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called to glory: diocesan youth attend ncyc

Story and photos by Julie Durr
Special to The Messenger

(Editor’s note: Julie Durr from St. Joseph’s in Marion went to NCYC and sent us this story with photos.)

Streaming videos and pictures cannot capture the immenseness or the spirit of the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). Neither can those pictures or videos capture the sense of shared joy and peace that was present in the connections made between the youth, clergy, presenters, parents and chaperones. NCYC is an experience of active faith.

On Nov. 17, exactly 296 members of the Belleville Diocese joined over 23,000 of the young church at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., for the opening session of NCYC. During the opening session, those present were challenged to search for God in everyone they meet including the hotel staff, those they disagree with and in the people standing next to them. A sense and an awareness of the awe of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit permeated the stadium as the young church stood 23,000 strong singing and proudly lifting up praises to God. Emily Bleyer from the Carbondale Youth Group summed it up best: “I never thought I would be in the same room with nearly 23,000 other Catholics rejoicing with pride about God. It was an amazing experience and I can’t wait to go back in 2013!” This however, was just the beginning.

Participants were immersed in music, joyful noises, dancing and movement on the stage and all around as they gathered for the opening sessions.

The theme-focused, “Called to Glory,” opening and closing sessions included Scripture, prayer, keynote presentations and animators. The animators with dance and movement created visual demonstrations of the Scripture. As Daniel Sherwood explained: “The animators were a vital part of NCYC because they sent the message out in a way that everyone, especially the youth, could relate to.”

It was almost more impressive when the 23,000 as one went into a prayerful “sacred silence” during one of the closing sessions.

The Friday evening service closed with an ancient contemplative prayer form, the Lectio Divina. In the fourth step or the contemplation stage, everyone was inspired by a sand art story performed by Joe Castillo. Joshua Durr from Marion noted, “The sand art was phenomenal and a highlight of the whole conference for me.”

After the opening sessions, the crowd moved to the Indiana Convention Center. Throughout the conference in the Center, there were a variety of activities and opportunities to explore topics of faith and/or meet and interact with others including workshops, a dance, a comedy club, Eucharistic adoration, liturgy opportunities, areas for reconciliation and mediation. Another large part of the convention experience was the Thematic Park.

The Thematic Park contained a creative zone for faith expression through the arts via different mediums including clay, colors, pens, pastels and paints. In addition, service projects were completed in the Thematic Park. The whole NCYC group was divided into 14 geographical regions, and each region was asked to bring food or other items for the local food pantries. Large bins of donations were collected and displayed.

Other ongoing service projects continued throughout the conference including baking cookies for prisoners, knitting scarves for foster care teens, sewing baby blankets for agencies that help with teen pregnancies and book donations for foster care. The Thematic Park had a Marketplace, staged performances in a café-like setting, a Bishop’s booth where the young church could interact with bishops and a vocations area where they could learn about communities and a calling to be a priest, brother or sister.

Interaction with others was encouraged by trading S.W.A.G. (Stuff We All Get) such as, hats, T-shirts, bracelets, pins and necklaces. Trading items gave those who might usually be shy or reticent a safe and easy way to bridge a conversation with others from all over the United States.

The general sessions, music, animated faith, trading swag and workshops led up to one of the most intense and moving moments of NCYC, the closing Mass. It began with a procession of 250 priests, 30 deacons, eight bishops and 173 seminarians all robed in white. When the 23,000 in unison throughout the Mass responded as one with “Amen!” it was a spirit filled and inspired moment of hope and joy in a vibrant and living faith. Harrison Barr from Carbondale described his experience: “I’ve never felt closer to God and the members of my faith than when singing songs at the ceremonies and at Mass.”

Even though this was a youth conference, adult chaperones and parents also found inspiration and hope. Chaperone Paula Ray from St. John the Baptist Church in Red Bud said, “Some Catholics worry about the church’s future and the hands that will someday hold it. At NCYC, I saw the young church’s hands, all praying, holding, receiving, giving and lifting in unrestrained worship with an energy and fervor I have never seen before. Now, more than ever I am excited to see the good works of these ready and willing hands.”

Youth leader, Jeff Goffinet said, “Seeing so many youth affirming our clergy was a sight I will never forget.”
The message of the conference, the workshops, the music and the Mass was that each us is called to glory and we are called to discover that glory and share it. NCYC is an experience and as Jessica Rauch from Marion concludes, “When everyone comes together as one to celebrate their life with God, it’s truly amazing.”