Average Catholic diocese seeing increase of 38% in people entering the Church at Easter in 2026 compared to 2025, according to an analysis of data obtained exclusively by Hallow
CHICAGO, March 31, 2026 – The Catholic Church in the United States is seeing a significant increase in people entering the Church this Easter season.
Hallow, the #1 prayer app, today announced the release of new original data showing a significant rise in catechumens and candidates across the United States in 2026.
Based on data compiled exclusively by Hallow from more than 140 of the 175 U.S. dioceses (more than 80%), dioceses are experiencing a 38% annual increase on average in individuals entering the Church through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA).
This includes both catechumens (unbaptized people preparing for full initiation into the Church) and candidates (those already baptized who are entering into full communion through confirmation).
The diocese-by-diocese numbers are available in the interactive map below:
RCIA Catechumen Growth by U.S. Catholic Diocese
| Diocese | Growth |
|---|---|
| Diocese of Albany | 41% |
| Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana | N/A |
| Diocese of Allentown | 7% |
| Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown | 83% |
| Diocese of Amarillo | N/A |
| Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau | N/A |
| Diocese of Arlington | 13% |
| Archdiocese of Atlanta | 16% |
| Diocese of Austin | 52% |
| Diocese of Baker | N/A |
| Archdiocese of Baltimore | 67% |
| Diocese of Baton Rouge | 32% |
| Diocese of Beaumont | 29% |
| Diocese of Belleville | 71% |
| Diocese of Biloxi | 36% |
| Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama | 39% |
| Diocese of Bismarck | 31% |
| Diocese of Boise | N/A |
| Archdiocese of Boston | 49% |
| Diocese of Bridgeport | 20% |
| Diocese of Brooklyn | 47% |
| Diocese of Brownsville | N/A |
| Diocese of Buffalo | 14% |
| Diocese of Burlington | 38% |
| Diocese of Camden | 23% |
| Diocese of Charleston | 27% |
| Diocese of Charlotte | 43% |
| Diocese of Cheyenne | N/A |
| Archdiocese of Chicago | 52% |
| Archdiocese of Cincinnati | 29% |
| Diocese of Cleveland | 27% |
| Diocese of Colorado Springs | 64% |
| Diocese of Columbus | 70% |
| Diocese of Corpus Christi | 52% |
| Diocese of Covington | 57% |
| Diocese of Crookston | 23% |
| Diocese of Dallas | 72% |
| Diocese of Davenport | 77% |
| Archdiocese of Denver | 35% |
| Diocese of Des Moines | 51% |
| Archdiocese of Detroit | 46% |
| Diocese of Dodge City | 20% |
| Archdiocese of Dubuque | N/A |
| Diocese of Duluth | 145% |
| Diocese of El Paso | N/A |
| Diocese of Erie | 4% |
| Diocese of Evansville | 40% |
| Diocese of Fairbanks | 43% |
| Diocese of Fall River | 71% |
| Diocese of Fargo | -29% |
| Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend | 10% |
| Diocese of Fort Worth | 37% |
| Diocese of Fresno | 61% |
| Diocese of Gallup | 6% |
| Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston | 11% |
| Diocese of Gary | 0% |
| Diocese of Gaylord | 100% |
| Diocese of Grand Island | N/A |
| Diocese of Grand Rapids | 12% |
| Diocese of Great Falls–Billings | N/A |
| Diocese of Green Bay | 19% |
| Diocese of Greensburg | 28% |
| Diocese of Harrisburg | 77% |
| Archdiocese of Hartford | 58% |
| Diocese of Helena | 60% |
| Diocese of Honolulu | 16% |
| Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux | 3% |
| Archdiocese of Indianapolis | N/A |
| Diocese of Jackson | 28% |
| Diocese of Jefferson City | 48% |
| Diocese of Joliet in Illinois | N/A |
| Diocese of Kalamazoo | 35% |
| Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas | 5% |
| Diocese of Kansas City–Saint Joseph | 70% |
| Diocese of Knoxville | N/A |
| Diocese of La Crosse | 10% |
| Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana | 21% |
| Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana | 64% |
| Diocese of Lake Charles | 42% |
| Diocese of Lansing | 30% |
| Diocese of Laredo | N/A |
| Diocese of Las Cruces | N/A |
| Diocese of Las Vegas | 18% |
| Diocese of Lexington | -2% |
| Diocese of Lincoln | 79% |
| Diocese of Little Rock | 5% |
| Archdiocese of Los Angeles | 139% |
| Archdiocese of Louisville | 7% |
| Diocese of Lubbock | N/A |
| Diocese of Madison | 13% |
| Diocese of Manchester | 54% |
| Diocese of Marquette | 13% |
| Diocese of Memphis | 6% |
| Diocese of Metuchen | 2% |
| Archdiocese of Miami | 27% |
| Archdiocese of Milwaukee | 26% |
| Archdiocese of Mobile | 35% |
| Diocese of Monterey in California | N/A |
| Diocese of Nashville | 35% |
| Archdiocese of New Orleans | 12% |
| Diocese of New Ulm | 73% |
| Archdiocese of New York | 36% |
| Archdiocese of Newark | 30% |
| Diocese of Norwich | 119% |
| Diocese of Oakland | N/A |
| Diocese of Ogdensburg | 5% |
| Archdiocese of Oklahoma City | 60% |
| Archdiocese of Omaha | 100% |
| Diocese of Orange | N/A |
| Diocese of Orlando | 13% |
| Diocese of Owensboro | N/A |
| Diocese of Palm Beach | 19% |
| Diocese of Paterson | 2% |
| Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee | 144% |
| Diocese of Peoria | 48% |
| Archdiocese of Philadelphia | 60% |
| Diocese of Phoenix | 23% |
| Diocese of Pittsburgh | 108% |
| Archdiocese of Portland in Maine | 45% |
| Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon | 38% |
| Diocese of Providence | 76% |
| Diocese of Pueblo | 105% |
| Diocese of Raleigh | 21% |
| Diocese of Rapid City | 96% |
| Diocese of Reno | -21% |
| Diocese of Richmond | 38% |
| Diocese of Rochester | 56% |
| Diocese of Rockford | 26% |
| Diocese of Rockville Centre | 15% |
| Diocese of Sacramento | N/A |
| Diocese of Saginaw | 48% |
| Diocese of Salina | 6% |
| Diocese of Salt Lake City | N/A |
| Diocese of San Angelo | 2% |
| Archdiocese of San Antonio | N/A |
| Diocese of San Bernardino | 102% |
| Diocese of San Diego | 27% |
| Archdiocese of San Francisco | 7% |
| Diocese of San Jose in California | N/A |
| Archdiocese of Santa Fe | N/A |
| Diocese of Santa Rosa in California | 23% |
| Diocese of Savannah | 30% |
| Diocese of Scranton | 51% |
| Archdiocese of Seattle | 20% |
| Diocese of Shreveport | -22% |
| Diocese of Sioux City | 0% |
| Diocese of Sioux Falls | N/A |
| Diocese of Spokane | 9% |
| Diocese of Springfield in Illinois | -1% |
| Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts | -33% |
| Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau | 54% |
| Diocese of St. Augustine | 33% |
| Diocese of Saint Cloud | 34% |
| Archdiocese of St. Louis | 48% |
| Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis | 54% |
| Diocese of Saint Petersburg | 40% |
| Diocese of Steubenville | 47% |
| Diocese of Stockton | 45% |
| Diocese of Superior | 5% |
| Diocese of Syracuse | 1% |
| Diocese of Toledo | 12% |
| Diocese of Trenton | 28% |
| Diocese of Tucson | 41% |
| Diocese of Tulsa | 115% |
| Diocese of Tyler | N/A |
| Diocese of Venice in Florida | 94% |
| Diocese of Victoria in Texas | N/A |
| Archdiocese of Washington | 12% |
| Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston | 43% |
| Diocese of Wichita | 4% |
| Diocese of Wilmington | N/A |
| Diocese of Winona-Rochester | 26% |
| Diocese of Worcester | 16% |
| Diocese of Yakima | N/A |
| Diocese of Youngstown | 48% |
The growth of people joining the Church is widespread and notable across dioceses of all sizes and regions.
The four largest dioceses in the U.S. all saw significant growth:
- Archdiocese of Los Angeles: +139%
- Diocese of Phoenix: +23%
- Archdiocese of New York: +36%
- Archdiocese of Chicago: +52%
Others in different parts of the country reporting strong growth include:
- Diocese of Duluth (Minn.): +145%
- Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee (Fla.): +85%
- Diocese of Rapid City (S.D.): +96%
- Diocese of Honolulu (Hawaii): +37%
- Diocese of Fairbanks (Alaska): +40%
In the Diocese of Helena (Mont.), diocesan officials believe this year’s group, which is 60% larger than last year, is likely the largest that the diocese has had since the Rite of Election was restored following Vatican II in the 1970s.
Even in dioceses where year-over-year growth is modest or slightly down, the broader trend remains strong, especially when compared to pandemic-era lows in 2020 and 2021.
The Diocese of Shreveport (La.) is set to welcome 257 combined candidates and catechumens this year, down from 329 a year ago, but up considerably from 2021, when it welcomed a combined 89 people.
Many dioceses saw record-breaking classes in 2025 and continue to build on that momentum in 2026. In 2024, the Archdiocese of Mobile (Ala.) saw its largest group of candidates and catechumens in a decade. Last year, it surpassed that number. And this year, it’s up 36% compared to 2025.
The fastest-growing diocese was the Diocese of Duluth (Minn.), which grew +145%, with 186 combined catechumens and candidates in 2026 compared to just 76 a year ago.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which is welcoming more than 8,000 people into the Church, more than any other diocese in the country, grew +139% from last year.
“Really incredible to see what’s going on across dioceses in the US this Easter. The Lord is truly at work, bringing so many back to Him and to experience His love right now,” said Alex Jones, Hallow CEO and Co-Founder. “As we see firsthand at Hallow the impact of what so many priests, sisters, Church leaders, and more are doing across parishes in the US, it’s beautiful to see the fruits of their labor and the ways folks are reaching for the Lord.”
“It’s been our mission from the beginning to introduce folks to the love the Lord has for them and lead them into a better relationship with Him through His bride, the Church – an honor to get to partner with so many parishes, schools, and dioceses that are doing just that.”
Supporting the Church’s Growth
Hallow is committed to supporting the Church and its sacramental life.
For anyone enrolled in OCIA, Hallow offers complimentary subscriptions through their parish. If you’re interested in including your parish, find more information here.
Inside Hallow, candidates and catechumens will find a New to Catholicism Collection we’ve built for them which includes our series created specifically for those going through OCIA, as well as prayers, meditations, and guided sessions to help grow in faith and develop a practice of daily prayer.
Hallow also partners with dioceses, parishes, and schools across the country to build vibrant communities of prayer. Visit hallow.com/parishes or hallow.com/schools to learn more.
Dioceses may submit or update their data by emailing diocesedata@hallow.app.
About Hallow
Hallow helps people deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided prayers, sleep meditations, Bible readings, meditations, and music. The app has more than 10,000 sessions including a daily Rosary, daily Gospel, daily Saint, novenas, examens, Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year, The Chosen’s Jonathan Roumie’s audio Bible, Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons, peaceful Christian music, Gregorian chant, and so much more. Launched in December 2018, Hallow is now the number one Catholic app in the world with more than 1 billion prayers completed across 150-plus countries and more than 30 million downloads.
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