College Newman Centers report ‘staggering’ surge in conversions

Jonah McKeown, National Catholic Register

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Catholic chaplains say unexpectedly large numbers of students at universities across the country – including many secular institutions – are expressing interest in the Catholic faith. The stories of several students who converted to Catholicism during their time belonging to a Newman Center have a lot in common – many cited the personal witness of Catholic friends as a primary motivating factor that drew them to the faith. One college chaplain urges Church leaders to pay more attention to Newman Centers as vital spaces for fostering conversions, vocations, and a lifetime of ownership of one’s Catholic faith: “This is where the fish are.”