Reception figures highlight those new to Christianity

There is a growing proportion of catechumens, or unbaptised people, and an increasing number of children asking to be received into the Catholic Church this Easter. There are a number of factors behind the trend, although one reason for the increase in people under 16 may be that parents want to get their children into local secondary schools, according to one Catechesis adviser.

The latest nationwide figures, from the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) also show that at least one diocese, Southwark, has had significantly more catechumens than candidates for a number of years.

In London’s Southwark, there are 212 catechumens compared to 177 adult candidates, that is people who were previously baptised into another Christian denomination, this Lent. This is in part due to the large influx of migrant communities in south London, particularly those from formerly communist or Pentecostal backgrounds, according to Mark Nash, the director of the Centre for Catholic Formation.

“We have also had spouses of Catholic partners and whole families coming over from Africa, finding their way to … a home in the Catholic Church and then all getting baptised together,” he said.

Other dioceses also saw the gap continue to close. In Cardiff there were 26 catechumens to 33 candidates while in Birmingham there were 80 catechumens to 106 candidates. Westminster, London, followed the trend with 260 catechumens to 308 candidates.
The number of children under 16 who are receiving the sacraments is also continuing to grow.

In Arundel and Brighton nine children will be received into the Catholic Church this year, compared to none in 2016. One explanation for the increase,  “common to other parishes around the country” is “the desire for children to gain admission to the successful Catholic secondary school in the town”, said David Wills, the Evangelisation and Catechesis adviser. Another reason is that baptism can also be delayed by some parents who no longer see it as imperative and do not have a significant commitment to the Christian faith. In Nottingham this year there were 23 child catechumens and three candidates, while Northampton has nine child catechumens and Liverpool has six catechumens and two candidates.