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Universidad estatal otorga doctorado “honoris causa” in memoriam al Papa Francisco

La Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (Argentina) otorgará el título de doctor “honoris causa” in memoriam al Papa Francisco, y abrirá una cátedra abierta para estudiar su legado. 

El Papa León XIV a Cáritas: Sean artesanos de la paz, sirvan a cada persona con dignidad

El Papa León XIV se reunió este viernes con la dirección y el personal de Cáritas Internationalis, la red caritativa mundial de la Iglesia que opera en más de 200 países, y les pidió que fueran “peregrinos de esperanza” y “artesanos de la paz”.

Senadora de EE.UU. se reúne con León XIV para abogar por los niños ucranianos secuestrados

La senadora estadounidense Amy Klobuchar se unió a una delegación de madres, esposas y adolescentes ucranianas llevadas a la fuerza a Rusia durante la guerra con Ucrania, quienes se reunieron con el Papa León XIV en el Vaticano.

Jóvenes en el NCYC 2025 emocionados por la fe, la diversión, los sacramentos y los amigos

Los jóvenes llenaron el Indiana Convention Center y el Lucas Oil Stadium el jueves en Indianápolis para dar inicio a la Conferencia Nacional Católica de Jóvenes (NCYC) 2025 en Estados Unidos.

Obispos españoles impulsan la sinodalidad y revisan su acción ante los abusos en la Iglesia

Los obispos españoles, reunidos en su 128ª Asamblea Plenaria, avanzaron en la aplicación de la sinodalidad en las diócesis, revisaron el plan de reparación a víctimas de abusos y abordaron temas clave como el papel de los obispos eméritos

LIVE UPDATES: NCYC 2025 — Pope Leo XIV’s historic first digital encounter with young U.S. Catholics

Pope Leo XIV laughs during his dialogue with young people on Nov. 21, 2025, at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis. / Credit: Jonah McKeown/National Catholic Register

CNA Staff, Nov 21, 2025 / 09:10 am (CNA).

The 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference will feature prayer, community, evangelization, and service among Catholic teenagers from Nov. 20–22 in Indianapolis. Follow CNA’s live coverage of the event below.

Watch the historic discussion with Pope Leo XIV on EWTN YouTube:

Un tercio de los sacerdotes católicos recientes en Inglaterra son conversos anglicanos, según nuevo informe

Un nuevo informe revela que un número significativo de clérigos anglicanos se han convertido al catolicismo en el Reino Unido desde 1992.

El Papa León XIV alerta contra la “falsa misericordia” en los procesos de nulidad matrimonial

En un firme llamado a evitar la “falsa misericordia” en los procesos de nulidad matrimonial, el Papa León XIV recordó que la compasión no puede prescindir de la verdad.

Teens at NCYC 2025 excited for faith, fun, sacraments, friends

Lucy Snipes, Anne Young, and Presley Hilderbrand from Columbus, Georgia tour exhibits during the first night of NCYC 2025 on Nov. 20, 2025, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. / Credit: Tessa Gervasini / CNA

Indianapolis, Indiana, Nov 21, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Teenagers piled into the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday in Indianapolis to start the 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). 

Young Catholics from across the country have traveled to Indianapolis to take part in NCYC for three days of prayer, community, evangelization, catechesis, and service. The 2025 theme is “I Am,” and the conference mission is for participants to encounter Christ and form discipleship. 

On the evening of Nov. 20 exhibits opened to help students gain a deeper understanding of the sacraments and to encourage them to interact with one another. Teens with themed hats packed into the convention center and began to exchange the caps as a way to meet new people at the start of the weekend.

Exhibits open

The interactive exhibits opened Thursday night with themes based on the seven sacraments. Aaron Frazita, the director of the interactive exhibits for NCYC, shared with CNA how they wanted to help the teens “think in a new way, and in a very practical way.”

“About a year and a half out from every NCYC, we have a small group of folks that have gotten together for the better part of 20 years. And we brainstormed some ideas with themes, and this year we really wanted to connect what was going on in the interactive exhibit with the whole of what was going on with the main stage,” he said.

“This year we decided to really focus on the sacraments,” Frazita said. “So we added a few of our own sacraments, like being joyful with games and things like that.”

“The whole idea with all the interactive places we put together is to create crafts and games and conversation and catecheses, really trying to help young people engage with them and meet them where they are,” he continued.

“We have so many young people who maybe just started faith journeys, who are really deep in their experience,” he said. The team created games, service projects, and exhibits on ideas including discernment and vocations to “really engage” the students. 

Teens anticipate NCYC activities

As teens began to play the games with one another, look at exhibits, and meet with students from other cities, they shared with CNA what they are looking forward to most during the NCYC experience. 

Miriam Stebel, Catherine Downer, and Addi Kandel from the Diocese of Cincinnati told CNA they are looking forward to growing in their faith. Stebel said she hopes to “get a better understanding of the Church and the Catholic faith.” 

Catherine Downer, Addi Kandel, and Miriam Stebel from Dayton, Ohio, during the first night of NCYC 2025 on Nov. 20, 2025, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Credit: Tessa Gervasini/CNA
Catherine Downer, Addi Kandel, and Miriam Stebel from Dayton, Ohio, during the first night of NCYC 2025 on Nov. 20, 2025, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Credit: Tessa Gervasini/CNA

She added: “I also think it’s pretty cool that the pope is deciding to connect with the youth more and I think it’s a good opportunity to get everyone engaged.”

“I am hoping to meet new people and just be able to talk to other young people,” Downer said. “I’m excited to learn more about Catholicism and to understand it on a deeper level.”

She said she is also looking forward to the daily breakout sessions. “There’s a few about missions and learning your faith plan,” Downer said. “So I’m excited to go and learn more about what I’m being called to do.”

Kandel, meanwhile, said she hopes to learn what she can work on in her own life.

"One big thing I also want to do is learn more about Scripture and how to interpret it and understand it, and just how I can deepen my relationship with the Lord," she said.

Lucy Snipes, Anne Young, and Presley Hildenbrand are all high school students from Columbus, Georgia. Snipes told CNA she came to NCYC to “meet new people and see how Catholicism has changed and inspired people.” 

She is looking forward to “seeing everyone all together, doing concerts, and praising together.”

“Adoration here is also always the best thing ever,” said Snipes, who is returning for her second time to NCYC. “It’s always so nice to be around a lot of other people that are feeling the same things as you.”

Young added she’s looking forward to the daily Masses for the same reason.

Hildenbrand said she is looking forward to being around other teens while they get to hear Pope Leo XIV speak. “I think it’s really cool to hear from the pope, especially since he’s the first American pope and he’ll talk in English.”

Amelia Horner and Maeve Wendiger showed up in their Indianapolis 500 race car hats to represent the famed racing city.

“It is really nice just being with so many young Catholics that are here,” Wendiger said. “And it has been really nice to reconnect with a lot of people from my middle school.”

Horner has never been to NCYC but said she’s “heard a lot of talk about it, and people who have so much in common can come together and just be who they are.” She said she is very excited to lean into the 2025 theme of “I Am.” 

The girls said they were “shocked” the event was going to be in their own backyard. While sometimes they feel big events don’t come to their hometown, they said: “Indiana is special.”

El Papa León XIV se reúne con madre católica que perdió a su hijo por suicidio vinculado a un “chatbot” de IA

Megan Garcia dijo que su fe le ha dado la fuerza para hablar públicamente de su calvario con la esperanza de proteger a los niños de los riesgos que plantean los nuevos chatbots de IA.