‘My biggest hope is that they just really encounter Jesus’: NCYC will welcome 15,000 youths to Indianapolis
Rachel Gilman, left, director of youth ministry for the archdiocese, and Avery Shewmaker, coordinator of youth ministry for the archdiocese, model some of the spirit wear that the 1,526 youths in the archdiocese will wear during the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis on Nov. 20-22. (Photo by John Shaughnessy)
By John Shaughnessy
Even as she’s in the midst of a crush of last-minute details to take care of, Rachel Gilman’s excitement still shines through as she talks about the upcoming National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis on Nov. 20-22.
The eyes of the director of youth ministry for the archdiocese light up in anticipation when the conversation turns to Pope Leo XIV’s live, digital interaction on Nov. 21 with the more than 15,000 youths from across the country who will attend the conference. It will include a 45-minute dialogue between the pope and a selected group of teenagers.
She also smiles widely when she notes that 63 groups and 1,526 youths from the archdiocese will participate in the national conference, an increase of more than 400 teenagers from the 2023 NCYC in Indianapolis.
Then her smile gives way to a serious expression when she is asked about her main hope for all the youths at the conference.
“My biggest hope is that they just really encounter Jesus,” Gilman begins. “That there’s some kind of spark or growth or discovery of what a relationship with Christ really is—and the love that he has for them individually, as who they are. I would love for every one of our youths to walk away and to deeply know, ‘I am loved by God, and I have a purpose.’ I think NCYC has the power to do that.”
She pauses for a moment before adding, “But not just have that experience, but also the desire to go and live it out, too. To not just let it stay at NCYC, but to see how it can be incorporated into their everyday life experience. And how walking in the footsteps of Christ would make their life better—for them to put that into action.”
Gilman shared that hope during a conversation with The Criterion, in the days leading up to the biennial conference, which is being held in Indianapolis for the eighth time since 2011.
Here is a slightly edited version of that conversation.
Q. You noted that there are 400 more young people from the archdiocese who will be attending NCYC this year. What does that say about the conference and what the conference hopes to create for them?
A. “People are really excited about it. It’s clearly a priority for a lot of our parishes. There’s a sense of urgency and the desire to be a part of something like this. To be a part of something where people are coming from all over the country. And the magnitude of the event.
“Our youth hear from someone who’s been there before, or the parish has a history of going. There are the stories that come out of it—of transformation, of growing in relationship with Christ—and that gets passed on. There’s the feeling like, I have to go. I only get two chances in high school since it’s every other year.
“[They] see that youth who are older than them come back and they’re on fire for their faith. Or it’s a sibling who comes back to the family, and they’re on fire. They’re witnessing, and they’re sharing what they got to do.
“For most youth, the grab is, ‘Oh my gosh, that sounds like fun!’ But I do think the reason groups keep coming back and youth are interested is because it’s deeper than just the fun. They don’t just come back and say, ‘That was so much fun.’ They say, ‘Oh my gosh, I went to reconciliation, and I had the best confession I’ve ever had in my life. I feel like a different person.’ Those are the stories that are shared.”
Q. Talk about the impact of Pope Leo XIV sharing a message with the youths in attendance.
A. “There’s definite excitement. It was so cool when they announced it, to see the impact of the ticket sales for NCYC. In one month, they were all gone. In talking to so many of our group leaders, hearing from the pope is always a huge highlight whenever we review what’s going to happen.
“People feel really special that our pope is not just sending a message or a recording, he’s going to join us live. People are like, ‘This is amazing. We’re so lucky we get to have this opportunity.’ ”
Q. The theme for the conference is, “I Am.” Talk about that theme and its meaning for you.
A. “I really like it. From what I can tell, it’s really inviting our youth to think about their identity in Christ. They have this great promo video that really breaks open all the ways their identity is tied to God. Like, ‘I am anointed through confirmation.’ ‘I am loved because we were created by God.’
“I love the open-endedness of ‘I Am.’ Discovering how God fills in the blank for them in their lives is a really cool theme. Youth want to know who they are, and they’re still discovering that. To be able to have a space to say, ‘In you trying to discover who you are, God also gives you definitions of who he sees you to be. And they’re all awesome.’ God has gifted all these things to us because of his relationship with us. I’m really excited to see how they develop that over three days.”
Q. What else are you looking forward to about the conference?
A. “I do think it’s really special for the archdiocese to gather in this way, within a national conference. Personally, I really look forward to the times when the archdiocese hosts different elements of it. We have a pre-rally on Thursday and a Mass. Then we do a processing time on Saturday after it’s over. It’s so cool to see all our kids together, sharing those experiences. And seeing other kids from other parishes.
“So not only are they getting the impact of, ‘Hey, I met some kid from Alaska,’ but they’re also like, ‘Hey, this person is just 20 minutes down the road, and we’re part of the same archdiocese.’ Personally, I think those moments are really, really special. And we don’t get that often, that excuse to come gather all together like that. It just brings joy and energy into all our youth ministry programs.”
Q. Talk about what the people in the parishes across the archdiocese can do to support the youths during the conference—and after it ends.
A. “Number one is always prayer. Especially praying by name for the people they know who are going. Also pray for all the adults who are going because they have a crucial role in the experience as well.
“It’s also being open to supporting youth when they come back to the parish afterward. Even thinking about, ‘How do we create spaces for youth to grow in our parishes?’ And all the individual ministries in the parishes asking themselves, ‘How can we embrace them in what we’re doing?’
“There’s a natural excitement that comes from having an experience like this. And a parish can really capitalize on that by saying, ‘You’re really welcome here.’ And then to have avenues for our youth and create spaces for them where they can continue on diving into their faith when they get back.” †
