This chapter delves into the demographics, beliefs, and experiences of U.S. Catholics, focusing primarily on the 20% of American adults who identify as Catholic.
A significant majority, 92%, of the Catholic population in the U.S. are classified as ‘cradle Catholics’—those who were raised in the faith and maintain that affiliation today. In contrast, 8% are converts—individuals who embrace Catholicism as their current religion but were not raised in the faith. Overall, this equates to approximately 1.5% of the broader U.S. adult population being converts to Catholicism.
Interestingly, data shows that converts tend to engage with the church more actively compared to cradle Catholics. They attend Mass weekly at rates of 38%, surpassing the 28% of cradle Catholics who do the same. Furthermore, 58% of converts report receiving Communion every time they attend Mass, in comparison to only 34% of cradle Catholics.
Despite these differences, the general practice of daily prayer remains similar between the two groups, with converts at 56% and cradle Catholics at 51%. There is also little distinction observed in the attendance of the Traditional Latin Mass, where 18% of converts reported participation in the last five years, slightly higher than the 13% among cradle Catholics, though this difference is not statistically significant.
The confessional habits of both groups also reveal similarities, with most respondents indicating they attend confession less than once a year, or not at all. Overall, both converts and cradle Catholics share many of the same religious practices, despite some variances in engagement.
From a demographic perspective, roughly two-thirds of converts to Catholicism are White (67%), while 20% identify as Hispanic. This contrasts with cradle Catholics, who include a lower percentage of White individuals (53%) and a higher percentage of Hispanics (37%). Notably, a significant portion of converts—about 59%—were raised as Protestants, while 22% reported not having a religious upbringing. The remainder came from other religious backgrounds or opted not to disclose their childhood faith.
Politically, Catholic converts often lean more towards the Republican Party than their cradle counterparts. Among registered Catholic voters, 60% of converts identify as Republicans or exhibit Republican leanings, compared to 52% of cradle Catholics. However, political ideology shows little variance between the two groups, with 41% of converts identifying as conservative in comparison to 36% of cradle Catholics—a difference that is not statistically significant.
An exploration into why individuals choose to convert reveals compelling insights. The predominant reason cited by nearly half of the converts (49%) is related to their spouse or partner being Catholic. Responses frequently included sentiments such as, “I married a Catholic and became Catholic after that time.”
Other motivations for converting often include alignment of personal values with Catholic teachings or a sense of belonging that Catholicism provided to individuals seeking a spiritual home.
The chapter further contrasts Catholic converts and cradle Catholics using data from both the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study (RLS) and a subsequent survey conducted in February 2025. The RLS offers a more extensive sample size, ensuring a more robust analysis of respondents. It includes 662 interviews with converts, yielding a margin of error of plus or minus 5.5 percentage points. The 2025 survey contains 148 interviews of converts to Catholicism but holds a greater margin of error at plus or minus 10.1 percentage points due to its smaller sample.
In order to fully comprehend the complexities surrounding Catholic identity in the U.S., this chapter provides a deeper look into the religious practices, demographic compositions, political orientations, and motivations behind the choices made by Catholic converts. The findings not only reflect individual journeys of faith but also illustrate broader social and cultural trends within American society.
As the Catholic Church continues to navigate shifting demographics and evolving cultural landscapes, understanding the distinct experiences of both cradle Catholics and converts becomes increasingly essential for informing the church’s mission and outreach.
In summary, this nuanced exploration showcases a richly layered tapestry of belief and belonging among U.S. Catholics, emphasizing that conversion stories are as diverse as the individuals who narrate them.
image source from：https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/06/16/profile-of-us-converts-to-catholicism/
