Youths from St. Alphonsus Parish in Mount Pleasant pose with a cardboard cutout of Pope Leo XIV at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis last month. Pictured are, from left, Molly Baker, Paige Newton, the pope, Abigail Shelangoski, Megan Newton and Linzy Striegel.
By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger
INDIANAPOLIS — An estimated 16,000 youths and adults gathered for the National Catholic Youth Conference Nov. 20-22 to celebrate their shared faith. About 370 youths and 130 adults traveled to Lucas Oil Stadium and Convention Center as part of the Diocese of Davenport’s official contingent, said Trevor Pullinger, diocesan director of faith formation and catechesis coordinator.
“I was surprised how many people were there to praise and show how much they love God,” said Aubrey Hahn of Holy Family Parish in Riverside. “When the cameras would scan the crowd of the young people you could tell they were deep in thought, that right in that moment it was only them and God. To see kids praising God was an amazing thing… you normally don’t see that.”
Organized by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, the biennial conference offers general sessions, breakout workshops, service projects, Masses, live music and opportunities for confession. Participants could step away from the hubbub and spend time in the Eucharistic adoration chapel, which has been a common feature of NCYC over the years. Adjacent to it this year was a new, additional chapel with relics of several saints.
Youths are encouraged to wear conversation-starting hats and other accessories to trade. Groups from the Diocese of Davenport donned corn hats and hot pink cowboy hats, among other festive attire. “It made the experience 10 times better,” said Abigail Shelangoski of St. Alphonsus Parish in Mount Pleasant. “I met so many new people.”
The diocesan contingent met the first evening of the conference to celebrate Mass. The following day, participants gathered in the stadium for a virtual encounter with Pope Leo XIV. During the 45-minute question-and-answer session, the Holy Father urged U.S. high school students to be intentional with their screen time, their prayer time and their involvement in the Church. He offered advice on artificial intelligence, as well as the importance of connecting with others.
That evening, youths and adults engaged in Eucharistic adoration together. “I encountered Christ throughout my entire time at NCYC, (but) one of the most impactful moments for me was the silence in the stadium during adoration,” said Sarah Burdo, a youth from St. James Parish in Washington. “It is so amazing to see almost 16,000 teens in pure silence in the presence of Jesus.”
Youths and chaperones from St. Thomas More Parish-Coralville; St. James Parish-Washington; St. Mary Parish-Solon; Holy Family Parish of Riverside, Richmond and Wellman; and St. Mary Parish-Nichols pose for a photo at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis last month.
Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez presided at the closing Mass Nov. 22. He urged participants to continue nurturing hope in their hearts. “When you feel lost, Jesus is your shepherd,” Archbishop Pérez said in his homily. “Remember that. When you feel you’re in darkness, Jesus is your light. When you feel you’re absolutely hungry and your soul is weighed down, Jesus is your bread.” Three times in his homily, Archbishop Pérez cried out a popular and historic phrase in Spanish, “Viva Cristo Rey!” (“Long live Christ the King!”). And each time, the congregation cried out the common reply, “Que viva!” (“He lives!”). St. Jose Luis Sanchez Del Rio, a Mexican farm boy, made the words famous, saying them shortly before dying as a martyr at age 14.
Bishop Dennis Walsh said he enjoyed his first NCYC, during which he concelebrated the closing Mass alongside more than 20 bishops and nearly 250 priests. Earlier in the week, he shared a meal with fellow bishops and spent time with diocesan participants. Archbishop Thomas Zinkula of Dubuque, who served as bishop of the Davenport Diocese from 2017-2023, co-facilitated a breakout session entitled “How We Are Called to Engage Sexuality with God’s Truth, Beauty and Goodness.”
Amaya Cervantes of St. Mary Parish in Pella said the conference helped her understand confession in a new way. “Instead of just confessing a sin and moving on with your life, really work to try and change your life for the better.” Paige Newton of St. Alphonsus Parish in Mount Pleasant also had a positive confession experience. “You don’t really realize what weight you’re carrying until you do it and get it off your chest. The feeling after is just something you remember. It’s great to do it there because there’s so many people to encourage you.”
Abbey Tierney of St. Thomas More Parish in Coralville said religion “has always been such a personal thing for me,” but the opportunity to worship with thousands of other teens let her know that she is not alone in her walk with the Lord. “I could truly feel the Holy Spirit. I could also feel that being a part of the Catholic Church is like being part of something so much bigger than myself.”
“I absolutely loved NCYC,” said Katie Scheckel of St. Mary Parish in Pella. “It was definitely a life changing experience that I will never forget. I feel like it was just a glimpse of what heaven looks like and it makes me excited that I might be able to be in heaven with Jesus one day. Thank you to NCYC for making this so special!”
(Sean Gallagher contributed to this article.)
