Youth Adults and College Students Entered the Church at Easter Vigil- AD Today

Hundreds of Catechumens from across the Diocese of Allentown received Sacraments this year at the Easter Vigil on April 19, many of whom were young adults and college students.

In an article from the New York Post, the author highlighted the growth of Catholicism across the world. More youth are entering the Church than in previous years, and they are seeking tradition, reverence, and the unchanging truths of the Catholic Church.

During the 2024-25 academic year at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Father Stephan Isaac, Chaplain of Lehigh University and Bethlehem Catholic High School, walked alongside 10 catechumens and brought them into the fullness of the faith at the Easter Vigil.

Five of those students were being Baptized for the first time, two were Protestants becoming Catholic, and three others were receiving their final Sacrament of Initiation into the Church through Confirmation.

While it was his first year at the university as a chaplain, he could not be more thrilled to take on the special privilege of helping those on Lehigh’s campus thrive in the faith.

“The Holy Spirit is doing great and amazing things among this generation (Gen Z),” said Father Isaac. “I’m inspired and deeply encouraged by the strong and beautiful faith of these college students and their desire to love and serve the Lord and His Church.”

Daniel Batrachenko is a native of New Jersey and a third-year student at Lehigh. Batrachenko previously had no faith background and entered the Church receiving Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion.

“There wasn’t one single moment when I suddenly knew I wanted to become Catholic, but rather a journey,” said Batrachenko.

“Once I committed to going to Mass every Sunday and reading the Bible, I slowly started to develop a relationship with God. At first, I was just learning and trying to understand, but over time, I began to feel God’s presence in my life. The more I prayed, read, and engaged with the faith, the more I realized that this was the path I wanted to take.”

He attributed his eventual journey to faith first to his high school girlfriend, now his fiancée, and to campus ministry.

He is thankful for the opportunities given to him through campus ministry, which connected him to other students who were on similar journeys.

Benjamin Borsuk, a senior at Lehigh from Effort, Pa., previously considered himself a nondenominational Protestant. At the Easter Vigil, he received Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion.

“At Lehigh’s club fair, I was looking for an Orthodox Christian club for my roommate, who is Greek Orthodox. As I walked past the various Christian organization tables, a friend of mine called out to me from behind the Lehigh Catholic table. This led to me talking with some of the FOCUS missionaries and Father Isaac, who invited me to a Wednesday Mass at Lehigh’s Newman Center,” said Borsuk.

Catholicism first interested him when his sister began attending Bethlehem Catholic High School. While that was the first Mass he ever attended, he continued to go back to Mass and campus ministry week after week. Eventually, it led him to join the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (O.C.I.A.) on campus.

In addition to the 10 college students, Father Isaac received eight students from Bethlehem Catholic High School into the Church along with the Lehigh students at the Easter Vigil.

The following universities also welcomed individuals into the fullness of the Catholic Church:

DeSales University: Chaplain Father Daniel T. Lannen guided eight students who were initiated into the Church on April 27th.
Kutztown University: Chaplain Father Matthew J. Kuna accompanied one student joining the Church during Easter Vigil.
Lafayette College: Chaplain Father Guency Isaac and Campus Minister Zelenda Hodgskin supported three students in their journey into the Church.
Muhlenberg College: Chaplain Father Keith A. Mathur and Campus Minister Genevieve O’Connor assisted three students as they were received into the Church.

If you are or anyone you know is a college student interested in joining campus ministry or entering the Catholic Church, contact Zelenda Hodgskin, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, at zhodgskin@allentowndiocese.org.