Buckeye Catholic numbers soar after school kickoff

Buckeye Catholic ministry at the St. Thomas More student center near Ohio State University reported a significant increase in student attendance during the start of the 2026-27 school year. On Aug. 23, the ministry drew 1,405 students to Mass, with attendance rising to 1,613 the following weekend.

The student center offers daily Masses, which typically draw between 25 and 50 people in the morning and 75 to 100 people in the evening. The ministry also provides 50 hours of weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and daily reconciliation, including four hours of confessions on Sundays.

Andrew Kebe, the director of ministry at Buckeye Catholic, noted that many students attending Mass have not participated in the liturgy since their Confirmation or grade school years. The ministry's social media presence also grew in early September, with its Instagram page gaining more than 800 new followers and exceeding 500,000 views over the month.