Pictures of Previous Events

« Back to Pictures of Other Events

National Catholic Youth Conference in Kansas City, MO
November 19-21, 2009

Pictures Courtesy of Kim Wilson

God is Good… All the time by Kim McMillan

That is a call and response that is used often at the National Catholic Youth Conference. Over the course of our three days at the conference, we prayed those words often. As we plan for the bi-annual trip to the National Catholic Youth Conference one of the expectations that I share with the teens is that they will be expected to write an article for the bulletin upon our return. It is a way for those who were blessed with the opportunity to attend the conference to share with the people who have supported monetarily and through prayer, their experience. At the end of our busy days at the conference we spend some time journaling about what we participated in each day and what they would like to remind themselves of. Our days are busy ones that start early and end late but, for some, it will be a once in a lifetime experience and I do not want them to miss anything. I have fortunately, been blessed with the opportunity to share the conference with many of the teens from our parish and would not trade those experiences for anything. Even though I have attended 5 conferences, each one has had similarities and different experiences, and if I am open to the Spirit; I take new lessons home with me.

This year was no exception to new lessons. There were so many experiences. While at the 9 am mass, that I was not assigned to read at but was asked to step in for another reader, I found my inspiration. Fr. O’Conner was the celebrant and during his homily, he said, “Each of you is here for a reason. God has something that he needs to say to you today.” And as the celebration proceeded I tried to be attentive to what that might be. It was at Communion, that I received that message. As I approached a Eucharistic Minister who was a teen that attended NCYC this year, I smiled. It is a gift to be able to know that our church is in good hands. The young church is alive, vibrant and full of enthusiasm about their faith. We are all blessed to have the benefit of such a vibrant community in our midst.

Article by Jennifer Gallagher

I had the opportunity of attending the National Catholic Youth Conference in the fall of 2007, and I got the chance to experience NCYC a second time this year. NCYC is a life changing opportunity that brings you closer to your faith and allows you to express your faith with teens all over the country. It is impossible to describe in words how NCYC changes your life, but I will try to sum it up.

The atmosphere when you walk into the convention center is absolutely overwhelming. Imagine 20,000 plus, teens singing and clapping in praise of Jesus. The theme of this year’s NCYC was Christ Reigns. In the opening ceremony, one of the speakers shared his thoughts about this kind of conference. He encouraged us to: show up, step up, and step out. I tried to keep this message alive throughout the entire trip. To me, this phrase meant to take what you have learned about your faith and show it to the world or community around you. Although being in Kansas City with 20,000 teens that share the same joy for your faith as you do, is incredible, you need to take the memories and lessons back home to share with the community around you. The most important part is to step out and become a disciple of Christ in order to share the message of God.

During NCYC 2009, I had the honor of being an NCYC Ambassador. An NCYC Ambassador is a person who introduces the speakers of the sessions and prays over the speaker before they begin. At first, I was nervous because I would be speaking in front of 20,000 individuals, but God gave me courage to step up and become a leader. I got the chance to individually meet with two speakers and interview them to learn more about them. They had a warm and friendly personality, and they were incredibly welcoming and interested in conversing with you. They were genuine and made me feel more comfortable while I was up on the stage.

Each morning and evening we gathered as a large community that was led by the key note speakers. They were amazing leaders and their enthusiasm was overpowering. Music and dance was a core part of the three days spent at NCYC. Singing is a unique way to pray and spread your faith in a fun and appealing way. During the course of the three days we gathered together for Eucharistic Adoration, large group sessions, small group sessions, and many concerts. The sessions were very inspirational and had great messages along with them. We went to sessions on peer pressure, appreciating the Bible, and how to deal with problems with friends. The speakers were very passionate and kept you interested in their talk by involving their audience, singing, telling funny stories, or doing fun activities with you.

My favorite part of NCYC was personally talking with some of the speakers as a Youth Ambassador. Also, I enjoyed the atmosphere of NCYC because everyone was very friendly. NCYC was a place where I could be myself and not care what other people thought of me because they were acting the same way. You could let loose and praise God through song and dance care free! It is an amazing feeling to be surrounded by 20,000 teens that are just as excited about their faith as you are.

Article by Matt Pontikis

The National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), Christ Reigns, in Kansas City was one of the most moving, inspirational experiences in my life. I experienced the love of God with some of my best friends and thousands of other young adults who were looking for the same type of experience. Nothing can compare to 20,000 excited young adults praying, laughing, and having a good time together.

It is one thing to experience the love of God while praying by yourself or in a small group, but praying with thousands of other kids your age is totally different. Sometimes as a teenager who believes in God you can feel very alone. At NCYC you did not feel alone. The other kids at NCYC were all very sociable and were kids that I could relate to. Everyone was eager to befriend you. I was able to truly see God in other people that I was around that week. I saw God in the guest speakers and the musicians that performed there.

My favorite part of NCYC was having fun while being with God. We were singing and dancing to music about our faith. You did not have to worry about looking stupid or not doing something right, because everyone there was doing the same thing. At NCYC I learned not to worry about what other people think of me, but to be myself and have fun while staying close to God. The National Catholic Youth Conference was truly the most moving, inspirational experience in my life. I feel I was very lucky to have been a part of this event.

Article by Dominic Clemente Jr.

Winds of Change, Discover the Way, and Christ Reigns are the titles, and themes, of all three National Catholic Youth Conferences (NCYC) I have attended since I was a sophomore at St. Patrick High School. All three conferences brought me closer with my friends, but more importantly, closer to God. My favorite part about attending NCYC is seeing everyone work to help change the world. Morgan Freeman said it best in the movie EVEN ALMIGHTY when he says, as God, “People want to change the world but they don’t know how. All it takes are small random acts of kindness.” If that is what it takes to change the world, and I agree with Morgan Freeman, then NCYC is all about changing the world.

In the three days we spend at NCYC, members of our teen club wrote letters to missionaries across the world, walked on a treadmill to raise money, donated their own money to the Catholic Youth Foundation, made a promise to complete 24 hours of service to their community, introduced speakers, and they did even smaller acts of kindness like held the door open for 20-50 people at a time, said thank you, and showed appreciation to people who were kind enough to give us a ride to and from the airport.

NCYC is the best way to get to know yourself, your friends, and God a little better. For me, NCYC and other retreats were the only time where I was able to put aside all the noise from my everyday life and hear God calling me to discern a vocation to the Priesthood and now I move into St. Joseph College Seminary on January 13, 2010. I plan on attending the next NCYC in Indianapolis in 2011 and Kim knows to save my seat. If you, or someone you know, will be in high school in 2011 then they need to seriously consider attending NCYC. However, don’t wait until 2011 to get involved with the teen club! Get a schedule from the pastoral center and start hanging out with them this month! There is always a service project, fun night out, or meeting going on each week. As much as I have learned from my numerous NCYC experiences, I have learned so much more from Kim McMillan and being involved in Teen Club. “Who is King of Kings? JESUS!”

Article by John Pontikis

NCYC 2009 was a blast! I am deeply grateful for my second opportunity to attend this conference. For me, NCYC is primarily about singing, praying, and learning about the Catholicism with so many other faith filled teens. This year's conference was filled with those things and more. Over the 4 days, we listened to numerous speakers and musical performers who all brought a message to the youth in attendance. One of the speakers whose message had a great affect on me was Mark Hart. Mark (or the "Bible Geek" as he is commonly known) gave a very insightful presentation of ways I can get the most out of reading scripture. Another perennially exciting speaker, Mike Patin's message was to be aware of peer pressures. In addition to these sessions, we listened to key note talks given by Bryan Johnson and Cardinal DiNardo, Jason and Christina Evert, and stories of faith from other teens attending the conference.

The aspect which I liked the most was the overall mixture of Catholic tradition with youthful excitement. As a part of the conference, there was a morning Eucharistic Adoration ceremony. By having this ceremony along with the closing mass and other reconciliation services, I was not only able to witness these important Catholic traditions but were also able participate in them. Throughout the weekend, there was a buzz of excitement and the faith of the youth on display showed me that the church has a very bright future. It was truly a privilege to attend.

Article by Kevin Gallagher

I was truly fortunate to be able to experience NCYC!!!! It was the best experience of my life. My faith is one area of my life where I feel I have matured. NCYC was a big part of my growth in my faith life. The first place we went to was the Sprint Center for the opening ceremony. We sang and danced with thousands of other teens. When I got to NCYC, I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like. I was so nervous about it when I left to go to Kansas City. After we left the Sprint Center, I didn’t feel nervous anymore because I was with all my friends and we sang and danced in the Sprint Center. I was having so much fun I didn’t want to leave. NCYC is not like any conference or meeting you have ever experience. Imagine thousands of teens your age in one space singing and dancing and celebrating their faith. That is NCYC!!!

The music was my favorite part of NCYC. I am a high school musician and I enjoyed all the singing and sharing songs with people about or faith. It is not like singing in church where you are embarrassed about being too loud. At NCYC there are thousands of people singing with you in celebration!!!

We met Mike Patin, who has been to our church to speak. Mike’s message was to ignore peer pressure and live your life. We listened to the key note speaker whose message was that God is with us always.

On the last day we had Mass. It was so fun and the music was awesome. All the priests and bishops were dancing and everybody in the mass was having so much fun. It was so great watching everyone praise God and express their faith. It was the greatest religious experience I have ever had.

Article by LeighAnn Jandrists

This year was the first time attending the National Catholic Youth Conference. I was really excited. I had heard nothing but good things from my siblings and my friends. Even after everything I heard, I still didn't know what to expect. The first night we were there I was amazed. There were so many people there, proclaiming their faith. It wasn't long before I was singing and clapping along with everyone. It was unlike anything I had experienced before.

Over the next couple days, our group attended different speakers and events. One of my favorite speakers was Mike Patin. I've seen him speak twice before, and yet Mike never ceases to move me with his talks. My other favorite person was Matt Maher. I've never really listened to christian rock other than Relient K, but I absolutely fell in love with his music and the message it gave.

Although very overwhelming, NCYC was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. It surpassed all my expectations. When people ask me about how it was, I can't even describe it to them. It was simply amazing. I know that I grew in my faith as a christian, and I took away with me so many lessons that I am still learning from. I can easily say that I'm looking forward to experiencing NCYC in 2011.

Article by Jenna Zacharias

The National Catholic Youth Conference was easily the most amazing event I have ever been able to attend. I had heard about how amazing it was from other Teen Club members that had went previous years, but I still wasn't sure if I was going to love it as much as them, or if I was going to be able to get into it as much as they had. As soon as we attended the opening ceremony of the conference it was apparent that I was about to have the time of my life. NCYC brings people from all places, ages, and races together to praise God and learn more about our religion. I was awe struck when I saw 20,000 plus people all standing there screaming and clapping for our God. It was easily one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

One of my favorite things about NCYC is that it brings people with all different talents together to entertain all of the people who are at the conference. There are Christian rappers, rock musicians, comedians, speakers, and there was even a little bit of acting and dancing. It truly displays how God gave everyone wonderful gifts and it was great to be able to see people share their gifts with everyone around them. I think that I learned a lot about myself and my faith that weekend. NCYC helped remind me that we are always loved and we are never alone. It also reminded me that we can really change the world if we want to. One of the speakers even said at the conference, "God changed the world with 12 people. Imagine what he could do with 22,000!"

I am so thankful that I was able to experience NCYC with everyone that was at the conference and everyone from our Parish. I truly wish that every teenager was able to go to NCYC, because it really does change you and inspires you to go out and do good in the world. I can hardly wait for NCYC 2011!

Article by Dan Tarchala

First off I would like to thank the people who supported us teens over the course of last year like participating in our bakes sales and our annual Craft Show. With their support and prayers we were able to get the chance to go the National Catholic Youth Conference in Kansas City. We felt comfortable amongst the many strangers at NCYC because we all seemed to be coming from the same place in life. We felt as though we were the only Catholic teens in the U.S. but NCYC changed that.

When we got to the airport, people looked at us like “who are they?” We felt different but that changed at NCYC. All over the city teens were wearing crazy hats and singing loudly, suddenly we felt like we were not alone. NCYC gave us an experience that no one could ever take away from us. Usually when people see teens and say “hi”, the teens sometimes grunt or say nothing at all. At NCYC, no one did that. Everyone was glad to come up to you and shake your hand or ask you where you live. The Teen Group and I are all friends, but after NCYC we became closer. We became closer because of God. God was there at NCYC when everyone from the east to the west was singing and waving their arms around. God was there when 20,000 teens were saying the Mass. God was there in Kansas City at NCYC. Yet you don’t have to be a teen that went to NCYC or in Kansas City to see God. The one way that we, as children of God, can see God is by doing what Jesus said two thousand years ago. He said “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” We see this every time when we hear that there is a soup kitchen down the street or the Salvation Army is collecting donations. We have all seen God and people working in his name.

One of the most thrilling moments of NCYC for me personally, was on the last night finding six hats from people leaving them on seats. I found a fuzzy red camouflage hat and a cowboy hat that had LED lights that flashed a star. The hat caused me trouble as well as happiness because of airport security. Inside the hat were wires for the lights and the security guards went crazy. The man said, “What are these wires in here for?” and not thinking ahead I said, “Oh there is a switch inside for the light in the hat. Do you want me to show you?” He looked at me and said “No” and called his manager over to help. We finally convinced them that the hat was okay to travel and we went on our way.

The trip with the Teen Group to NCYC has been inspirational to me. I now feel comfortable with who I am as a Catholic and a teen. NCYC has helped many teens feel this way and how they feel about their own faith. I am glad that I had the chance to go to such an event as NCYC. I would like to thank my parents for their support and allowing me to miss two days of school. I would also like to add that to all the teens out there who are not in the Teen Group, that you are missing out on a lot of fun and friendship.

Article by Kristen Brennan

The National Catholic Youth Conference in Kansas City was one of the greatest experiences of my life. It was a very fun, exciting, and faith-filled experience. I was unsure of what it would be like because people who have gone before could barely describe how amazing it was, and now I understand what they meant. It was difficult to come home having people ask me "How was it?" and to even begin explaining it to them. Once I was actually starting the experience, approaching Kansas City from the airport, and seeing just a small amount of the many people who were going to the conference, I realized how great it was going to be.

Every aspect of NCYC caught my attention: the 20,000 Catholic teens who participated, the diversity of them from all across the country, and especially the noise we all made praising God. It was amazing to see thousands of other teens being proud of their faith and showing it off in such a unique way. There was so much excitement and energy present there, and it was sad to have had to fit it all in only 3 days. However, I did not leave it all in Kansas City. On the last day of the conference, they told us that we should live out the messages that we got out of the experience not only at the conference, but also when we returned home. In those 3 days, I grew in my relationship with God and also with others.

I am very happy to have had the opportunity to participate in NCYC. I also want to thank the people of the Parish and their prayers and support for the teens that went to NCYC. Through this experience, I learned a lot about my faith in God and about my relationships with others. I have many awesome memories from my first NCYC experience, and I am really looking forward to going again in 2011.

Article by Kevin Jandrists

When I had first heard about the National Catholic Youth Conference I was imaging what it would be like when I went. I had heard many people's stories and all the good things they had to say about it and I got really excited to go. As the date got closer and closer I could hardly hold in my excitement. I would daydream in class about all the fun stuff that we were going to do. When we landed in Kansas City I had only one thing on my mind: when do we actually start?

When the time came for us to gather, my previous daydreamed pictures were shattered. I could hardly wrap my head around the amount of people, 20,000, that were there. Seeing that many young Catholics in the same place affirmed my faith. A few times through out the event I would hear speakers say how it was easy to be Catholic and shout in the street about God while we were in Kansas City, and they were right. However, they challenged us to have that same fire and intensity we had while we where there, when we got back home.

Everyday I try to succeed in that challenge and not be afraid to be Catholic in front of others. Going to NCYC was one of the best experiences I have had.