This year marks the third time that I have attended the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). The first two times were as a participant. This year, I volunteered at the conference as a seminarian. To be honest, all three times were enjoyable and meaningful for me, regardless of any differences. If anything, this year might have been the best, since I was able to see the high schoolers get excited about their faith. I also ate better food this time, but that’s beside the point. Anyway, all three experiences were extremely impactful and exhilarating.

I did not attend any breakout sessions this year; instead, I worked during those times. I assisted with foot traffic or helped in the confessional area. The first job involved guiding people as they travelled from the convention center to the stadium. The second had me directing youth to one of forty priests who heard confessions. In both tasks I saw God’s hand at work, in the young church’s excitement and desire for His forgiveness. As a volunteer I got to meet more people this time. Since I was constantly guiding hordes of people around in some way, I had the chance to interact with more people from outside the state. I encountered Catholics from Alaska, Montana, and Texas, to name a few, and this proved to me how our faith is alive, across the country. I really enjoyed that opportunity. 

All three years, I attended the larger evening sessions at Lucas Oil Stadium. While in the stadium, I adored the Blessed Sacrament with over 10,000 people, celebrated Mass, and listened to testimonies of God’s grace. Another uniform aspect throughout my NCYC experiences was that I always left feeling optimistic about the Church and encouraged in my faith. How could I not? Each time, I had seen thousands of excited kids participate in liturgy, actively learn more about Catholicism, and just take over downtown Indianapolis. I could see Christ's light shining bright through every part of the conference. Though my three NCYC’s differed in some ways, I still felt God’s presence through each one of them.