Catholic Conference Sees Record Turnout of Young Participants

This year’s SEEK 2026 conference for young Catholics has set a remarkable record, attracting over 26,000 attendees spread across several venues. Church leaders believe this impressive turnout indicates the sustained vibrancy of the Catholic Church.

Scott Hahn, a well-known theologian and author, noted that the conference saw a 24% increase in attendance compared to last year. The theme for this year’s event was “Towards Higher Levels,” inspired by St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, a recently canonized saint and patron of youth and athletes.

SEEK is an initiative organized by FOCUS, a Catholic outreach group that supports more than 200 universities and about 20 parishes. This year, 11,744 students from FOCUS-affiliated universities participated, which reflects a 9% increase from last year. Additionally, there were 2,752 students from non-FOCUS schools, marking a significant 64% rise.

Interestingly, Columbus, Ohio, garnered the most participants with over 16,100, followed by Fort Worth and Denver, which had 5,907 and 4,503 attendees, respectively. Notably, 58 Catholic bishops were present, the highest number in the conference’s history, up from 46 the previous year.

Bishop Earl Fernandez of the Diocese of Columbus praised the energy and size of the conference, underscoring a rejuvenated church community. He mentioned that, contrary to common perceptions of an aging church with declining numbers, the Catholic population in Columbus has doubled in the last three and a half years, with a younger demographic becoming increasingly engaged in their faith.

Fox News Digital has reached out to both FOCUS and Bishop Fernandez for further comments.