When I Say "N.C." You Say "Y.C."!

Kristyn Russell
Nov 21, 2017
3 min read

I just returned home from one of the most amazing experiences I've had as a youth minister. I traveled with 7 students from Blessed Sacrament and about 25,000 Catholic high school students and their chaperones to Indianapolis for NCYC 2017. NCYC, which stands for the National Catholic Youth Conference, is a three-day, action-packed, prayer-packed weekend for high school students. You may have heard people say that the Church is boring or that it is irrelevant... Let me tell you, the young Church is energetic, alive, Spirit-filled, and more relevant than anything being described as "lit" or on "fleek."

The young Church is "lit" with the Holy Spirit, ready to face the world knowing that God has called them by name, to live for more than the world expects of them, to listen to his voice, and to go forth and serve. In Lumen Gentium (Vatican II Document), it is written that "the Church-- that is the kingdom of Christ already present in mystery-- grows visibly in the world through the power of God. (3)" This describes the energy at NCYC. The mystery, the presence of Christ, the power of God, all present in these teens.

Blessed Sacrament had 7 teens there, and here are some of their thoughts:

I wish that everybody else would just get a chance to see that they are never alone in their faith. At NCYC with 25,000 other teens, I could really see how many of these people that were my age were praying just as hard and singing just as loud as me and it reminds me that we shouldn't be embarrassed or kept to ourselves about our Faith, rather find those to share it with and share it proudly.

One lady said, “shed your

skin but keep your skeleton” and from this I hope I always remember that I can change the external parts of me like hair, clothes, makeup, weight, etc.; however, no matter what do not change the internal parts. We live in a world with a lot of expectations, and I cannot let those standards define me. I need to speak up for what I believe in and love myself for who I am. I also need to remember to not settle for my childhood faith; I need to join ministry groups to grow and mature my faith.

I want to personally remember the chills that shook my body as I listened to 25,000 catholic teenagers sing “Taste and See” which is one of my favorite communion songs of all time. The moment the musician strummed his guitar I could feel the Holy Spirit among us.

NCYC is life changing. I would tell them that is completely, totally, and 110% worth it. NCYC can be hard to explain and that only shows how magical and powerful the experience is, words and pictures cannot do it justice.

Youth ministry can do many things to strengthen your faith. It works magic. It calls you to serve God even sometimes you may not think it. YM [Youth Ministry] builds up your trust and love even stronger with God on trips like this outreach and Y2Y.

Something I will always remember is being surrounded by so many different people who all believe the same things and have gathered together to praise the Lord.

I am so thankful that I have been privileged enough to come on this trip and it has been the most powerful thing in my life. I have learned a lot and will continue to grow in my faith as I travel home and share this experience with others that didn't get to go.

I am blessed to be part of the Blessed Sacrament Parish and I cannot thank them enough for their love and support. They have helped over the past decade to grow me into a dedicated Catholic. Their generosity has allowed me to travel to Madison, WI for a mission trip and now to Indianapolis, IN for NCYC; both events have changed who I am as a person and who I want to become in the future. Blessed beyond words.