Editorial

May our faith of hope and joy continue to burn brightly in the hearts of the youths at NCYC—and in our hearts, too

“Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s presence and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1817).

If you or someone you know attended the recent gathering of the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis on Nov. 16-18, you or they are no doubt filled with hope—and a strong conviction that the Holy Spirit is alive and well in today’s young people.

We are filled with hope because we believe that the estimated 12,000 teenagers who took part in the annual gathering, held every other year in Indianapolis, left “fully alive” (the theme of the conference) as they headed home to their parishes in Indiana, New York, Florida, California, Hawaii—and many states in between—eager to let Christ’s light shine through them as they fulfill their vocations as sons and daughters of God.

Please hope and pray with us that they keep enflamed the fire that was burning in hearts as they took part in eucharistic adoration, waited in long lines for the sacrament of reconciliation, prayed the rosary, listened to speakers plant seeds of wisdom and celebrated a closing Mass where participants’ hearts were moved to tears in some cases as they received the greatest gift of our Catholic faith, the Eucharist.

We were also filled with hope as we watched these young people spend time in an interactive exhibit hall inside the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, where they became the hands and feet of Christ for the less fortunate by packing meals, decorating tote bags and T-shirts and spreading holiday cheer by making heartfelt Christmas cards. They also listened attentively as members of various religious orders shared beautiful witnesses of how their vocations have shaped their lives of missionary discipleship.

God willing, the seeds planted last weekend will lead to more vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life across the U.S., along with vocations to the sacred single life and to happy and holy marriages.

Hope fills our hearts because this three-day pilgrimage of faith proves to us again, as Catholics, that many of our teenagers are hungry to learn more about God and what our Church teaches and why, and why we need to continue to make it a priority to provide them catechetical opportunities that will bear fruit.

As we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends this extended weekend, let us remember to thank our Creator for the gift of faith that so many in the world, sadly, live without. Let us pray for those who desperately need to know that there is a God who loves them and wants to be an integral part of their lives.

And in our prayers, let’s remember those who participated in NCYC, asking our Lord to continue to let his light shine brightly through their witness.

As Pope Francis said in his weekly audience on Nov. 15, reflecting on his 2013 apostolic exhortation, “The Joy of the Gospel,” joy must be a part of our lives as Christians as we share the Gospel with others.

“All ideologies are cold, but the Gospel has the warmth of joy,” the pope said. “Ideologies don’t make people smile, but the Gospel is a smile. It makes you smile because it touches your soul with the good news.”

Departing from his prepared text, Pope Francis added, “Today each one of us should take a bit of time and think: Jesus, you are within me. I want to encounter you each day. You are a person, not an idea. You are a companion on the journey, not a program. You are love that resolves so many problems. You are the starting point of evangelization. You, Jesus, are the source of joy.”

Our faith teaches us that our great Christian hope is eternal life. We pray the young people who participated in NCYC let joy be central to their lives and serve as beacons of light in a world so often enveloped in darkness.

Abraham Wolf, a youth from the Diocese of Erie, Pa., was ready to continue his journey of faith after NCYC.

“I know this experience will truly light my faith on fire again, even though it has already been on fire,” he said. “It will be further engulfed in flames, even brighter, better than ever.”

—Mike Krokos