THE GROWING Church

EASTER INCREASE OF ADULTS BAPTISED IN THE WEST

In the last two years, there have been record numbers of adults received into the Church in Europe and the USA, and it is increasing. The tide is turning; God’s cleansing of his Church since the Vatican Council (II) is now yielding to harvest time – and it is just beginning. Look at the following numbers of adults received into the Church.

England and Wales

Shrewsbury Diocese: 171, an increase of 71%.

Westminster Archdiocese: 800, an increase of 60%.

Southwark Archdiocese: 590, an increase of 31%.

Birmingham Archdiocese: 340, an increase of 45%.

Cardiff Menevia Archdiocese: 100 an increase of 52%

France: there were 20.000 adults received this year (8200 are adolescents).

Netherlands: 630 adults, an increase of 40%.

USA: an increase of 38%.

Everywhere, there are reports of large numbers of young men joining the Church.

MASS ATTENDANCE IN ENGLAND AND WALES

In 2025 the average Mass attendance in our country was 5755,453, and increase of 24% from the previous year.

THE ENGLISH COLLEGE VALLADOLID

We were blessed to join in the Holy Week and Easter services as guests in the College this year. There were about 20 young men progressing through the propaedeutic year. That is a year of spiritual deepening and vocation discernment which comes before the 6-year Seminary programme.

We were enormously impressed by the atmosphere of prayer and serious enquiry. 

I think there are about 12 of them from England and Wales; the rest were from other countries. Next year they are expecting 30 or more all from England and Wales alone. Of course, they have a lot of time and study to complete, and some may not have a vocation to the priesthood. But the increase of young men seriously considering becoming priests is another sign of the New Age of the Church which we are entering.

In our last ‘Straws in the Wind’ article, we wrote that the renewal of the Church in the West, where Christianity started, begins with prayer “Jesus said ‘the harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest’ (Matthew 9:38)”. Let us maintain and increase our intercession for the Kingdom to come.

MANCHESTER: 157 CHINESE ENTER THE Church THIS EASTER

We had the wonderful joy of taking part in the monthly Chinese Catholic Mass at the Cathedral (our temporary Cathedral). It was so special because 29 people (mostly young) were received into the Church during Mass. Most were baptised as well as confirmed, some only received Confirmation whilst many received the Eucharist for the first time. We were told that, through the work of the Manchester Chinese Catholic Community, this Easter time 157 Chinese adults were received from all over the North of England. Praise God!