Diocesan youth find inspiration and fellowship at NCYC
What do you get when approximately 16,000 teenagers descend on Indianapolis for the National Catholic Youth Conference?
Crazy. Chaos. Connections. Communion.
That’s what happened Nov. 20-22 at the Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Indianapolis Colts) as youth from all over the country participated in the conference meant to foster prayer, community, evangelization and spiritual growth.
Pope Leo XIV even made a special, live appearance from Rome (a “digital encounter,” it was called) to the thunderous approval of youth in the stadium and those watching on television and online all over the world.
And the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw was right in the middle of it all as some 114 attendees — including 81 youth and 33 chaperones, priests and deacons — attended seminars, live music performances, Mass, reconciliation, Eucharistic adoration and more.
Bishop Robert Gruss greeted the youth who arrived on two buses, and he also attended several events and shared a meal with them. He was overall moved by the experience.
“To see young people in large masses praising the Lord inspires faith in others,” he said.
“I also think that beautiful encounter with our Holy Father was something that these young people will never forget.... He was right there on the big screen, speaking their language and giving them a message of hope and encouragement.”
Father Nate Harburg of Our Lady of Peace in Bay City, who joined the St. Catherine Parish youth group on the trip, said Pope Leo XIV’s appearance brought tears to his eyes, just as it did to the youth.
“One of the [other] highlights [for me] was hearing dozens of confessions of young people, some of whom had not been to confession in a long time,” he added.
“Thank you [to] all who helped me and my friends have the opportunity to experience this,” said Kaylee Radtke, a senior at Shepherd High School and member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish of Shepherd. “If I could go again, I would, if only to hear the echo of fifteen thousand people all saying ‘Amen,’ to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The following parishes were represented at the National Catholic Youth Conference:
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Midland; Blessed Trinity, Frankenmuth; Blessed Sacrament, Midland; Mary of the Immaculate Conception, St. Charles; Our Lady of Czestochowa, Bay City; Our Lady of Grace, Sanford; Sacred Heart, Mount Pleasant; Ss. Francis and Clare, Saginaw; St. Agnes, Freeland; St. Brigid, Midland; St. Catherine of Siena, Bay City; St. Dominic, Saginaw; St. Michael, Maple Grove and St. Vincent de Paul, Shepherd.
Clergy attending included
Bishop Robert Gruss, Father Nate Harburg, Father Daniel Christe, Father Christian Tabares, Father Suman Kondaveeti, Father Sunil Pallela, Father Richard John and Deacon Todd Lovas.
