Called~ Llamados We are Each Called by Name 

“I just never thought about the fact that God loves me but from the time I started listening to the speaker tonight, I started thinking about it. I started thinking that maybe God does love me and if He does, it changes the way I see everything.”  An encounter and experience of Faith that changes the way a person sees themself.  This is what NCYC can do when a heart is open to hearing the Good News.

People may ask, “What’s the benefit to attending the National Catholic Youth Conference for a young person?” I think the biggest benefit is the experience of faith the young people have. Actually, it isn’t just an experience of faith for the young people; it impacts every person there, even the adults!  No other experience of faith gathers 22,000 practicing High School aged Catholics like the National Catholic Youth Conference.    The number of young people like themselves that they encounter, offers them the opportunity to see their life and their faith, from a new perspective. And just maybe, that new perspective leads them into a stronger relationship with Jesus and a better understanding of Our Father’s Love. If you were to talk with any of our young people that attended and ask them about the moment when they realized how seeing 22,000 young people walking around Indianapolis would affect them, I think you would be surprised at their answer.                                                                                               We arrived in Indianapolis Thursday evening in time to have dinner with the other attendees from Chicago. I think during this hour of arriving in downtown Indy was the moment when they realized the magnitude of this celebration of faith.                                                                                                                                                                      We heard several speakers share their reflection about being “Called” in faith and what that looked like for each of them. Each of the speakers challenged our group’s thoughts and encouraged them to BE the difference in our world.  If each of these young people shared what they experience with just one other person, it would cause a ripple of change in our world. I know our group of participants wondered why we don’t always behave like we did in Indianapolis. If everyone was supportive and kind and enthusiastic and welcoming we could change the world. We know what happened in Indianapolis can’t stay there, it wasn’t Vegas. Please continue to hold our parish young people and all those who had this experience of Faith in prayer. We know they can make a difference in our world; they just need the Holy Spirit and a little courage to do it!  

We are grateful to all who supported our attendance this year through prayers and monetary support. Thank you to the Holy Name Society for sending two of our parish teens. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.                        ~ Kim McMillan