Sydney Archdiocese welcomes record numbers at Rite of Election

The Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney said it welcomed a record number of catechumens and candidates during the annual Rite of Election at St. Mary’s Cathedral.

In a press release published Feb. 24, the archdiocese said 338 catechumens are preparing to be baptized at the Easter Vigil and “an additional 119” candidates getting ready “to be welcomed into full communion with the Catholic Church.”

Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney described the high number as “a profound sign” of the growth and vitality in the Church in Sydney and “proof that the Holy Spirit is alive and active,” the archdiocese said.

The Archdiocese of Sydney said the figures represented a significant surge in growth for the region, with the number of catechumens increasing by 35 percent and candidates by 95 percent over the last year alone.

Presiding over the Rite of Election at St. Mary’s Cathedral Feb. 22, Archbishop Fisher told the faithful present that the increase in those seeking baptisms isn’t exclusive to Sydney “but in many parts of the world right now, as more and more people say their ‘Yes’ to God.”

“There are many other signs of this, even if there are contrary declines at the same time. Each of you today, having examined the terms and conditions, is about to say ‘I’m in’ — even if some of this Christian thing is pretty demanding,” the archbishop said in his homily.

In the Rite of Election, which is held on the first Sunday of Lent, catechumens publicly express their desire for baptism, which they will receive at the Easter vigil.

In January, the Archdiocese of Paris announced a council initiative in response to a similar rise in conversions among adults and youth in France. In 2025, the archdiocese said an estimated 2,652 adults were baptized on Easter, while nationwide, an estimated 17,800 were baptized.

“Why on earth would you press ‘Accept’ in this day and age?” Archbishop Fisher asked the catechumens present. “When I asked one of you why you’d … want to become a Christian this Easter, you told me you were lost and you knew it. You didn’t know what you believed or wanted out of life. You lacked direction, purpose, hope.”

The archbishop noted that while the initial attraction for some converts was the beauty of the church, the liturgy or the Church’s message, the “intellectual and spiritual conversion came later.”

“What drew you in at first was a hunger for beauty and a friend’s encouragement,” he said.

“What drove you in was a culture not providing you with the answers, inspiration, happiness you craved. It was God’s grace giving you the courage to step towards Him. There are thousands, millions like you, each with their own story.”

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