INDIANAPOLIS – This past weekend, Nov. 20-22, over 100 teens from the Diocese of Gary joined thousands of Catholics across the United States in Indianapolis for the 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). The event combined faith, fellowship and inspiration over three days of sessions, workshops and prayer experiences. This year, the conference marked a historic milestone: a live telecast Q&A with Pope Leo XIV, the first time a pope has addressed the NCYC audience in this manner.
The NCYC schedule reflected the energy and inspiration of the weekend. Thursday night kicked off with attendees immersing themselves in the conference theme, “I Am/Yo Soy,” which focused on personal encounter with Christ and empowered discipleship.
Friday morning, the historic digital encounter with Pope Leo XIV took place at Lucas Oil Stadium, where more than 16,000 youth gathered. The pope spoke live from the Vatican and answered questions submitted by the youth in real-time, addressing topics ranging from distraction in prayer to artificial intelligence, mental health and vocations. Following the pope’s address, Eucharistic Adoration allowed thousands of young people to spend quiet time before the Blessed Sacrament, reflecting on the day’s message.
Bishop Robert McClory, who celebrated a private Mass with the Diocese of Gary youth on Friday afternoon, reflected on the Pope’s address.
“Pope Leo encouraged us in our faith. He reminded us to stay focused on Jesus and to live the life of a disciple,” he said. “It really was in real time…you had the sense that the pope was talking to us…in our own language and our own dialect. That personal connection was incredible.”
During the Pope’s Q&A session, the pontiff addressed a common challenge in spiritual life: distraction during prayer. Bishop McClory recounted that Pope Leo told the youth, “Let the distraction linger for a bit, let it go away, and then return to praying with the Lord.” The bishop reflected, “It was very practical for me because I need more tips to pray better. And who better to help me than the pope?”
Beyond prayer, Pope Leo addressed the emotional and mental health challenges that many young people experience. He acknowledged that youth often feel sad, anxious or overwhelmed and encouraged them to bring those feelings to God in prayer.
The pope acknowledged technology’s potential for good, highlighting how it can help young people pray, read the Bible and deepen their understanding of the faith. At the same time, he cautioned against letting screens and digital devices replace real-life encounters with others, especially the Sacraments and in-person relationships. When speaking specifically about artificial intelligence, Pope Leo described it as “a defining feature of our time” and urged youth to use it responsibly.
“Be careful that your use of AI does not limit your true human growth,” he said. “Use it in such a way that, if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think, create and act on your own. Remember: AI can never replace the unique gift that you are to the world.”
Throughout the weekend, Bishop McClory noticed the energy and joy of the youth. During Mass, he asked how many he had confirmed, and nearly every hand went up, and he noted how alive the Holy Spirit was in the youth.
“Our young people are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring that energy back to the people of Northwest Indiana,” he said.
Bishop McClory emphasized that priests should encourage youth to pray and give a joyful witness of the faith, so that whether youth pursue priesthood, religious life, marriage or a single vocation, they can live fully as joyful Christians.
Other memorable moments throughout the week included a morning session featuring Bishop Joseph Espaillat of the Archdiocese of New York, who encouraged young Catholics to continue living out their faith boldly. Emcees Gian Gamboa, a Catholic speaker and musician, and Sister Elfie Del Rosario, known as “the Happy Nun,” kept the energy high, engaging the crowd and guiding participants through each session. The event culminated in a closing session filled with music, prayer and shared declarations of joy, ending with Mass in Lucas Oil Stadium, a venue usually reserved for a very different kind of Sunday tradition.
Adult leaders played an important role throughout NCYC. Mark Chargualaf, a youth minister at St. Paul Catholic Community in Valparaiso, said, “What has been most exciting here has been the general sessions…the speakers that brought so much energy to the conference. I’m just really hoping to bring that spirit of joy…back to the diocese.”
Youth participants described the conference as transformative. Anthony Knowlton shared how the Pope’s words impacted him. “The way he said that we’re like the future of the Church. We’re also the Church now…We don’t have to wait ‘til we grow up to get better and better…I’d say start now. Start purifying ourselves, making ourselves stronger, spreading the Good News of the Gospel.”
He added, “I’m definitely planning on taking away just a much stronger faith, stronger like strength in my faith and that sense of evangelization I want to share with other people.”
Several attendees highlighted the sense of community NCYC fosters. James Mark, from Queen of All Saints in Michigan City, said he came “to find other people like me, to believe in the same things as me…like a sense of community.”
Amelia Arnold, also from Queen of All Saints, noted that the conference helped her “understand my faith deeper…through the speakers…it’s enlightening to me a lot more.”
First-time attendee Grace Haverstock said, “The youth aren’t just the future of the Church. We are the present of the Church. And that really stuck out to me. I’ve grown a lot in my faith, and I’ve met a lot of other people like me. It’s been a great experience. I would tell anyone thinking about coming next time to definitely come…be open and allow God to speak to you in any way possible.”
Youth in leadership roles found the conference meaningful as well. Joseph Bojda, of St. John the Evangelist and a member of the National Youth Advisory Council, said that serving on the council has already broadened his sense of the Church’s mission. Earlier this year, he traveled with the council to Ghana to visit Catholic Relief Services projects, an experience he described as “awe-inspiring…to see how much the Church truly cares for everybody, not just our own Catholics, but for everybody around the globe.”
At NCYC, Bojda also had the unique opportunity to speak on the main stage before 16,000 fellow teens, but he emphasized that, at its core, his experience was the same as everyone else’s.
“We’re all here for the same reason: to worship God.”
He added that one of the biggest messages he is taking home is the reminder that “you are who God wants you to be…you aren’t a mistake. God created you for a specific reason.”
For Bishop McClory, the hope is that the spirit of the weekend will continue to burn brightly back in the Diocese of Gary.
“If we help our young people learn how to pray and to live the life of faith, they’re going to be better able to hear the Word of God…and carry the joy of the Holy Spirit back to their parishes,” he said.
The conference reinforced a clear message: the Church is alive in its youth today, and the time to act is now. Pope Leo XIV reminded them, “You are the youth of the Church now. Do not think you are only the future.”
Caption: Students from Bishop Noll Institute pose for a picture with Bishop Robert J. McClory after a Diocese of Gary Mass during NCYC 2025 in Indianapolis. (Miguel Arteaga photo)
