In mid-November, 32 people from the Camden Diocese embarked on a spiritual journey across the country to attend the 2023 National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis. The group included 19 parishioners of Saint Katharine Drexel in Egg Harbor Township and 13 from Our Lady of Peace Parish in Williamstown.
NCYC is a three-day event that gathers Catholic youth from various regions for spiritual and educational activities. The conference consists of daily Mass, prayer, workshops, keynote speakers and entertainment. It aims to provide young Catholics opportunities for fellowship, worship and learning about their faith. This year, there were nearly 13,000 attendees from all over the country.
“This was my third time attending NCYC, but it was my first time attending as a mom,” said Millet LoCasale, director of youth and young adult ministries at Saint Katherine Drexel Parish, whose daughter was among those to travel to Indianapolis. “It was truly a dream come true to witness my daughter have fun in her faith.”
During one of the NCYC events, young people were asked to call one of their parents and offer thanks for supporting their faith. After calling her father, LoCasale’s daughter sent her a text thanking her mother for bringing her to the conference. “I will forever be thankful,” it read.
NCYC is an opportunity for young people to feel welcome in the presence of peers who share the same faith. “One teen mentioned that ‘the [whole] experience was refreshing,’” LoCasale said. “Teens are exposed to such a diverse group of cultures and religions in schools, and sports teams, that sometimes it can be difficult to express their faith fully.”
NCYC provides a beautiful opportunity to help those teens realize they are not alone,” she added.
“It is definitely a full day,” LoCasale said, noting that the typical day lasted from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. In the morning, there were general sessions that featured keynote speakers, breakout sessions where the assembly split into three groups for roughly one hour, entertainment from Catholic singers and other entertainers and finally night sessions that included Adoration.
Adoration, a highlight of the night sessions, was one of the most favored aspects of the conference. Everyone could pray and connect with God during each session, accompanied by calming music.
Jewel Mallari, 17, of Saint Katharine Drexel Parish said “Adoration gave me a lot of time to pray and reflect about my faith and Jesus. … With the music and everyone quietly praying, it felt like God was sitting there in front of us. I haven’t had the opportunity in the past to concentrate and reflect on my relationship with God and his impact on my life.”
NCYC was the first time Mallari had traveled across the country without her family. She said she is extremely grateful to have had the opportunity and, if given the chance, would jump at the opportunity to return. “This has been a tough year for my family,” she said. “It [NCYC] allowed me to tell God I was thankful for his helping hand and watchful eye.”
“Anyone who feels that they haven’t felt God’s presence should seriously consider attending NCYC,” Mallari continued. Because of the conference, “I think about how I am going to incorporate the activities in my everyday life with God.”
One of the breakout sessions featured this year, LoCasale remembered, featured a workshop on civil dialogue. “They [attendees] learned ways they could communicate respectfully with people who don’t share the same views as them,” she said. “It reinforced the idea that they can hear opinions without rushing to judgment.”
LoCasale said that one of the best parts of NCYC was the final Mass, in which teens were reminded to have fun in their faith. “It is easy for young people to be misguided by the stereotype that the Catholic faith is a ‘serious one.’” she said. “It was invaluable that the [celebrant] reminded us to spread joy and happiness and set an example for others to follow.”
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Want to learn more about the NCYC experience? Check out the most recent Talking Catholic podcast as pilgrims share what they took away from their faith-filled days! Visit talking.catholicstarherald.org.
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