Faith and nature shape young explorers at Monsignor O’Dwyer Retreat House December 4, 2025By Katie V. Jones Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Youth Ministry From August through Nov. 21, youths ages 3 to 10 – sometimes accompanied by younger siblings – gathered every Friday morning for the Wildly Catholic Homeschool Nature Club, a two-and-a-half-hour program created by Brooke Herrera, a pediatric occupational therapist and a parishioner of Sacred Heart in Glyndon.
An easy morning with Pope Leo November 30, 2025By Katie Prejean McGrady OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Vatican, Youth Ministry Pope Leo wasn’t just off in Rome, fitting us in on the list of “things to do” on his Friday afternoon (which, if you look closely, appears to also include a haircut, if his buzzed hair on Saturday morning is any indication of his after-NCYC plans). He was with us, live, and so happy to be there, and it truly felt like an in-person experience.
NCYC relics chapel offers attendees a chance to pray in presence of saints November 29, 2025By Sean Gallagher The Criterion Filed Under: News, Saints, World News, Youth Ministry The Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis was often filled with laughter and loud, excited talk as thousands of teens made their way back and forth through its wide hallways during the National Catholic Youth Conference Nov. 20-22.
‘You can feel God present,’ says teen from Kentucky parish attending NCYC for first time November 27, 2025By Natalie Hoefer The Criterion Filed Under: News, World News, Youth Ministry For anyone who has not attended the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, the number of young Catholic participants can be overwhelming. A group of four first-timers from Cristo Rey Parish in Florence, Ky., certainly thought so.
Maryland pilgrims bring energy and joy to NCYC 2025 November 26, 2025By Katie V. Jones Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Schools, Youth Ministry Cheers erupted from the Maryland delegation at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) Nov. 21 in Indianapolis when Mia Smothers of St. Francis de Sales in Abingdon stepped up to ask the first question during a historic livestream with Pope Leo XIV.
Youth embrace Pope Leo’s message of hope following unique digital meeting November 21, 2025By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, Youth Ministry Pope Leo XIV encouraged American youth in a unique digital discussion Nov. 21, telling them that they were not only the “future of the church,” but “the present,” saying “your voices, your ideas, your faith matter right now.”
Pope tells U.S. high school students their voice, ideas, faith matter November 21, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, Youth Ministry Pope Leo XIV urged U.S. high school students to be “intentional” with their screen time, their prayer time and their involvement in a local parish.
Funny hats show the joy of NCYC while T-shirt messages feature the heart of youths’ faith November 21, 2025By John Shaughnessy The Criterion Filed Under: News, World News, Youth Ministry When it comes to creative, attention-getting fashion that always makes people smile, participants at the National Catholic Youth Conference have a tradition of wearing a wide variety of headgear that adds another flavor of fun to the faith-filled event.
New Barna data shows Gen Z leads in weekly in-person church attendance November 15, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, social media, World News, Youth Ministry They were the first generation to have technology at their fingertips from birth — “digital natives” who grew up with the Internet, iPhones, iPads, and computers. They’re Generation Z, better known as “Gen Z” — born between 1997-2012 — and they’re estimated to be nearly a quarter of the world’s population.
Survey: Young adults are the most engaged, most at risk of leaving church November 12, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News, Youth Ministry A new survey shows young adult Catholics are the most engaged in the Latin Church in the U.S. – but the “strong” dynamic is also “fragile,” and questions of leaving the church persist.
CR for Kids is valuable resource for parishes, schools and families November 10, 2025By Gerry Jackson Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Youth Ministry, Youth Programs CR for Kids offers a fun, faith-filled way to engage youngsters in the Gospel. Each month, a two-sided activity page invites children to explore Scripture through word searches, puzzles and other activities.
It’s Holywins: European Catholics offer a joyful alternative to Halloween October 31, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: News, World News, Youth Ministry Across Europe, Catholic families are turning Halloween into a celebration of light, life and holiness. Known as “Holywins” — a play on “Holy” and “Halloween” — the movement began in Paris in 2002 and has since spread to Poland, Belgium, Italy, Spain and beyond.
