Record numbers of adult converts and catechumens set to join the Catholic Church in Sydney, signaling renewed faith across Australia.
Newsroom (24/02/2026 Gaudium Press ) As Easter approaches, the Archdiocese of Sydney is preparing for a milestone that Church leaders describe as both historic and deeply inspiring. In what officials are calling a record-setting moment, 338 people will be baptized and another 119 welcomed into full communion with the Catholic Church during this year’s Easter Vigil, marking a surge in adult conversion and renewal of faith across Australia.
Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney said the numbers reflect “a profound sign of the growth and vitality” within the local Church, calling it evidence that “the Holy Spirit is alive and active.” The increase continues a six-year upward trend and underscores a broader national movement that has seen adult converts and reverts steadily rise.
The latest statistics show a 35 percent increase in catechumens—the unbaptized who will receive the sacraments for the first time—and an extraordinary 95 percent rise in candidates, who are already baptized but seek full communion with the Church. “That’s not just happening here in Sydney,” Archbishop Fisher told congregants gathered on February 23 for the Rite of Election. “It’s happening in many parts of the world right now, as more and more people say their Yes to God.”
At the same event, Fisher acknowledged the 222 catechists who have guided the catechumens and candidates through months of spiritual formation, describing their dedication as “a great blessing.” His remarks were a mix of pastoral encouragement and joyful recognition of a trend that Church observers say could mark a new phase of engagement among adults exploring faith in secular societies.
A Sign of Renewal
The Archdiocese of Sydney, founded in 1842 by Pope Gregory XVI, is among the oldest and most prominent Catholic jurisdictions in Australia. As of 2020, it counted roughly 667,000 Catholics within its boundaries. Nationwide, Australia’s 2021 census recorded more than five million Catholics—about one in five Australians—making the Church the country’s largest single religious denomination.
Archbishop Fisher previously described current trends as “the second spring” for the Catholic faith in Australia, referring to five consecutive years of growth in adult conversions. Addressing the Sydney Catholic Business Network last May, he noted that the Archdiocese had seen a 26 percent average annual increase in adult converts over that period, a trajectory he said suggested a hunger for meaning amid modern uncertainty.
While Church statistics show areas of decline in attendance and institutional participation, Fisher maintains that the rising number of adults choosing baptism and full communion demonstrates an unmistakable renewal. “Each of you today,” he told the new members, “having examined the terms and conditions, is about to say, ‘I’m in’—even though the Christian life can be demanding.”
For a Church long accustomed to headlines about shrinking attendance, this Easter’s influx of believers offers a counterpoint—and perhaps, as Fisher suggests, a glimpse of hope that faith in Australia is quietly finding fresh ground.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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