The Catholic Church in the United States appears to be entering a period of renewed growth, with the latest data showing that more people are now joining than leaving. Figures compiled by Shane Schaetzel, using research from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), the Pew Research Center, the National Catholic Register, and Vatican statistics, suggest that after two decades of decline, adult conversions are once again on the rise.
At the beginning of the millennium, annual conversions stood at around 175,000. Over the following twenty years, the numbers steadily diminished, reaching a low of 70,000 in 2020. Since then, however, the trend has reversed sharply. By 2025, nearly 160,000 adult Americans are projected to enter the Catholic Church, a figure approaching the levels seen at the start of the century. Importantly, these conversions are domestic in character. They do not represent Catholic immigrants being counted anew, but rather Americans themselves choosing to embrace the faith.
