National Catholic Youth
Conference Blog
 |
|
Yes, Lord.
|
By Karen, 11:45 p.m. Saturday
We just finished closing prayer. We’re heading to our rooms, to pack and to sleep before boarding the buses in the morning. We’re coming home different people than we left because of our experiences here. We’ve shared dance and song, tears and laughter, fellowship and liturgy. Hopefully we will be bringing what we’ve gotten here home, ask us about it. Ask us how to discover the way.
By Karen, 10:45 p.m., Saturday
From the reverberations of the cheers and clapping, you would think your favorite team won the World Series, Super Bowl or the Stanley Cup. But inside Nationwide Arena, the deafening sound and more than 20,000 people cheering were there because we had just celebrated the sacrament of the Eucharist, we just closed 3 days of being together, we were the Catholic teens of the U.S. gathered to celebrate our faith and belief in God!
Bishop Matthew Clark of Rochester, N.Y., was the celebrant and homilist for the Mass. Bishop Frederick Campbell of Columbus couldn’t be with us because of foot surgery. In his homily Bishop Clark said it was an extraordinary grace for him to be in the presence of the teens these days of NCYC. “I feel so proud to proclaim with you that Christ has died, has risen, has come again.” He said he got two themes from the conference. One, we all need to embrace life, even the bitter and sharp edges. Two, God is never finished with us. “We, you and I, are a child of God now.” When you return to your dioceses, to your parishes, Bishop Clark said, “Share your experiences with the other teens, tell of your being together here in Columbus has spoken to your heart.”
By Karen, 7:30 p.m., Saturday
This is it, we’re gathered for our last event of the conference – closing Mass. This afternoon we went to workshops, a dance, a comedy club, confessions and traded for our last objects. We’ve met teens from all over the U.S. Some we talked to, some we just gave stickers, bandannas or footballs to. All were here like we were – coming together to see what NCYC was.
Just a bit ago Steve Angrisano was on the stage. He joked about how some guys open for bands, since he was playing before Mass – he was opening for God! Steve told us all that we need to show up for the miracle that God gives us in the sacraments. He said we need to let God be God in our lives, in our hearts, that miracles happen and the world changes! Steve said, “God shows his face to me in you.”
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
Guest Blogger: By Logan H., St. Jude Thaddeus, 6 p.m., Saturday
It’s been a very uplifting experience. The speaker this morning showed us that adversity cannot bring us down. I have a strong belief that God can carry you through life’s difficult moments. About NCYC – I love it!! It’s great!
|
Guest Blogger: Ann N., Immaculate Conception, 11:30 a.m. Saturday
The conference is really phenomenal! I was going thru a rough time, but this has changed my view of life. I’m wanting to help other people who are in worse positions. I know God won’t give me anything I can’t handle.
By Karen, 11 a.m. Saturday
The weather outside might have been a bit dreary and cloudy, but inside Nationwide Arena it was joyous! Even just walking in it was more of a sporting event with cheers and yells and greetings shouted. Of course, we were well represented with shouts of Beaumont. Texas. Beaumont. Texas. People around us know where WE are from – our greetings, our cowboy hats, our Peace Y’all shirts – all of us proclaiming we are the Catholic faithful youth from Southeast Texas.
Keynote speaker today was Renee Bondi, who is paralyzed as a result of a bazaar accident. She told everyone that “We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” She said that as a result of her accident and her life since then, she knows there is no such thing as a coincidence in God’s world. Bondi said that we all may want a letter from God that says “Dear Renee, do this. Love, God,” but God doesn’t work that way. There are many incidences in life where God says I’m here, don’t be afraid. She challenged the teens to discover God “right here in your every day life.”
MC Steve Angrisano followed up on what Bondi said. He told the youth to either believe God is real or not. To live it or not. He said that our God is a living God, not a God of history or stained glass. Now is the time to decide, Steve told the teens, to decide to live what “we say we believe. Walk out of this room and do it. You can do it”
By Karen, 9 a.m. Saturday
You never know who you're going to run into at a Catholic conference. I was sitting at the top of the Arena during the entertainment before the morning session began. A group was filling the seats next to us. A nun was coming up the stairs, paused and then came over to me. She asked me what parish I attended. I told her St. Jude in Beaumont, Texas. She said her name was Sister Ivana and had recognized my face. She had ministered in Liberty for a while. Sister Ivana Menchaca is a Missionary Carmelite of St. Teresa. She now ministers in Oklahoma and was with the group from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
Someone else seen at NCYC was Paul Florez -- those who have been to youth convention or attended the September Stewardship Conference remember him. He chatted with all of us who stopped by and said hello.
 |
|
Renee Bondi
|
 |
|
Sister Ivana who lived in Liberty for a while.
|
 |
|
The ultimate hat as a result of trading and bartering.
|
 |
|
Sister Ivana, a Missionary Carmelite of St. Teresa
|
By Karen, 6 p.m. Friday
The afternoon was spent in workshops, visiting exhibits and finding flamingo, moose, Santa Claus and sailor hats. We found out that our Peace Y’all T-shirts were some of the most sought after of all. We all met in our small groups for supper then headed over to the Arena for the night’s session.
By Karen, 11:30 p.m. Friday
Wow!! What a closing session! Father Tony Ricard of New Orleans had us on our feet. He made sure we all knew that we were made in God’s image and we should hold our heads high. Be careful of what you may get if you say Boom! around one of the teens when they get back!
When we got back to the hotel, Tommy gathered us all and asked for the teens to say, in one or two words, what they thought of the day. The responses included “freakin amazing,” “applicable,” speechless,” “fun enough,” and “flamin jamming.” Tommy reminded all that they need to take the experiences of their journeys to discover themselves and what God is leading them to in their lives.
 |
|
Father Tony Ricard
|
By Karen, 1 p.m. Friday
We had a pizza picnic lunch near the convention center, then headed into the center for workshops, seminars, worship, trading and fun. There are lots of exhibits and booths to see, workshops on things like deepening your relationship with God, sharing faith with our friends, and hope for life’s hurts. No only that – but there were things to do like laser tag, bungee run and sumo wrestling!! Between that and meeting kids from lots of other dioceses to trade with – there’s no problem finding something to do.
pictures below
By Karen,11 a.m. Friday
After breakfast, we all loaded the buses to head to Nationwide Arena. Cheers, yells, greetings filled the streets as the Diocese of Beaumont, along with dozens of other diocese, chose this route to the arena. Friday keynote was by Tony Melendez who came to international attention in 1987 when he performed in Los Angeles for Pope John Paul II. Tony was born without arms because of a drug prescribed to his mother during pregnancy. He now tours, giving talks and performing on the guitar and push button organ. He described himself as a simple guy with no arms. He said that after the 1987 performance it felt like he was thrown into a pool and told to swim. He told the youth that “You are hand picked by God.” Tony told them that they shouldn’t be afraid to share their faith.
pictures below
 |
|
Tony Melendez
|
 |
|
Peace Y'all
|
 |
|
All of us
|
 |
|
Lets trade.
|
 |
|
It's the hat
|
 |
|
Did you know that pigs make good hats?
|
 |
|
This would look great on you! It's your color.
|
By Karen, 11:00 p.m. Thursday
After getting back to the hotel we all gathered – to get information, share thoughts and feelings from the day and close with prayer. Comments from the first session included:
It was hard to imagine that with that many people it could get completely quiet.
It was breathtaking, when we went upstairs and looked over the edge. We saw all the people, all singing the same song.
Steve Angrisano’s good every time I see him! He had two rules for the conference: Be nice and be safe. Steve made it more than just a song, it became prayer.
All were reminded to not wait to get involved, go beyond the comfort zone, meet new people, have new experiences.
Guest Blogger: By Dylan, St. Henry, 10 p.m., Thursday
So far, NCYC’s a lot of fun. It’s great meeting people from other churches and other dioceses. I’m proud to be from Texas. I would come again. I hope it stays like this!
By Karen, 8:45 p.m. Thursday
There were times at the opening session, even with more than 20,000 gathered, that you could hear a pin drop during prayer. In an arena that probably has seen more hockey games than prayer services, Nationwide Arena was filled with prayer and praise. NCFYM director Bob McCarty challenged all that were there to discover the way by following Jesus. He said that with all there gathered, there were 20,000 people committed to building the reign of God.
Steve Angrisano, who visited Beaumont twice this year, told all present that they were “here for a reason.” He led all in a pledge that they would be fearless for the next 48 hours, they promised to follow where God leads them, to be unafraid and to discover His way. Steve asked that those attending let “God show you something different. What a shame if you go home the same way you came.”
And when you meet someone who has been to NCYC, ask them why they all burned their ships and why that’s important.
Pictures Below
 |
|
Beaumont -- our "flag" to gather around and follow
|
 |
|
Steve Angrisano
|
 |
Discover the way was the theme of the day
|
By Karen, 4:45 p.m. Thursday
66 teens and 12 adults gathered Wednesday afternoon with family and friends, ready to head out on buses to join up with 22,000 others at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Columbus, Ohio. After Bishop Guillory blessed all gathered, everyone loaded the buses and took off on the trip. At our breakfast stop in White House, Tennessee, we met up with a bus from Alabama, also heading to NCYC!
We arrived in Columbus 22 hours after leaving Beaumont, a bit tired ñ not easy to get a good nightís sleep on a moving bus bumping down the interstate. Now, weíre checking into our rooms, eating supper and getting ready to head to the convention center for the opening session where weíll join tens of thousands of others praising God and giving thanks for our being there.
Pictures Below
