Together, these findings suggest an opportunity for parishes to invest in helping parishioners become more confident and intentional inviters, particularly of those who are spiritually curious or open to exploring the Catholic faith. Offering compelling and accessible faith exploration opportunities would also support the faithful in making easier invitations to their friends and family.

IMPERATIVE #6: Consider how the Church can better reach those who appear underrepresented within the current OCIA sample. Because the survey reflects the experiences of those who ultimately entered the Church through OCIA, the findings may also point toward populations that appear comparatively less represented within the current sample. Particular attention may be needed in engaging and serving the following groups:

• Young adults seeking healing or belonging who may not be finding a comfortable path for entering the Church. Societal challenges involving loneliness and mental health are well-documented, and prior Archdiocese of Chicago survey research suggests that healing and belonging are among the leading factors inspiring Gen Z interest in spirituality. Nevertheless, these factors were not rated as highly as expected as motivators for this group of OCIA in exploring faith. This could suggest that people seeking healing and belonging may not be finding their way to the Church, requiring more invitation, support and accompaniment on their faith journey.
• Those with lower levels of educational attainment. The OCIA survey results align with the experience of the Archdiocese of Chicago, where faith participation is growing in communities with denser populations of more educated Gen Zs. This suggests further opportunity for intentional reach-out in a broader set of communities.
• Those who have had negative experiences or perceptions of Catholicism may face additional barriers surrounding trust and openness toward the Church. The survey respondents skewed significantly to people who began their journey with indifferent or positive prior perceptions of the Church, suggesting an opportunity for more intentional outreach to those who may hold negative perceptions or had negative prior experiences.

IMPERATIVE #7: Consider greater investment at the diocesan level to support evangelization and formation efforts. Meeting the broad range of needs among the spiritually curious and church newcomers will be a challenge for many parishes given time, resource and skill constraints. Dioceses should invest in greater resource and practice sharing at the diocesan level while also considering opportunities that might supplement parish inquiry and formation efforts.

Addenda

Addendum 1: Respondent Demographics and Background

The following tables summarize the demographic and background characteristics⁹ of survey respondents.

Addendum 2: OCIA Participant Segments

Addendum 3: Digital Content Categories

Respondents were asked in a free-response question to identify any digital content that had been meaningful while they were exploring the Catholic faith. Responses were analyzed to identify recurring resources, account for variations in how respondents described them, and calculate frequencies across commonly cited items. As broader themes began to emerge among the most frequently cited resources, an initial internal review was conducted to organize these individual items into the broad categories shown in the table below. These categories represent an initial effort to group resources according to their primary emphasis or perceived purpose, while recognizing that many individual resources may overlap across categories.