Thank you so much for sponsoring my pilgrimage to NCYC (National Catholic Youth Conference) in Indianapolis. This experience brought me closer to God through Christian music, Catholic speakers, the presence of our church leaders (including Cardinal Cupich, who we had Mass with), and the support of 25,000 of my Catholic teenage peers. While we had lots of fun trading hats and dancing to DJs before the speakers, I found Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration and Mass. I was also inspired by the speaker sessions I attended.
For example, I went to a migration talk by Catholic Relief Services that inspired me to continue working with immigration at my high school (Saint Viator). I heard the inspirational and heart wrenching story of a successful college student at Purdue University (on a scholarship) who was a dreamer. This means she was able to live in the United States because of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), and her future was jeopardized when our president suspended the program. This educational experience taught me that as Catholics and U.S. citizens, we should stand up for immigrants since the Holy Family themselves were immigrants, and we are called to help the less fortunate.
I also attended a stress relief talk that gave me strategies to cope with my worries through prayer, exercise, and planning. I went to a talk by
Mickey Needleman (a musician and speaker) about comparing our faith to an empty gas tank. I learned that my relationship with God can be improved through small actions. He gave us a whole list of resources (books, mission trips, music, apps, podcasts, scripture, and a 30 day challenge).
Thank you so much for sponsoring me since this trip helped my friends and me learn about Catholic Social teaching, be active in our faith, and improve our relationships with God.