The Archdiocese of Newark has seen record numbers of people converting to Catholicism in 2026, a statistic that the Rev. Armand Mantia said is happening around the world.
A total of 1,701 parishioners will be added to the church before Easter. Of the large group, 645 of are catechumens, individuals who will be baptized for the first time.
That is a 30% increase in new Catholics since last year and a 72% increase since 2023. Mantia, of the Archdiocese of Newark, said the numbers of conversions have been rising since shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic…