Members of Medford’s St. Mary of the Lakes youth ministry boarded an early flight Nov. 21 anticipating an “amazing experience” in Indianapolis for the National Catholic Youth Conference.
This powerful, three-day biennial experience, with the theme, “Blessed, Broken, Given, is being held Nov. 21- 23 in the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium, bringing young people together to build community, pray and empower high-school aged Catholic teens and their adult chaperones in faith.
Six youth from the parish, accompanied by their pastor, Father Daniel Swift, and youth ministry coordinator, Linda Xerri, are among those from across the Diocese to attend the conference. Others include youth from the parishes of St. Joan of Arc, Marlton; St. Joseph, Toms River; St. Mary, Colts Neck, and St. Martha, Point Pleasant.
Alyssa Roe, a senior in Shawnee High School, Medford, is making her second trip to a NCYC. “I originally went two years ago because I wanted to try something different.” She decided to go again this year because her first experience was “amazing.”
“It is a great way to get to know your faith better while seeing thousands of other people who celebrate their religion and faith, share things in common and all get along so well,” she said.
Xerri, who has also attended in past years, described the conference as “a wonderful opportunity for our church, which is very supportive of the young Church, to let youth know that it’s OK to be a faith-filled person in a secular world.”
She spoke of the importance of youth meeting other youth and having the “same shared faith experience, which allows them to grasp a sense of who they are.”
“It is amazing to see 30,000 students participating in Adoration,” Xerri said. “It blew me away. It’s very impactful to see young people praying and in Adoration together in a football stadium. It helps them to see that God is everywhere and you can bring God anywhere,” she stressed.
Alyssa Roe’s brother, Zachary, a freshman in Shawnee, admitted he was “going because my sister couldn’t stop talking about the great experience she had the last time,” and said he was looking forward to a great experience “with other youth my age.”
Mel Gomez, a freshman in Shawnee High School, was also inspired to attend this year’s NCYC “because of great things I heard from people who went in the past. It’s an opportunity to try something new, to meet new people from many different states and experience different perspectives on our faith.”
The conference includes keynote speakers, music and entertainment, daily Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, communal prayer, breakout sessions, among other opportunities for fellowship and learning.
As the Medford youth ministry members prepared to enter their hotel and get ready for the three-day event, Xerri acknowledged that her hope for the teens is that “they know it’s cool to be Catholic.”