Above: Rite of Election in March 2025 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral.
The Diocese of Raleigh has been recognized as the nation’s most conversion-rich diocese, according to a new analysis published by Catholic World Report. The study examined data from the 2024 edition of The Official Catholic Directory and ranked dioceses across the country by the proportion of adult baptisms, non-infant baptisms, and receptions into full communion compared to overall Catholic population.
With one non-infant reception into the Church for every 71 Catholics, the Diocese of Raleigh far outpaced the national average of one for every 413 Catholics. By comparison, the Archdiocese of Newark, which ranked last, recorded one reception for every 2,448 Catholics.
Patrick Ginty, Director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Raleigh, attributed this milestone to the vibrant missionary spirit at work in local parishes.
“It speaks to the good work that is being done in many parishes in bringing ‘culturally Catholic’ families back to the practice of their faith,” Ginty said. “There really is great evangelization occurring, especially online, where the conversation is taking place in podcasts, videos, debates, and discussions favoring Catholicism. It’s exciting to see the greater Church waking up and taking on the Great Commission of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The analysis also highlighted the diocese’s unique pastoral outreach, particularly among Hispanic families, many of whom delay baptism until children can receive multiple sacraments together or until extended family can be present. This, combined with a growing number of adult baptisms and conversions among both Hispanic and Anglo communities, underscores the vitality of Catholic life in eastern North Carolina.
The Diocese of Raleigh, which serves more than half a million Catholics across 54 counties, continues to grow in one of the nation’s least Catholic regions. The report noted that dioceses located in areas with smaller Catholic populations, such as Raleigh, often see proportionally higher numbers of conversions—a sign of fruitful evangelization.
The full report, “Conversions and Receptions into the Church: A Look at the Numbers,” by J.J. Ziegler, is available at Catholic World Report.