LONDON — Two major English archdioceses whose jurisdictions cover most of London have registered record numbers of adults due to be received into the Catholic Church at Easter.
The archdioceses of Westminster and Southwark revealed the numbers at their respective rites of election on Feb. 21.
In a Feb. 21 statement, the archdiocese of Westminster said the 2026 group is the “fourth largest since diocesan records began in 1993 and the highest level of participation in fifteen years.”
It noted that “after declining during the pandemic, numbers have risen significantly, with strong participation across the Diocese” and that “this year’s cohort represents a 60% increase from 2025.”
The liturgical rite, which echoes biblical themes of divine choosing, rather than their own selection of the Church, includes those already baptized in non-Catholic denominations who are seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, as well as unbaptized catechumens.
At Easter, the new converts will receive the sacraments of initiation in their parish communities: Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion.
In his homily, Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster described the gathering of names in the cathedral as “a powerful sign of the journey you have been taking — a journey that will reach
