Year on year in Christchurch, it was typical to see only a handful of new converts, if any, according to Phil Bell, a senior leader in Christchurch’s Catholic Cathedral Parish. Mostly women with greying hair filled the pews on Sundays. However, last year, there were about 70 new converts, who skewed mostly young and mostly male. This Easter, Bell anticipates about 100 new converts, with another substantial group already on track for confirmation next Easter.
