Imagine a moment of silent reflection as teens, surrounded by the hum of prayer and the flicker of candlelight, grapple with the profound message that they are “not problems to be solved, but mysteries to be encountered.” It’s a realization that sparks a cascade of emotions—joy, acceptance, and a sense of belonging that transcends the challenges of adolescence.

“Everything changed for me at that moment,” said Daniella Guevara, 16, who traveled to the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) with her youth group from St. Joseph of The Palisades Parish in West New York. “The prayer sessions felt welcoming; I felt like I could fully be myself with complete strangers. The atmosphere was so calm yet so full of strong feelings for our faith.”

At NCYC, held this year from Nov. 16 – 18 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, 12,000 teens from around the country gathered for a spiritual transformation that would lead to self-discovery and outward connection. The two-day conference featured dynamic speakers including theologian Father John Kartje delivering the keynote, Brian Butler discussing St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body; Sister Jude Andrew Link, O.P.; and Catholic singer ValLimar Jansen. The event also showcased a concert by the Christian rock duo For King and Country.

Nearly 12,000 youth from around the country gathered at Lukas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the opening night of the National Catholic Youth Conference on Nov. 16. (Photo provided by Richard Donovan)

Almost 60 high school-aged youth from the Archdiocese of Newark attended the conference this year, accompanied by youth ministers and religious from around the archdiocese. This year’s trip marked the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that archdiocesan youth attended the annual conference.

The conference theme, “Fully Alive,” urged teenagers to undertake a voyage of self-discovery, directing their attention away from themselves and encouraging them to forge meaningful connections with others through their faith, according to Rich Donovan, Assistant Director of the Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

Donovan said the youth found it to be a deeply meaningful experience to come together in the same venue slated for the National Eucharistic Congress in July 2024, creating a more profound connection to Christ for the teenagers.

Connecting with others through faith

Following an opening prayer from Archbishop of Indianapolis Charles C. Thompson, Father Kartje spoke of the importance of seeking connections with others through Christ. He told the teens to pull out their phones and call someone they love, to connect with them in the same way that Christ calls on Catholics to take up their cross and follow Him.

The sight of a teenager with a cell phone in their hand is nothing novel, these days. Data from the Pew Research Center shows that 95 percent of American teens own personal devices, and 98 percent of 12-17-year-olds are active on social media platforms. Yet, although youth are more digitally connected than ever, excessive phone usage can contribute to a sense of isolation among teens. According to research from New York Presbyterian Health, prolonged engagement with social media may increase levels of depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal, particularly in the younger demographic.

Nevertheless, when Father Kartje encouraged the audience to use their phones as a means to spread love and foster a Christ-centered connection with others, the impact was profound.

Participants from the St. Joseph of The Palisades youth group explored the NCYC exhibition hall, where Catholic musicians, entertainers, religious communities, colleges and universities, artists, service organizations, and more were on display. (Photo provided by Daniella Guevara)

“The person you called is probably feeling loved right now,” Father Kartje remarked afterward. “The reason something special happened at that connection is because of what you see in the monstrance. That’s why Christ came into the world — the one who does all of this is love.”

Guevera, who called up her two closest friends, said that the exercise showed her“that faith is everywhere and that it could be hidden in the most oblivious places… which made me want to connect to almost everyone and everything.”

The exercise emphasized the conference’s theme – doing everything with Christ in mind and sharing Christian love with others to become “fully alive.”

George Peyrouton, a 16-year-old youth group member at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, said that the message he took away from the conference was “to not be lukewarm and kind of follow what Christ has taught us, but instead fully accept and embrace it.”

Teens now prepared to take Christ with them

Upon their return from the conference, the teenagers are eager to share the valuable insights gained at NCYC with their communities.

Reflecting on Archbishop Thompson’s opening prayer, Guevera said, “Sometimes in school, we have discussions about love and identity, and I truly believe that the Archbishop’s words will profoundly resonate with some of my classmates on both emotional and spiritual levels.”

In his opening prayer, Archbishop Thompson shared his “favorite line” from Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si’: On Care of Our Common Home” — “rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise” — saying the message applies to the teens’ lives as well.

“Whatever pains in our lives, whatever is going on, whatever hurts, whatever guilt, whatever fears, whatever anxieties, whatever it is—that does not define us,” he said.

As a youth mental health crisis grips the nation, the archbishop’s message was important. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), mental health issues among adolescents are on the rise. In 2021, one CDC study reported that 42% of students consistently felt sad or hopeless, while 29% reported struggling with poor mental health. Some conference participants said they walked away from the conference with a renewed attitude about mental health challenges, such as anxiety and depression.

Peyrouton said that attending the conference helped him to fully embrace how he felt about God, “to put faith in Him” and “to stop worrying” about matters that are beyond his control.

Ultimately, the NCYC catalyzed personal growth, spiritual connection, and a renewed sense of purpose for Catholic teens, empowering them to fully embrace their faith and share the love of Christ with the world.

Featured image: Daniella Guevara snaps a selfie with Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minn., on Nov. 18, following the closing Mass of NCYC, of which he was the principal celebrant. (Photo provided by Daniella Guevara)