Thousands of youths, including those from St. Mary Parish in Pella, foreground, listen to Pope Leo XIV during a digital encounter in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Nov. 21 during the National Catholic Youth Conference.
By Lindsay Steele,
Lauretta Brown and
Gina Christian
The Catholic Messenger
INDIANAPOLIS (OSV News) — A thunderous roar resounded through Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Nov. 21 when Pope Leo XIV appeared on a huge screen from the Vatican.
He shared a smile and words of encouragement, advice and love for the estimated 16,000 youths at the National Catholic Youth Conference.
During the 45-minute virtual encounter, Pope Leo fielded questions from five high school students: Mia Smothers from the Archdiocese of Baltimore; Ezequiel Ponce from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles; Christopher Pantelakis from the Archdiocese of Las Vegas; Micah Alcisto from the Diocese of Honolulu; and Elise Wing from the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa. Youths at home could watch the digital encounter online on EWTN and Vatican News’ networks and platforms. Some schools in the Diocese of Davenport, including Notre Dame Catholic School in Burlington and St. Vincent School in Keokuk, hosted watch parties.
Logan Vittetoe of St. Thomas More Parish in Coralville served on a national youth panel that met on Zoom in October to develop a list of questions for Pope Leo. The questions, sent to the pope in advance, touched on themes of technology use, artificial intelligence, forgiveness, hope and the Church’s future. “The most meaningful part of collaborating with teens from across the country was realizing how similar our experiences and concerns regarding the Church are, even though we all come from very different backgrounds,” Vittetoe said.
Nolan Canny, Lisa Canny and Milo Canny of St. Joseph Parish in Ottumwa, pose with a cardboard cutout of Pope Leo XIV.
Katie Prejean McGrady, host of the “Katie McGrady Show” on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel, moderated the discussion. Pope Leo started things off light by responding to a comment from McGrady that she had given the pope a pair of socks some time ago and also wanted to know what he used as an opening word when he played Wordle each day. “I use a different word for Wordle every day, so there’s no set starting word,” he said with a laugh.
Ponce asked Pope Leo for advice about perseverance in prayer amid difficult times. The pope told Ponce, “Jesus does not just understand our struggles from a distance. He actually wants us to hand them to him, because he loves us. And that kind of trust starts when we have a real relationship.” The Holy Father encouraged Eucharistic adoration and daily prayer, saying Jesus “often speaks to us gently in stillness.”
Gabriel Costello of St. Mary Parish in Wilton poses with a cardboard cutout of Pope Leo XIV during the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis last week.
“Scripture says that faithful friends are like a strong shelter and a treasure,” he added, “I hope you are forming friendships like that, even during this conference, friendships rooted in faith, rooted in love for Jesus; whether it is a trusted adult or close friend, it’s important to speak honestly about what you feel, what you think, what you experience.”
Pantelakis asked the pope for advice on technology usage. “I often find myself sitting on my phone, endlessly scrolling. I’ve also noticed that everybody around me is the same or has a very similar problem. Many adults have told me that technology is great with moderation… how do you suggest we balance all these great tools, social media, smartphones, tablets and any other devices, while also making faith connections outside of technology?”
Pope Leo replied, “Technology can really help us in many ways … it lets us stay connected with people who are far away as today when we can see and hear each other even though we’re thousands of miles apart. It also gives us amazing tools for prayer, for reading the Bible, for learning more about what we believe. And, it allows us to share the Gospel with people we may never meet in person. But, even with all that, technology can never replace real in person relationships. Simple things, a hug, a handshake, a smile. All those things are essential to being human and to have those things in a real way, not through a screen like we’re speaking this morning.”
He encouraged youths to be intentional with their screen time, like St. Carlo Acutis. “Make sure technology serves your life and not the other way around,” the pope said. “Carlo was skilled with computers and he used that talent. He used it to help people grow in their faith. He also spent time in prayer and Eucharistic adoration. He taught others, and very importantly, he served the poor. He even set time limits for himself, allowing only a certain amount of time each week for leisure on his electronic devices. Because of this discipline, he found a healthy balance and kept his priorities clear.”
The pope closed out the digital encounter with a call to action. “The world needs missionaries. It needs you to share the light and joy you have found in Jesus,” he said. “I hope everything you have experienced during the conference inspires you to love Jesus and to love the Church more deeply and that you bring that love home to your families, your friends, schools and parishes. To those of you who are with us online, this invitation is for you as well. You too are called to be missionary disciples wherever you are. The Lord invites all of you to share the good news. The good news that Jesus died for our sins, rose again and is alive today offering us his love and friendship.”
Emma Horak of St. James Parish in Washington said the virtual encounter was unforgettable. “Him telling a stadium full of young Catholics that we are the present of the Church changed my perspective about the Church and how I play a role in it. I don’t just have to go to Mass every Sunday and show my face. Instead, I can get involved and spread God’s love to those around me.”
Vittetoe believes Pope Leo took the panel’s concerns seriously and responded with dialogue that moves the conversation forward. “When Pope Leo said we aren’t the future of the Church but we are the Church now, that was incredibly powerful and showed the youths in attendance that the Church is ready for them to step up and lead.”
Watch a recording of the virtual encounter on EWTN’s YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHSWW-c-fHM.
(John Shaughnessy and Natalie Hoefer of The Criterion contributed to this story. Read next week’s Catholic Messenger for more National Catholic Youth Conference coverage.)
