For Natalie Ibarra, the theme of this year's National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) -- "El Camino / The Way" -- is the best theme featured in her three years as communications manager for the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry.
"I think, every year, we always have a great theme, and I always say, 'This is the best theme,' and then, next year, it goes even better," she told OSV News.
"I am just really looking forward to seeing the theme fully engrained in all that we are doing in this conference," Ibarra said, reflecting that "El Camino / The Way" alludes to life as a journey, a pilgrimage, and, as pilgrims of Christ here on Earth. "How are we walking and accompanying other people: our peers; (and) for us adults, our colleagues, our families?"
This year, the three-day event, geared toward teenagers of high school age and their chaperones, will be held Nov. 14-16 at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, California. After the 2022 NCYC, this is only the second time a West Coast location has been selected for the conference since the 1980s -- a strategic decision, Ibarra explained, as a study showed that "Long Beach ... was fairly central and then also economical."
During recent years, the NCYC, which traces its origins to a 1983 regional conference, has seen the mighty Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis become a venue where boisterous teens pray, participate in speaker sessions, and enjoy music and fellowship. However, "a big reason why we decided to have an NCYC on the West Coast was (because), a lot of times, it's really hard for the West Coast -- and even for people from Hawaii or Alaska -- to come all the way across to Indianapolis," Ibarra said.
"By creating this space, we can allow others, who may not have had the opportunity to go cross-country, to then come to Long Beach," she said.
Pat Clasby, director of confirmation and youth ministry at St. Patrick Church in Carlsbad, California, and co-chair of the general session programming of this year's NCYC, had been attending the conference since 2005, but it was NCYC 2022 that got him involved with the organizing team.
"I had a great experience for that conference, and so I was willing to come back and help out for the 2024 one," Clasby said, adding, "It's an amazing process, an amazing group of people who give a lot of their time and energy to make something like this happen."
The emcees for this year, speakers Rhyan Ramirez (known as Bro Rhy) and Maggie Craig, will engage the young audience from the get-go, setting a lively, energetic tone and pace for the event, which is slated to begin the evening of Nov. 14.
"Students have an opportunity to go to the interactive exhibit hall, the chapel, all before the first general session even happens," Ibarra said.
With over 20 youth breakout sessions -- which titles include "Higher, Further, Faster: Elevating Our Pro-Life Activism"; "But What if I Get It Wrong? How to Discern Your Vocation with Confidence"; and "Befriending and Welcoming Our LGBTQ Catholic Siblings," to name a few -- Friday, Nov. 15, and Saturday, Nov. 16, will be full days, which begin and end with general sessions. Adults will also have about seven break-out sessions to choose from. The evening's general session will feature Eucharistic adoration.
Among the speakers for the 2024 NCYC are Sister Judy Blizzard, The Doug and Dave Show, and ValLimar Jansen. Some featured speakers also include Catholic author and educator Aires Patulot, the Given Institute's Cynthia Psencik -- who previously served as vice president of vice president of the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (La RED), and Emmy-nominated producer and author Ansel Augustine, who is the assistant director of African American Affairs at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Artists such as Chris Estrella, Nick and Nikki Garza, and Donovan Moses will provide the events' worship music and entertainment.
Clasby also talked about the interactive exhibit hall, where, he explained, "anything Catholic, youth ministry-related is being promoted." Within it, an area designated for leisure will welcome teens who want to "hang out and play" or "sit, have a coffee, and chat."
One of the walk-through exhibits Clasby was looking forward to seeing with the youth of St. Patrick was on "understanding homelessness."
"That's part of Catholic social teaching ... and so, it's about helping our young people understand how to serve those in need and what they go through; just have some empathy and compassion for them," he said.
Regarding efforts to engage the Latino youth and their families, Ibarra said that, aside from providing a few resources in Spanish, "we take it case-by-case, parish-by-parish, diocese-by-diocese situation."
She explained that in parishes with a larger Latino community, "We look and meet with their youth minister virtually or over the phone and say, 'What are the needs of the community there?' And many times, it is a financial hardship to be able to make it to the conference."
"A lot of Latino parents do let us know, 'I want my child to be there.' A lot of Latino parents are looking for something more for their child: to experience the church at a national level," she said.
Clasby said this year's conference will be an opportunity for the youth to see the larger Catholic Church.
"It's an opportunity for the youth to see other young people from around the country practicing their faith and realize they are not the only ones that are teenagers who are Catholic," he said. They are not the only ones trying to live their faith out loud."
