A Growing Church- Largest group entering Church in Archdiocese since at least 2014

By Rob Herbst
The Catholic Week
Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi greeted hundreds last month who are seeking entry into the Catholic Church, maybe more than he ever has.
Numbers are not finalized, but Archdiocese of Mobile Director of the Office for Evangelization and Family Life, Pat Arensberg, said 355 catechumens and candidates are expected to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church during Easter Vigils on March 30. That would be the largest group since at least 2014. 
Archbishop Rodi personally greeted catechumens and candidates while presiding over Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion liturgies in Dothan, Auburn and Mobile in February. 
The ceremony is a final step for catechumens and candidates preparing to enter the Church. Catechumens are unbaptized and will receive the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation during the Easter Vigil at their respective parish. 
Not only is this the largest group of catechumens and candidates in at least a decade, but it’s also another year of growth. According to Arensberg, only 157 entered in 2020 as the impact of COVID-19 began. Numbers for 2021 were unavailable and then an uptick began as 205 people entered the Church in 2022 and 264 people entered in 2023.
This year’s number is a big jump and Arensberg was hesitant to read too much into it.
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Arensberg said. “Is this the result of people who had been hunkering down (because of COVID-19) and are now coming out? Or is a movement of the Holy Spirit happening? It’s a positive sign, but it’s a little early to make a definitive statement.”
One reason numbers may remain up, Arensberg said, is because Catholics are not as hesitant to discuss the faith. 
Few people who enter the Church do so without any kind of personal invitation or encouragement. 
“I think Catholics are becoming more comfortable with evangelizing,” Arensberg said. “I think there are so many resources for people to understand the faith better that people are less afraid to talk about the faith because if asked a question, they’ll know where to find the answer.”
He added: “(Evangelizing) is what it comes down to. No matter what the Church does, when people are out evangelizing and talking about the faith and sharing their encounter with Christ, that makes a difference.”
No matter the final numbers, there are a few notable trends based on attendance at recent Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion liturgies. 
The Church continues to get more diverse. The first and second reading at this year’s liturgy in Auburn were spoken in Spanish and Korean — not English — in order to minister to the large number of Spanish-speaking and Korean-speaking catechumens and candidates.
Young people are also entering the Church. 
“Maybe part of it is the darker the culture gets, the more effective our evangelization becomes and the Gospel stands out,” Arensberg said. “The darker the culture gets the more there’s an attraction to the culture of life.”
As the Easter Vigil nears, please pray for and welcome the catechumens and candidates at your parish. 
A special thank you goes out to all sponsors for playing an important role in their faith journey.