The Catholic SEEK 2026 conference has recorded record attendance this year, surpassing 26,000 participants in three U.S. cities, which represents a 24% increase compared to the previous edition. This is what the event organizers have reported, as covered by EWTN News.
The gathering, organized by the FOCUS association (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), was held until January 5, 2026, simultaneously in Columbus (Ohio), Denver (Colorado), and Fort Worth (Texas). Of the three venues, Columbus was the one that gathered the largest number of attendees, with more than 16,100 registered, compared to 5,907 in Fort Worth and 4,503 in Denver.
The organizers have highlighted that the growth has occurred in almost all participation categories. In total, 11,744 students from campuses affiliated with FOCUS registered this year, representing a 9% increase compared to 2025, when the conference was held in Salt Lake City and Washington D.C. This figure is joined by another 2,752 students from universities not affiliated with FOCUS, a 64% increase compared to the previous year.
SEEK 2026 has also recorded unprecedented participation from the ecclesiastical hierarchy. A total of 58 Catholic bishops attended the conference, the highest figure in the event’s history, compared to 46 last year. Likewise, the presence of seminarians has increased by 43%, according to data provided by the organization.
Bishop Earl Fernandes, of the Diocese of Columbus, emphasized the importance of the event as a sign of ecclesial vitality, especially among young people. Fernandes, who played a key role in bringing SEEK to Ohio, stated that the conference offers a very different image from the usual narrative about the decline of the Church.
“Sometimes it is said that the Church is old and that the temples are empty,” the bishop noted. “In our diocese, the Catholic population has doubled in the last three and a half years, and it is getting younger. There are many young adults on fire with faith, and something is happening.”
As the prelate added, the growth observed in SEEK reflects a deeper hunger among young people for meaning, community, and encounter with Christ.