Gen Z’ers ‘hungry for truth’: Record 52 students join Catholic Church at ASU

While Gen Z leads the rise of the religiously unaffiliated, Arizona State University is bucking the trend with a record 52 new Catholics this semester.

The school’s All Saints Catholic Newman Center recently welcomed 52 students into the Church and expects a similar number of students to join in the spring. 

Director of Campus Ministry Ryan Ayala told The College Fix via email that “Gen Zers are hungry for truth and belonging.”

“They also crave consistency and a faith that makes sense. In a world that often feels transient, they find solace in the timeless truths of the Catholic faith, a 2,000-year-old institution,” he said. 

Asked about the center’s outreach and ministry efforts, Ayala said it works to “remain public and visible.” 

This means the Newman Center team keeps a strong social media presence, shows up consistently on campus, rallies students to form real friendships with others, and intentionally builds strong relationships with ASU’s official Greek life, Latino organizations, and athletic communities, Ayala said.

“We also have a wonderfully unique setup at the corner of University and College—the busiest intersection in the entire state—where we recently installed four large, welcoming Christian mosaics facing campus,” he said. 

Moreover, he said the historic Old Church and the new sacred art in the chapel draw students in as they encounter true beauty.

“Quite simply, we want our students to experience getting to know and love Christ. When they encounter a loving union with God, who *is* love, they naturally radiate that love to others. This, in turn, makes these new Christians mini-beacons of hope across our campus,” Ayala told The Fix. 

Asked whether Newman has faced any institutional or cultural pushback, Ayala said ASU has welcomed the center and allowed “religion to have a place at the university.”

Ben Power, coordinator of the Catholic initiation process, agreed, telling The College Fix that ASU has been “unopposed” to the Newman Center and Catholic life at ASU. 

“The fact that Mary College at ASU exists (a Catholic University that offers Catholic classes for ASU credit) is a real testament” to this, he said. 

Power also told The Fix this new cohort of Catholics “has been incredibly inspiring” to the Newman Center.

“I mean 52 people became Catholic! God’s generosity is endless. The Mass was packed! Thus, not only does this show how integrated the [new] cohort is with the broader Newman Center, but also how inspiring it is to the Catholics at ASU,” he said. 

Further, Power said most students who inquire about joining the Catholic Church at the Newman Center are already convinced of the Gospel and eager to enter. They’ve typically had a personal encounter through on-campus missionaries, friends, Bible studies, or the center itself.

To help them fully integrate rather than just “learn the rules,” the Catholic initiation program requires participants to go beyond class and Sunday Mass by also joining a Bible study, taking a Mary College course, or attending the fall retreat.

“Conversion is not a rational understanding of a mathematical equation but an assent and integration into an entirely new way of living, a response to God’s call. Our hope is that this response is lived out in the context of a supportive and loving community that is the Newman Center,” he said.

ASU isn’t the only school seeing students embrace their faith.

Delight Ministries, a Christian women’s campus group started in 2012 as a small Bible study, now has over 230 chapters nationwide, The College Fix recently reported. It aims to be a steady anchor for college women facing the pull of secular culture and campus life.

The campus ministry includes a four-year-old chapter at the University of Arkansas.

“We encourage girls that the college life does not have to follow that stereotypical, movie-like plot that the world convinces us we need,” student Susan Richey, who leads the UA chapter, told The College Fix.