In the weeks leading up to Easter, headlines pointed to a surge in Catholic conversions across the United States. But the broader data tells a more complicated story: long-term decline, ongoing disaffiliation, and a Church still losing more people than it gains. So what’s actually happening?
Curtis Martin, founder of the FOCUS, argues that both trends are real. While many cradle Catholics continue to drift away, a distinct and unexpected movement is emerging: young people, often college-educated, are discovering the faith for the first time and entering it with intensity.
In this conversation, he reflects on nearly three decades of campus evangelization, the changing cultural conditions shaping belief, and why he sees this moment not as a contradiction—but as a turning point.
At the center is a contested idea: evangelization. What it is, what it isn’t, and why—despite renewed emphasis from Church leadership—it remains widely misunderstood, even within Catholic institutions.
In this conversation, we discuss:
The role of college campuses as a strategic “entry point” for revival
Whether political polarization is driving religious interest
The influence of figures like Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan on religious curiosity
Internal tensions within the Church over how explicitly to propose the faith
Whether this moment represents a durable renewal—or a temporary spike
This is a conversation about competing narratives, institutional uncertainty, and whether or not the Catholic Church is witnessing the early stages of a genuine revival.