Why people in Seattle are converting to Catholicism

Even in one of the U.S.'s most non-religious areas, early data suggests more people in the Seattle area are converting to Roman Catholicism. The archdiocese of Seattle keeps tallies on catechumens, which refers to a person who will be baptized, confirmed and receive Holy Communion. In 2026, the archdiocese already reports over 1070 catechumens, across more than 130 parishes, a 17 percent increase over last year and a 40 percent increase since 2024. We spoke with a handful of recent converts to Catholicism from around the Seattle area about why each of them converted, and what role faith plays in their lives now.GuestKevin Brown, Graduate Program director and a lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University. He also currently serves as the editor of the Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America.   Related LinksRoman Catholic Churches See a Surge of New Converts - The New York TimesNational Rise in Catholicism Conversions Makes its Way to the Puget Sound - The Seattle SpectatorThank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.