Around 30,000 Americans became Catholic this Easter, according to the US Catholic News Service.
About 85 of the nearly 200 dioceses across the nation reported their numbers of catechumens and candidates for full communion to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Based on these numbers, more than 30,000 people were expected to be welcomed into the Church.
Catechumens – who have never previously been baptised – received baptism, confirmation and first Communion at the Easter Vigil.
Candidates, who have already been baptised in another Christian tradition, entered the Church through a profession of faith, being confirmed and receiving the Eucharist.
Although one can become Catholic at any time of year, the Easter Vigil is the most common time.
The US archdiocese with the largest Catholic population in the country – the Archdiocese of Los Angeles – welcomed 1,700 catechumens (a fall of 56 from last year) and 1,127 candidates (a rise of nearly 200).
Atlanta also saw a slight fall in catechumens and a slight rise in candidates.
The Archdiocese of Washington reported a dramatic year-on-year rise in baptised Christians seeking to become Catholic: up from 237 to 698.
The Diocese of Galveston-Houston had 1,536 catechumens, down by more than a hundred from 2017, and 618 candidates, down by 90.
Meanwhile, a poll suggested that almost three-quarters of respondents who identified as Catholic would be attending church for Easter.
Among respondents who described themselves as practising Catholics, 95 per cent said they planned to go to Mass at Easter.
The Knights of Columbus sponsored the survey which was conducted by the Marist Poll, which interviewed 1,271 people by telephone.
The survey also found that younger Catholics – those under 45 – were just as likely to attend Mass on Easter as those 45 years of age or older (74 per cent compared to 72 per cent).
End ethnic violence, urges cardinal
Burma needs to remove “stones of hatred, of injustice and of ethnic conflict”, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo said in his Easter message.
In an indirect reference to ethnic minorities, Burma’s first-ever cardinal said the Church has a “prophetic mission” to help people “living in the valley of death”.
Almost 700,000 Rohingyas have fled the country since violence broke out in August.
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.