“But,” said Moses to God, “if I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what do I tell them?”
God replied to Moses: I am who I am. Then he added: This is what you will tell the Israelites:
I AM has sent me to you.”
Ex. 3:13–14
On Thursday and Friday, Nov. 20 and 21, I was very blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis. I first attended NCYC many years ago, when I served as Vocation director in the Diocese of Brooklyn. Since 1993, NCYC has been an “annual three-day event for high school-aged Catholic youth in the United States. Hosted by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry … and organized with the host city’s diocese, NCYC aims to offer a transformative experience centered on prayer, community, faith, and empowerment.” For more information, you can go to the NCYC website.
On the NCYC website, you can watch a brief (90 second) “promo video” during which a young narrator says, “…when I feel disconnected, through the waters of Baptism, I am chosen; when I feel unworthy, through the Eucharist I am transformed; when I feel unsure or lost, through Confirmation I am anointed; when I feel broken, through reconciliation I am healed; when I feel purposeless, through my vocation, I am called; it is through the Sacraments that I can meet the great I AM …”
The theme for this year’s NCYC was “I AM – YO SOY” and the theme of Thursday evening’s gathering, talks, and testimonies was focused on the encounter between Moses and God at the “burning bush,” as God revealed His presence and His name while revealing to Moses that he was being called to by God to assist in God’s “rescue mission,” saving God’s people from slavery in Egypt. On Friday, the theme would be the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. I believe that Saturday would focus on the Eucharist, culminating in the closing Mass that evening. This year’s NCYC offered a “special treat.” On Friday morning, there was a unique and historic opportunity for the young people, all 17,000 in attendance and many more online, to “meet” with Pope Leo XIV by means of a “livestream” video call.
We are aware that young people face many challenges in our culture. The growing impact of technology and “screen-time” and the isolation experienced during the pandemic are among the reasons that some point to as we try to understand why so many teens struggle with their mental health. The number of teens being prescribed medication for anxiety and depression is growing at an alarming rate, so much so that they are being described by some as “The Anxious Generation.” (See: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.)
Many of us are also aware, and have been for decades, that the Church could often do better when it comes to connecting with young people, inviting them to be excited about living and practicing their faith, and encouraging them to continue practicing their faith after they receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation. Yes, we could do better, but NCYC is one of many reasons we can cite to say that “all is not lost” and the Church is “reaching” and connecting with young people, even amid all the challenges we face.
Pope Leo XIV is another reason for us to be hopeful and excited that we are “going in the right direction” as a Church, not only in our outreach to and ministry with our young people, but on many levels and in many areas. I encourage you to take the time to watch and listen to the full video of the nearly one-hour encounter between the Holy Father and the young people at NCYC – I believe that you will be able to feel the joy, enthusiasm, and mutual respect and affection that were such a gift for all those present.
There is a great deal of information and coverage of NCYC and the meeting with the Holy Father available online. One article that I think is particularly well done is available on the Catholic News Agency website. It describes “10 Takeaways from Pope Leo XIV’s address to youth at NCYC.”
Although I was not able to stay for the whole conference, I was very grateful to our Diocesan Director of Youth Ministry John Cammarata, and the pastors, parents, and leaders from four of our parishes, whose efforts allowed more than 40 young people from our diocese to attend NCYC. It was a great blessing to be with them and to meet Catholic young people and youth ministry leaders from all over the country.
As we look forward to Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Season of Advent, NCYC was a reminder to me of the gratitude that we can have for the vibrancy and enthusiasm of the “young Church.” We can also be grateful for the gift of Pope Leo XIV, for his enthusiastic, joyful witness to Hope. One example of this was his message encouraging the young people to believe that “We were made for something greater”:
“Now is the time to dream big, be open to what God can do through your lives. Being young often comes with the desire to do something meaningful, something that makes a real difference. Many of you are ready to be generous, to help those who love, to work for something greater than yourself, …
That is why it is not true that life is only about doing what feels good to yourself, makes you feel comfortable, as some people claim. Sure, comfort can be nice, but as Pope Benedict XIV reminded us: ‘We weren’t made for comfort. We were made for greatness. We were made for God himself.’
Deep down, we long for truth, for beauty, and goodness, because we were created for them.”
– Pope Leo XIV
10 Takeaways from Pope Leo XIV’s address
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Grateful and blessed to be with the enthusiastic and joyful ‘young Church’ – and for a ‘virtual encounter’ with Pope Leo XIV #Catholic –
“But,” said Moses to God, “if I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what do I tell them?”
God replied to Moses: I am who I am. Then he added: This is what you will tell the Israelites:
I AM has sent me to you.”
Ex. 3:13–14
On Thursday and Friday, Nov. 20 and 21, I was very blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis. I first attended NCYC many years ago, when I served as Vocation director in the Diocese of Brooklyn. Since 1993, NCYC has been an “annual three-day event for high school-aged Catholic youth in the United States. Hosted by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry … and organized with the host city’s diocese, NCYC aims to offer a transformative experience centered on prayer, community, faith, and empowerment.” For more information, you can go to the NCYC website.
On the NCYC website, you can watch a brief (90 second) “promo video” during which a young narrator says, “…when I feel disconnected, through the waters of Baptism, I am chosen; when I feel unworthy, through the Eucharist I am transformed; when I feel unsure or lost, through Confirmation I am anointed; when I feel broken, through reconciliation I am healed; when I feel purposeless, through my vocation, I am called; it is through the Sacraments that I can meet the great I AM …”
The theme for this year’s NCYC was “I AM – YO SOY” and the theme of Thursday evening’s gathering, talks, and testimonies was focused on the encounter between Moses and God at the “burning bush,” as God revealed His presence and His name while revealing to Moses that he was being called to by God to assist in God’s “rescue mission,” saving God’s people from slavery in Egypt. On Friday, the theme would be the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. I believe that Saturday would focus on the Eucharist, culminating in the closing Mass that evening. This year’s NCYC offered a “special treat.” On Friday morning, there was a unique and historic opportunity for the young people, all 17,000 in attendance and many more online, to “meet” with Pope Leo XIV by means of a “livestream” video call.
We are aware that young people face many challenges in our culture. The growing impact of technology and “screen-time” and the isolation experienced during the pandemic are among the reasons that some point to as we try to understand why so many teens struggle with their mental health. The number of teens being prescribed medication for anxiety and depression is growing at an alarming rate, so much so that they are being described by some as “The Anxious Generation.” (See: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.)
Many of us are also aware, and have been for decades, that the Church could often do better when it comes to connecting with young people, inviting them to be excited about living and practicing their faith, and encouraging them to continue practicing their faith after they receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation. Yes, we could do better, but NCYC is one of many reasons we can cite to say that “all is not lost” and the Church is “reaching” and connecting with young people, even amid all the challenges we face.
Pope Leo XIV is another reason for us to be hopeful and excited that we are “going in the right direction” as a Church, not only in our outreach to and ministry with our young people, but on many levels and in many areas. I encourage you to take the time to watch and listen to the full video of the nearly one-hour encounter between the Holy Father and the young people at NCYC – I believe that you will be able to feel the joy, enthusiasm, and mutual respect and affection that were such a gift for all those present.
There is a great deal of information and coverage of NCYC and the meeting with the Holy Father available online. One article that I think is particularly well done is available on the Catholic News Agency website. It describes “10 Takeaways from Pope Leo XIV’s address to youth at NCYC.”
Although I was not able to stay for the whole conference, I was very grateful to our Diocesan Director of Youth Ministry John Cammarata, and the pastors, parents, and leaders from four of our parishes, whose efforts allowed more than 40 young people from our diocese to attend NCYC. It was a great blessing to be with them and to meet Catholic young people and youth ministry leaders from all over the country.
As we look forward to Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Season of Advent, NCYC was a reminder to me of the gratitude that we can have for the vibrancy and enthusiasm of the “young Church.” We can also be grateful for the gift of Pope Leo XIV, for his enthusiastic, joyful witness to Hope. One example of this was his message encouraging the young people to believe that “We were made for something greater”:
“Now is the time to dream big, be open to what God can do through your lives. Being young often comes with the desire to do something meaningful, something that makes a real difference. Many of you are ready to be generous, to help those who love, to work for something greater than yourself, …
That is why it is not true that life is only about doing what feels good to yourself, makes you feel comfortable, as some people claim. Sure, comfort can be nice, but as Pope Benedict XIV reminded us: ‘We weren’t made for comfort. We were made for greatness. We were made for God himself.’
Deep down, we long for truth, for beauty, and goodness, because we were created for them.”
– Pope Leo XIV
10 Takeaways from Pope Leo XIV’s address
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.