In the heart of Princeton University’s campus, a group of young Catholics attends Mass every weekday at noon, finding solace in their faith and community. The students gather at the Princeton University Chapel, a Gothic building that hosts interfaith services, concerts, and weddings throughout the academic year.

For Logan Nelson, a student who converted to Catholicism last year, the daily Mass is a source of comfort and strength. “I feel that people’s faith is so strong here,” Nelson said. “It feels like a home — even more so than my own house.” The Catholic community at Princeton is tight-knit and welcoming, with students from diverse backgrounds coming together to practice their faith.

When news broke of the election of the first U.S.-born pope, the Catholic students at Princeton were overjoyed. “It was electric,” Nelson said, describing the moment they heard the news. “There was uproar in the room when Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost became the 267th pontiff.” The students hope that the new pope will help bring a revival to Catholicism in America.

According to Nelson, there’s a resurgence of Catholicism today, with people passionate about their faith. “You see people who are passionate about their faith,” Nelson said. “There’s a new wave coming, and we’re going to have more converts like me, who are coming from the ‘nones.'” The “nones” refer to people who are nonbelievers or unaffiliated with any organized religion, which comprise 30% or more of the adult population in the U.S.

For Ace Acuna, a Princeton alumnus, the election of the new pope brings hope for the future of the Catholic Church. “Something that did bring me a lot of hope is Pope Leo has a missionary background,” Acuna said. “In a world where in some places it might look like faith is on the decline, a church that’s willing to go out to the margins and evangelize and be on mission, that’s going to be so important.”

The Princeton University Chapel is a sacred space for Catholic students, providing a refuge from the busy and often secular campus life. “Princeton is a very busy place, and there’s a lot of noise both externally and internally,” Acuna said. “Sometimes you just want silence, and you just want a place where you can lay down your burdens.”

The Catholic community at Princeton is not isolated from the rest of the university, with students participating in sports teams, clubs, and other activities. According to Eric Gregory, a professor of religion at Princeton, the university has always had a vibrant and diverse religious community. “In a way, it’s either so secular or even post-secular that it’s not threatened by the Christian presence on campus,” Gregory said. “Religious students on our campus are not cloistered from campus. They’re also in sports teams, clubs, and the newspaper. They’re integrated.”