The Newman Catholic Student Center, a Roman Catholic ministry at the University of Iowa, reports an uptick in attendance at services and participation in events over the last year. This rise isn’t exclusive to UI and has been reported across Iowa and the U.S. as more people convert, revert, and attend Catholic services in the search of a welcoming community.
Rev. Jeffrey Belger, the priest director at the Newman Center, said Bible studies, retreats, discipleship, and conferences have seen around a 40 percent increase in student participation in the last year. He said it is difficult to accurately track student participation at Mass, but he is still observant of the growing crowds.
He said the growth in student involvement has happened every year for the past six years…