‘Budding Shoots of Christian Revival’ — Catholic Churches Worldwide Reporting Bigger Easter Crowds, Prominent Conversions, More Easter Vigil…

[Michie]

…Baptisms in 2024

The Easter edition of the Spectator took a refreshingly upbeat stance on the State of Christendom, with Justin Brierley setting out his argument that we are seeing a Christian revival in England.

Drawing on the much-reported religious experience of historian Tom Holland, he said that he could “see signs that he [God] is moving in the minds and hearts of secular intellectuals”. Brierley ended his piece on an optimistic note, quoting G.K. Chesterton’s observation that “Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave”.

Perhaps the most unexpected intellectual to have recently expressed positive rumblings on the value of Christianity to society was none other than the scientist Richard Dawkins, going so far as to even describe himself on LBC as a “cultural Christian”. Perhaps Brierley is onto something?

On Easter morning, it was a great pleasure to open X (formerly Twitter) to see ecstatic posts from newly baptised Catholics expressing their joy at having been received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. Moving images of Tammy Peterson, wife of the famous and controversial public intellectual Dr. Jordan Peterson, being received at Holy Rosary Church in Toronto, swept across Catholic corners of the internet.

Tammy Peterson was joined by countless others across the world who “took the plunge” at the Easter Vigil. This happens every year, but did we see a higher rate in 2024? Anecdotal evidence suggests so.

It was reported that one US parish in Auburn, Alabama, saw an astonishing 82 people being received into the Church. Another person in Florida claimed they had 50 baptisms and 30 confirmations at their Easter Vigil this year.

One X user wrote that their Easter Vigil lasted half an hour longer than previous years due to the length of time needed to baptise so many Catechumens.

It’s too early to get the official figures from most dioceses to back up such anecdotal evidence, but numbers coming out of France seem to confirm this trend. It is reported that 7,135 adults were baptised in French Catholic Churches this Easter – double the number from 20 years ago – with just over a third of them being aged 18-25 years old. For a country that has just enshrined abortion into its constitution, this is definitely a move in the right direction.

But it wasn’t just reports of baptisms that filled social media this Easter; stories of packed parishes filled to the rafters for the entirety of the Triduum were commonplace. Online accounts of “standing room only” and overflowing overflow-areas seemed to be the norm.

Some said it was the highest Easter Mass attendance they had seen in 25 years. Westminster Cathedral was so full on Good Friday that it was reported security personnel had to turn people away. These stories spanned everywhere from Ireland to Indonesia.

Continued below.

Did we just see the budding shoots of a Christian revival this Easter? - Catholic Herald

The Easter edition of the Spectator took a rather upbeat stance on the State of Christendom, with Justin Brierley setting out his argument that we are seeing a Christian revival in England. Drawing on the much-reported religious experience of historian Tom Holland, he said that he could “see...

catholicherald.co.uk

 

[Michie]

Westminster Cathedral forced to turn people away due to unprecedented numbers attending Easter Triduum...

 

[AlexB23]

…Baptisms in 2024

The Easter edition of the Spectator took a refreshingly upbeat stance on the State of Christendom, with Justin Brierley setting out his argument that we are seeing a Christian revival in England.

Drawing on the much-reported religious experience of historian Tom Holland, he said that he could “see signs that he [God] is moving in the minds and hearts of secular intellectuals”. Brierley ended his piece on an optimistic note, quoting G.K. Chesterton’s observation that “Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave”.

Perhaps the most unexpected intellectual to have recently expressed positive rumblings on the value of Christianity to society was none other than the scientist Richard Dawkins, going so far as to even describe himself on LBC as a “cultural Christian”. Perhaps Brierley is onto something?

On Easter morning, it was a great pleasure to open X (formerly Twitter) to see ecstatic posts from newly baptised Catholics expressing their joy at having been received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. Moving images of Tammy Peterson, wife of the famous and controversial public intellectual Dr. Jordan Peterson, being received at Holy Rosary Church in Toronto, swept across Catholic corners of the internet.

Tammy Peterson was joined by countless others across the world who “took the plunge” at the Easter Vigil. This happens every year, but did we see a higher rate in 2024? Anecdotal evidence suggests so.

It was reported that one US parish in Auburn, Alabama, saw an astonishing 82 people being received into the Church. Another person in Florida claimed they had 50 baptisms and 30 confirmations at their Easter Vigil this year.

One X user wrote that their Easter Vigil lasted half an hour longer than previous years due to the length of time needed to baptise so many Catechumens.

It’s too early to get the official figures from most dioceses to back up such anecdotal evidence, but numbers coming out of France seem to confirm this trend. It is reported that 7,135 adults were baptised in French Catholic Churches this Easter – double the number from 20 years ago – with just over a third of them being aged 18-25 years old. For a country that has just enshrined abortion into its constitution, this is definitely a move in the right direction.

But it wasn’t just reports of baptisms that filled social media this Easter; stories of packed parishes filled to the rafters for the entirety of the Triduum were commonplace. Online accounts of “standing room only” and overflowing overflow-areas seemed to be the norm.

Some said it was the highest Easter Mass attendance they had seen in 25 years. Westminster Cathedral was so full on Good Friday that it was reported security personnel had to turn people away. These stories spanned everywhere from Ireland to Indonesia.

Continued below.

Did we just see the budding shoots of a Christian revival this Easter? - Catholic Herald

The Easter edition of the Spectator took a rather upbeat stance on the State of Christendom, with Justin Brierley setting out his argument that we are seeing a Christian revival in England. Drawing on the much-reported religious experience of historian Tom Holland, he said that he could “see...

catholicherald.co.uk

Ok. It is good that Easter is bringing more Christians in. At my church on Easter, several young people (20+ years old) became Catholic, and accepted Christ into their hearts.


Here is a summary of the article:

The article by Philip Campbell, published in the Spectator on April 3, 2024, takes an optimistic view of the state of Christendom and the revival of Christianity in England. Justin Brierley argues that there are signs of God moving in the hearts and minds of secular intellectuals, as evidenced by the unexpected expression of positivity towards Christianity from figures like historian Tom Holland and scientist Richard Dawkins.

The article also reports on anecdotal evidence of a higher number of baptisms at the Easter Vigil this year, with significant increases in France and the United States. Parish attendance was also reported to be at record highs, with many churches filled to capacity or even overflowing.

Mr. Brierley suggests that this surge in interest in Christianity may be due to a growing hunger for faith amidst the confusion of modernity and the disintegration of traditional values. He also notes that the certainties of the Western liberal order are no longer taken for granted, and that people are seeking deeper meaning and connection in their spiritual lives.

Brierley also encourages a welcoming response to those who are drawn to the Church, viewing it as an opportunity for renewal and restoration in the midst of societal fracture. He emphasizes that it is never too late for people to realize the error of their ways and repent, including those who have contributed to the decline of Christianity in the past. Overall, the article presents a hopeful perspective on the future of Christendom and the potential for spiritual revival.

 

[RileyG]

Glory to God!