Youth gather in Houston, Texas to celebrate their Catholic faith

Houston, TX - In November a delegation of 412 youth and 114 adult leaders, along with Bishop John C. Nienstedt from the Diocese of New Ulm, attended the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Houston, TX. More than 23,000 high school age teens and their adult leaders from all over the nation gathered to celebrate their faith at the "River of Life" celebration sponsored by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry and hosted by the diocese of Galveston-Houston.

Keynote speakers at the event included Bud Welch, a death penalty opponent whose daughter was killed in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and Craig Kielburger, a 20 year-old advocate for children’s rights. Christian musician Rachel Lampa performed a concert Nov. 14.

Three-hundred participants gathered the second day of the conference to discuss a myriad of social justice issues with adult facilitators which included more than 30 bishops.

When not participating in the general sessions of the conference, the youth had a wide variety of options. Concurrent sessions tackling issues like violence, social justice and relationships were conducted by various presenters and musicians. The young people could also volunteer for causes, visit vendors, listen to music, play basketball and volleyball, or take part in other interactive experiences. For quiet time or prayer, a chapel was constructed in Reliant Arena. Visiting priests were available for the sacrament of reconciliation.

According to participant Susan Verly from Marshall, MN, "NCYC was a fantastic experience. I found myself surrounded by thousands of other youth who share the same love for Christ and for the Roman Catholic Church. This experience gave me an amazing feeling that cannot be explained in words. From the minute our group walked though the stadium doors, we all felt the same excitement for Christ."

On the last day of NCYC all the youth and adults at the conference celebrated the Eucharist together. "One of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had was to hear 23,000 people sing the Creed, said Verly. Celebrating my faith with so many others has helped me to appreciate how important it is that we share our faith with each other, for it is in one another that we find Jesus Christ."