They Always Come Back (Catholics)

By Nisie

No person and no church is perfect or without sin. With a 2,000-year history, there will no doubt be tragedy, mistakes, and scandal, but Catholicism has prevailed through it all. In a world that is changing rapidly and sometimes feels farther from God’s influence, those who grew up in the church may have taken a step back or stopped practicing altogether. But, as some Catholics like to say, “They always come back.” And for me personally, that was true. 

I grew up with a strong dedication to God and the church, but when I turned 17, I let the influence of commentators like Bill Maher convince me that I was simply dumb for believing in such “fanatical” ideas like the holy eucharist or prayer. Armed with new modern ideas, I left the haven of God’s grace and set out on my own. I soon learned that without the haven of God’s grace, I was at the whim of evil. So, I ran back to the church – full speed. Today, I am still a practicing Catholic, although I must admit I don’t attend Mass enough. And apparently, I am not the only Catholic in Fort Worth to hear those church bells calling for me because there has been a major increase in converts. 

                 According to the National Catholic Register, Fort Worth has seen a 72% increase in new members, rising from 896 to 1,544. The Dallas diocese is also seeing an increase of over 2500 catholic converts this year. Many of the new converts are young adults (Gen Z or millennial age). The Catholic Register is pointing to a growing need for the community to explain the sudden increase of Catholic converts here in Texas. 

                  The catholic Church is the largest and oldest church with over 1.3 billion members led by the Pope from Vatican City. 2,000 years later those numbers continue to grow, currently overall there is a 38 percent increase in catholic converts. Fort Worth is helping lead the way for a growing Catholic Church. Which begs the question – could our next pope be from Texas?