Young people in Philadelphia area join Catholic Church at Easter as interest in the faith surges

Korey Francis can connect the dots on important moments in his faith.

And he wanted more.

"I started going to Mass more with my grandmother, and that really sparked the idea for me to get baptized," he said

Francis, along with the Schaffer sisters, Abigail and twins Caralyn and Jillian, were all baptized into the Catholic Church at Easter.

A dozen students from Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast High School in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, became full members of the Catholic Church.

"It was such a long-waited experience," Abigail Schaffer said. "And it was like, I'm so excited for this, but then the time finally came, I was like, oh my gosh, this is really happening, I'm actually joining the faith."

"For my sisters, we were all in the school together, and it was a communal decision for the three of us, that we wanted to do it together at the same time," Caralyn Schaffer said.

Sean Smith, the school's campus minister, said the students attended some 20 classes in a rigorous preparation process.

"To see that all culminate to them receiving the sacraments and earning what they really worked for is really beautiful," Smith added.

The number of people becoming full members of the Roman Catholic Church surged this year.

Figures provided to CBS News Philadelphia from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia show a 60% spike this year compared to last year.

Philadelphia isn't alone.

And some church scholars are calling it something of a revival.

"Even in the world, the conversion numbers are up," Smith said. 

The Rev. Dennis Gill, rector of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, said research points to children of people no longer practicing their Catholic faith as a large component of new membership, among other things. 

"People are looking for the truth, they have a sense that God is important, they want to have an active relationship with God," Gill said,

"What is the culture offering?" Gill added. "The confusion in the world on so many things. I think you have to have a huge picture here to answer the question why this is happening."

For Francis, the experience of becoming a baptized Catholic was emotional. 

"You feel like finally you're part of the family," he said. "Now, I can share my experiences to bring more people into the church.