In November, eleven Chaminade Julienne students traveled with Timothy Hosford, campus minister for liturgy and discipleship, and Makenna Korzan, science teacher, to the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis. CJ attended alongside high school youth from other schools and parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
According to their website, the National Catholic Youth Conference is a faith-filled pilgrimage for Catholic high school students and their adult chaperones. While there, NCYC invited participants to encounter Christ, experience the young Catholic church, and be empowered for discipleship.
Before the trip, Hosford said, “I’m excited to take our students to NCYC so they can experience fellowship with thousands of other Catholic youths who are the future of our Church. From this encounter, I hope these eleven students will grow closer to God and discover new ideas to bring to our faith community here at CJ.”
“This is my second time going to NCYC, but my first time going with CJ,” said Molly Wade ‘26 before leaving for the trip. “When I went my freshman year, it was inspiring to see so many young people engage with their faith. I already feel the community and warmth in our group as we head to NCYC this year. I am extremely excited to experience this trip.”
From Thursday, Nov. 20, afternoon until the morning of Sunday, Nov. 22, our CJ youth experienced prayer, community, and the transformative power of God’s presence, alongside an estimated 15,000 other youth from across the country who filled Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indianapolis Convention Center. One highlight of the weekend was when Pope Leo XIV held a live 45-minute digital encounter in Lucas Stadium, engaging in dialogue with NCYC attendees via video.
The CJ group represented the Archdiocese of Cincinnati by wearing flying pigs hats at NCYC. Over the weekend, they traded these hats with other NCYC attendees to receive an array of hats. 
Over the big screen, Pope Leo spoke to the youth, saying, “You are not only the future of the Church, you are the present. Your voices, your ideas, your faith matter right now. And the Church needs you.”
Pope Leo answered questions for select participants. For Hosford, the most striking part of the conversation with the papacy was when he addressed the question of using AI responsibly.
Pope Leo said, “Intellectually, it means learning to think clearly, to think critically, to examine reality, and to search for truth, beauty, and goodness.”
“Overall, Pope Leo encouraged us to think for ourselves,” said Hosford. “We should not outsource the greatest thing that makes us human–our reason. He spoke about how AI cannot offer real wisdom. And it would not stand in awe before the beauty of God’s creation.”
The 2025 NCYC theme was “I Am | Yo Soy,” which, according to their website, reflected on the time God appeared to Moses through the burning bush and explored how the Sacraments are the living story of God’s love, uniting us with Him through Jesus and the Church.
“Attending NCYC was a truly unique experience,” said Adriana Perez-Rosa ‘26. “Having the opportunity to be in a stadium with 15,000 other Catholic youth changed my perspective on worship. Overall, NCYC provided a personalized spiritual experience, offering me the opportunity to deepen my faith and grow closer to God.”
Eric Daniels ‘26 said, “At NCYC, I had the opportunity to experience the beauty in just praising God loudly and proudly. It’s given me moments I still reminisce about almost a month later. I miss NCYC and everyone I made a connection with.”
“For myself, the biggest takeaway from NCYC 2025 was that God spoke to us in subtle but powerful ways,” said Hosford. “We can’t find Heaven alone, so we should surround ourselves with solid friends and beautiful people who will work their hardest to bring us all there!”