In an exhibit hall of the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, a teen knots strips at the bottom of an old T-shirt to make a reusable bag.

When Alana Brooks-Murphy became an aspirant for the Salesian Sisters in August, she was ready to go on whatever adventure God put before her.

Some people will question the sanity of an adult who willingly agrees to be a leader for three days or more for a group of teenagers at a national conference of 16,000 youths.

One of the challenges to the young people at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis on Nov. 20-22 involved giant, plastic, building blocks, and this intriguing question:

Getting ready to speak before more than 16,000 people in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, 18-year-old Nolan McCracken admitted he was “very nervous” and “humbled” to share what was essentially a soulful, vulnerable and unusual thank-you at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) on Nov. 20.

When Bridget Ireland of St. Joseph University Parish in Terre Haute signed up to be a chaperone for a group from that city attending the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis, she did so for practical purposes.

One of the most impactful experiences of the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) held every other year in Indianapolis is the gathering of all participants in Lucas Oil Stadium for eucharistic adoration, which took place this year on Nov. 21.

It’s about 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 20, and youths from around the country are starting to arrive at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis for the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).

Youthful exuberance was already on full display in the hallways of the Indiana Convention Center on Nov. 20, the first day of the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis.

Seventeen-year-old Isabelle Bedel jumped to her feet and shouted with joy, joining in the thunderous roar that resounded through Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Nov. 21 when Pope Leo XIV appeared on a huge screen from the Vatican, sharing a smile and words of encouragement, advice and love for the 16,000 youths at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has made a name for itself in the Church in the U.S. It hosts more large national Catholic events than any other diocese in the country.

For Father John Meyer, the pilgrimage on the Camino this summer was partly a gift to himself for his 70th birthday.

“You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins” (Lk 1:76-77).

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.

The 16,000 youths that came to Indianapolis for the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) are at a critical time in their lives when many possibilities are all laid out before them.

Pope Leo XIV had a simple yet profound message for the 16,000 youths who attended the National Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis on Nov. 20-22, telling them, “You are not only the future of the Church, you are the present.”

The staff of The Criterion was at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis from November 20-22, sending back news stories and photos the entire time. See all of our coverage at the links below:

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 (NCYC) on Nov. 20-22

On Nov. 21, the first full day of the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), a long line of people soon formed in the large exhibit hall at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis set aside for the sacrament of penance.

Looking out from a sanctuary built on the floor of Lucas Oil Stadium on the 16,000 youths from across the country that came to Indianapolis for the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Perez shared with them a message of hope he wanted them to nurture in their hearts as they returned to their homes.