Our culture has accepted a massive LIE: “I need a huge following on social media and be liked by everyone in order for my life to be valuable and to make a difference in the world.” The TRUTH is: our value does not come from popularity, it comes from the fact that we have been created in God’s im...

Many of us are affected by stress, anxiety, and depression. Many apostles, disciples, and saints struggled with mental health issues, yet they reached out in their own pain and shared care and faith with friends and the larger world. In this session, you will learn powerful ways to utilize the to...

We are called to welcome and celebrate the beautiful diversity of our Church. This is a great opportunity to unite, inspire, and share our testimonies as bridges of unity and healing with our ministries. Jesse, Iván, and ValLimar are proudly sponsored by Spirit and Song - a division of OCP.

It is not enough to go to a conference and give yourself to Jesus. Jesus invites us to surrender to him every single day in order to grow in relationship with him. But how do you do this? How do you surrender yourself to Jesus when you are back home without all the NCYC hype? Join Fr. Agustino To...

Throughout Sacred Scripture, God often spoke to the prophets and saints through their dreams. Most dreamed of peace and love. On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., shared with the world his vision of love through his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Unfortunately, we are living in a tim...

It is easy to understand that seeking forgiveness from God and offering forgiveness to others should be a part of a Catholic Christian’s life, but it is much harder to do in practice. In order to keep deepening our relationship with God we need to find the courage to be able to forgive and the co...

This workshop will be in Spanglish. La Virgen Maria, Nuestra Madre, is an example of a woman who was blessed in the annunciation, broken in the crucifixion and, then shared with us as the Blessed Mother. Nos entregó a Jesús. Como en tiempos difíciles veamos como el ejemplo de su vida nos invita a...

Pope Francis challenges young people to make noise and to make a mess! But what if you are the quiet, introverted type? Or maybe you prefer things to be clean, neat, and orderly? In this session, we will explore ways to live out your faith quietly—perfect for the person who desires to live out th...

"How do we find joy when everything around us is going in the dumps? With her humor, Judy will show you not only what the Church teaches but how she has overcome difficulties like
PTSD and breast cancer in her own life. Come laugh and learn with her."

In this workshop you will be equipped to make the case for Life, from both a religious and secular viewpoint, using scientific and philosophical arguments that support the pro-life position. Then you will learn to apply those skills to compassionately and effectively dialogue with your peers and ...

In this session, Dom breaks open how a lack of trust might be keeping us from the life God calls us to live. Using references from Scripture, the lives of the saints, and practical, everyday events from his life, Dom will outline the reasons we struggle to trust and show a clear path toward getti...

This session seeks to examine core lessons from Navy SEAL training and apply it to the spiritual life. The session will be presented by two speakers: Fr. Paul Kostka, a U.S. Navy chaplain and Captain John Doolittle, a retired Navy SEAL. They will highlight the importance of a number of core value...

This workshop is designed to give hope and encouragement to teens who may feel discouraged, insecure, or unsure how to share their faith in their everyday lives. In this workshop, youth will be able to hear advice, and feel encouraged through the witness of their peers. Christina is proudly spons...

The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself. As if that were not challenging enough, how do you love your neighbor well if you do not love yourself well? This session will take a look at appreciating ho...

Catholic young adults can fall prey to the “discernment trap.” They hear the word spoken, read it in blogs, and even use it in conversation, but rely on a definition pieced together through sound bites. For many, discernment is simply a holding pattern or an excuse to avoid a decision. This pract...

Sarah Swafford will help guide you through friendships, dating, and the challenges of being a man or woman today. Whether from social media or the environment around them, men and women face intense pressure, draining their confidence, interior identity, and overall pursuit of meaning in their li...

Noelle’s dad is Mexican and speaks fluent Spanish. David’s mom is Puerto Rican and speaks fluent Spanish. And yet neither parent taught Noelle and David to speak Spanish! We work in a bilingual community with youth and young adults, however, and have had tremendous success bringing communities to...

"We have a golden opportunity to connect families with our ministry as youth prepare to celebrate and live the sacrament of confirmation. This workshop will explore a stepby-step process to engage parents and families in our confirmation ministries. Together, we will look at family practices for ...

What is the best way to accompany young people on their faith journey? Learn the five tenets of establishing long-term small groups that every group organizer will want to share and every group leader will need to know in order to create small, effective faith groups.

You have planned your youth night and the same kids show up. You have seen with your own eyes how huge percentages of youth in religious education seem completely disinterested. You have read the data that explains why. But do we just give up? That is not an option. Going to the fringes of Cathol...

Parents are justifiably worried about their kids when it comes to the internet, cell phones, and digital spaces. We will examine what the research says about screen time, examine what the recent synod has called us to in regard to technology, and look at what responsible use of technology looks l...

Why save sex for marriage? Scare tactics, guilt trips, and teen pregnancy rates do not inspire anyone to love. Discover the difference between love and lust while getting straight answers about dating, relationships, and sexual purity.

Did you know that the first saints were teenagers? They teach us how to become saints in five simple steps. This session will help teens, and all age groups, to learn the process of becoming who we are called to be– saints! Saints are the most powerful influencers of their times. They are bold, p...

Have you ever wanted to live a happier life yet felt stuck with certain memories or experiences that you would rather forget? Have you wanted to be free of anger or sadness and yet wondered how it could ever truly happen? Being wounded by the injustice of another is part of human life, and only t...

Throughout the history of the church, Christians have demonstrated unmatched courage in defending the faith, living a heroic life of witnessing to Jesus, and even laying down their lives for what they believe. As Catholic Christians today, we too must tap into the same strength that God has promi...

Sarah Swafford will help guide you through friendships, dating, and the challenges of being a man or woman today. Whether from social media or the environment around them, men and women face intense pressure, draining their confidence, interior identity, and overall pursuit of meaning in their li...

If you like music, this workshop is for you! No matter what your musical taste, you will find something here. Through an exploration of different songs and musical genres, participants will be invited to explore the different “rhythms” of our stories and life in Christ. While our call to holiness...

Everyone wants to go viral and be a sensation, but there is only one view that counts for what we do—God’s. The sanctuary lamp is lit to let us know Jesus is present. We have to be the light everyone else is afraid to be. How do we let others know Jesus is present with us? How do we authentically...

Pope Francis has challenged us, to come out of ourselves and go forth as a community of missionary disciples and “…to boldly take the initiative, go out to others, and seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast” (Evangelii Gaudium #24). However, Newton’s Firs...

Image is important in the American culture, especially with young people. This session challenges our “image” and shows how our image is to reflect the one who made us. By looking at the example of Mary and key points of Sacred Scripture, we can better understand and apply what it is to be made ...

Have you ever thought that your problems are there to teach you something? Do you see yourself as a victim or as a responsible human being who is ready to see the problems in a different way? When someone hurts you, there is no need to be upset or sad because what this person did to you challenge...

With three hundred hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute, six thousand tweets sent a second, and ninety-five million Instagram photos uploaded every day, we live in a very noisy world. One of the best ways to encounter God and grow in faith is through beauty, which requires silence and ...

It is easy to put prayer on our daily to-do list and either get in the habit of seeing it as another duty to cross off or an unimportant task to shuffle around when our routine becomes disordered. But prayer becomes less of a burdensome chore when we choose to love Jesus and grow in the knowledge...

Being fully and totally available to God and to others is the best gift we have. When we make ourselves fully available, we can be full alive! Many of our favorite saints are great examples of total availability. God’s greatest gift is his availability—he is omnipresent, he is in the Eucharist, h...

Social media has tried (and failed) to satisfy our craving for authentic connection. While not inherently problematic, constant exposure to highlight-centric social feeds condition us to believe that only parts of our stories, experiences, and identities are worthy of connection. Reflecting on th...

The world needs authentic, courageous, and loving witnesses of the Gospel. Eric Groth, executive producer of Paul, Apostle of Christ, shares his journey from baseball to youth ministry to film production, and will lead a conversation around the question: How do I live out my Catholic faith in a c...

Sometimes military service can seem to conflict with our Catholic faith—the nature of war, separation from family, limited access to the sacraments on deployment, and moral obligations. In this workshop, discover how Catholics can flourish in these environments and answer their call to holiness. ...

At the heart of catechesis, we find the person of Jesus Christ. Catechesis has to be more than textbooks and tests to determine if one is ready for the sacraments. Lifelong discipleship that leads to heaven is our focus. Religious Education (RE), with its emphasis on catechesis, has to be placed ...

We all know that we cannot lead on our own, but recruiting, managing, and building a team of volunteers can be a challenge (especially if you are part time or a volunteer). In this breakout, Chris will share simple tips and strategies that will help parishes recruit, manage, and train a team of v...

Pope Francis has called on church leaders to accompany youth on their journey of faith. We also need to accompany their parents. This workshop explores ways ministry leaders can walk with parents, supporting them in passing on the faith to their adolescent children at home and in the parish. Sinc...

How can we as church leaders and parents work together in building p the domestic church: the family? This “episode” of the Doug and Dave Show will explore—in an engaging and creatively-fun format—what can happen when faith formation, youth ministry, and pastoral staffs work WITH parents, helping...

Sports and games play an important part in our culture and in our lives. Many people put sports first in their lives. This session will focus on the challenges between sports and faith and how to keep sports in perspective and to put faith first when we prioritize our life. Real life examples and...

Catholic teens are often told everything they’re NOT supposed to do when it comes to dating. But what ARE you supposed to do? Discover the difference between love and lust while getting straight answers about dating, relationships, and sexuality. If you’re looking for practical strategies to buil...

This practical workshop will equip passionate Catholic teenagers to humbly, prayerfully, and courageously share the good news of Jesus Christ with their own culture, and transform it from the inside out. It will challenge teens to live in the tension of being wholeheartedly faithful to Jesus, and...

Have you ever wondered what the Holy Spirit’s purpose is in your life? Come to this session to learn more about the Holy Spirit, the gifts God has given you by your baptism, and how to activate them in your life.

When praying, it is easy (and comfortable) to spend time and attention trying to say the right thing in prayer. Prayer is much more that what we say. It is a conversation that requires us to listen. In our overly busy lives, it is difficult to carve out the time and space to listen in prayer. Joi...

You just got the text from your Life Night group, and it contains the two words that strike fear into your perfect introverted heart: COLOR WAR. Mom and Dad want you to go. “It will be fun,” they say. You are having an anxiety attack just thinking about it. I know this pain so well. I get the lon...

Born with only a three percent chance of survival, suffering from crippling self-esteem issues during middle school, and living through a suicide attempt in high school, Scott’s personal testimony will resonate with teens on many levels as he speaks to the love and mercy of God in his own life an...

Join Chris and Linda Padgett for the opportunity to learn how to live the faith in a way that’s real. In your own individual ministry, being yourself as you live the faith. Connecting the reality of where you are and the call to live the faith even when it’s hard.

Do you sometimes wish you could be someone else? Does comparing yourself to other people hold you back from feeling truly free and happy? It is not easy to see our own worth in a culture where beauty is only skin deep and you are only as good as the number of likes on your next Instagram post. De...

This workshop will include a brief testimony of my own battle with depression during high school and college and thirteen reasons why a young person should embrace the dignity, beauty, and meaning of their own life. I will also give some practical advice for anyone who knows someone who is strugg...

If you have ever found the Bible confusing . . . or disjointed . . . or just plain weird, this is the talk for you. Using the theme of covenant, Katie breaks the Bible down into six bitesized chunks that are understandable and easy to remember. This is truly a crash course and consistently one of...

Are you or someone you know bored, jaded, or apathetic about your Catholic faith? Is Mass a chore to sit through, or have you stopped going altogether? Do you feel like God is not there at all? You are not alone, you are not broken, and God has never left your side! Let us kick-start your faith o...

The book of Hebrews says Scripture is “living and active.” However, for most young people the Bible often seems lifeless and dull. This session will explore the importance of Sacred Scripture in our lives and give practical steps that will bring the Bible to life and unlock the grace and power fo...

Engaging youth and young adults can be challenging, and the realities facing young people today are increasingly overwhelming. Yet in the midst of this uncertainty, there is hope. Pope Francis speaks about this hope in his recent letter to young people and the church, Christus Vivit. Join Paul Ja...

"Many Catholics long to live dynamic lives but are stymied by questions like, Am I ready? Who should I talk to? What should I say? This session examines the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives as missionary disciples.
Without the power we have received at baptism and confirmation, we are like c...

Why is it that some parishes have vibrant and growing youth programs, and others simply struggle to survive? Through more than a decade of experience in building and growing youth ministry programs serving thousands of youth, which have led to countless vocations and lay ministry leaders, Dan wil...

Most young people today are indigenous to a postmodern epistemology and come to know truth more through experience than cognitive reasoning. Transitioning from a belief-oriented approach to an encounter-focused approach is essential to reaching young people. For most teens, the entrance ramp to a...

Make sure your youth ministry prioritizes welcoming and engaging new students. We will cover practical ideas and tactics they can implement that work and processes they can put in place to have a long term effect.

We are challenged to engage young people in conversations that matter! This session will provide participants with practical skills on how to use symbols, analogy, and metaphors in developing God talk. These skills are applicable to home, classes, youth ministry settings, and in our conversations...

Discernment is not easy in today’s world. This talk will provide practical tips on how to live your daily life and to ultimately follow your vocation. Not everyone is called to the priesthood, religious, or consecrated life. You are called to a unique vocation and this presentation will help you ...

The world of social media is a pervasive force in the lives of too many young people: fifty percent of teens look at their screens four hours a day; twenty-five percent are engaged by media more than eight hours a day. Research shows how damaging the effects of excessive social media use can be o...

This talk is titled, "Music & God's Presence" by Joe Melendrez and Fr. Rob Galea.

Questions of manhood are permeating our current culture. The impact of various movements as well as the absence of male leadership on multiple levels has resulted in an increasing confusion between machismo and masculinity. Men need direction, encouragement, and community.

In this talk, Emily shares about what it means to be a woman created in God’s image and likeness and how we live that out as young women in the modern culture. Emily highlights the beauty and complementarity of God’s design for masculinity and femininity, self-esteem and healthy self-image and th...

"Christians, we should be reading it, right? But where do you even start? Can you just pick up the Bible and begin reading at any page? And how do you get something out of it? At this deep dive workshop, Mark Hart will teach you how to how to access the beauty of Scripture and how to incorporate ...

"Sometimes those closest to us are the hardest to witness the faith to. We are called to be peer to peer evangelists, and this demands a spiritual confidence grounded in the fervor of the Apostles themselves. Come experience a workshop determined to expand your discipleship and equip you with pas...

So many feel isolated and lonely, sometimes even invisible and insignificant. This workshop will help you find strength in the community known as church, family of God, and Body of Christ. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, so we do impact each other. We can help one another become reflec...

Transform your day to an offering of love for Christ who is love. The Eucharistic day is a gift that allows his presence to take hold of your life and set you on the path to holiness. This workshop offers practical ways for youth and young adults to apply this gift to their busy lives by focusing...

Meditation: an invitation to pay attention to God. Regularly practicing meditation can help you cope with stress and anxiety from your fastpaced and hectic life. “Meditation is above all a quest. The mind seeks to understand the why and how of Christian life” (CCC 2705). Psalm 46 says to be still...

The world today suffers from the ill effects of racism, in our society and in our souls. Using the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ pastoral letter against racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call of Love, and the See, Judge, Act Method,” this session will explore issues and realities o...

It is easy to think of many reasons why we are not good enough, but the Lord constantly reaffirms through Scripture that we are important, He has a purpose for our lives, and we MATTER! In this workshop, we will discuss how we are created unique among God’s creatures as the perfect combination of...

You have tried everything . . . or have you? We will talk about strategies that will empower you, your parents, youth volunteers and leaders, and others to support more contemporary music offerings. Learn how Scripture informs and supports how and why we use our musical gifts in worship. We will ...

Have you ever been in the dark, darkness so deep and black that you cannot see your hand before your eyes? Many young adults who experience times of doubt and confusion in their faith wander around as if in a spiritual darkness. This gathering will reflect and respect our crawling in the dark mom...

A fun look at the whys of the church. Why are the chalices made of gold? Why do we light candles? Why is intense so stinky? The answers may surprise you. You will definitely walk away more aware of the church’s depth from the parking lot to the kneelers.

Are you at a loss for how to reach your kids? Does it seem like they are more interested in their iPhone and iPad than they are in a relationship with you? How can you get through to them? How do you discipline them? How do you bring them Jesus when it seems like they are not listening and do not...

This session shares with young adults the impact of being in a small group community and how living the model of Jesus is essential for evangelizing our communities and helping young adults become engaged in the life of the church. Using the Emmaus story, Brian will help young adults understand t...

How do we inspire young people to evangelize? This session will focus on youth leadership and tools to equip them to evangelize their peers and their community. Based on relational and interactive youth ministry principles, adult leaders will be shown methods that form youth through peer-led inte...

What do parishes that intentionally engage their young people have in common? What can we learn from their experience? These are the questions that were asked in a qualitative study led by a team at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI). By sifting through over ten thousand pages of survey, interview,...

It is common knowledge that young people are disaffiliating from religious institutions at ever increasing rates. However, the reasons for this trend are sorely misunderstood. In this workshop, you will learn how larger social issues around institutional trust impact all of your efforts to engage...

Parish and diocesan staffs sometimes fall victim to internal politics, low morale, and mega-turnover. How can we evangelize and make disciples if our leadership teams are dysfunctional? This session introduces the concept of organizational health (specifically defined), gives you a taste of growi...

It is no secret that it is tough being a teen today. It can be just as tough being a parent, minister, or caring adult in their lives, especially when they are struggling with tough issues like drama, bullying, trauma, stress, anxiety, and depression. Come learn to recognize the signs of a teen i...

Parents: we have all heard that everything is a competition. As a result, we compare, judge, and compete with other parents, creating an environment that is eating our youth alive. This often leaves us feeling alone and isolated, as we fear admitting we do not know all there is to know about pare...

Do you have a friend at home who . . . just needs some Jesus? Maybe you have a friend who is going through a break up, spends too much time worrying about what others think, or has a rough time at home. And maybe you want to invite your friend to get to know Jesus, but you are unsure of how to do...

Maybe you cannot wait to get out of high school. Maybe you get nervous just thinking about life after graduation. Either way, give yourself this time to look ahead. Life after high school has its challenges for sure, but this session will give you a chance to look honestly at your hopes and fears...

Everyone loves a good story. It is why we get sucked into YouTube, bingewatch Netflix, or watch every frame of a multi-part Instagram story. There is just something about a well-told story that draws us in. That is why the best way to share Jesus with the world is through story. Unfortunately, ou...

Pornography is an epidemic that is currently impacting the majority of youth in our culture. This workshop will provide practical steps for men and women who are trapped in the shackles of sexual sin or who are impacted by someone else trapped in sin. The focus of the workshop is simple: freedom ...

After coming out of high school with a negative experience of youth ministry, doubting God’s love for him, and wanting to forget the last six years of his life, the last thing Scott ever wanted to do was become a youth minister. And yet three years later, in 1992, God tricked him into it and he h...

Through storytelling, real life examples, natural law, and scientific evidence, we pose the question: what sets us apart as human beings? We discuss the splendor of the human person and define human dignity. We celebrate the magnificence of human life with stunning images, state-ofthe-art footage...

Faith calls you to more than just coming to youth nights at your parish or attending theology classes at your school. The Church actually has given us the blueprint on how to live an authentic and life-giving Catholic faith. It worked for the apostles and still works today. If you are already a l...

Whether leaving home to serve in a foreign land, heading off to college, or moving to a new community, many aspects of these and other transitions are similar. Life compels us to step outside our comfort zones. We are called by Pope Francis to go to the margins and encounter others. But how do we...

Stop leaving retreats and conferences with a Jesus high! Two weeks later it has faded and you are back to the same ol’, same ol’. In this session, Catie will present some “come to Jesus” moments that will require you to be honest with yourself. Are you willing to do something radical and follow o...

Sports are a common theme of our everyday lives. It dominates the mainstream discussion, unites strangers in a common goal, brings happiness and extreme sadness to all its viewers. It pulls at our hearts and holds us captive each week. No matter the time of year, we can find ourselves sitting in ...

Sometimes military service can seem to conflict with our Catholic faith—the nature of war, separation from family, limited access to the sacraments on deployment, and moral obligations. In this workshop, discover how Catholics can flourish in these environments and answer their call to holiness. ...

Parish, school, and diocesan leaders alike continue to seek out best practices, programs, and strategies that will engage and support parents and families to grow in faith, because we know how critical the domestic church is to the life and vitality of the universal church. Yet no program or stra...

Lately the Church has invested a lot of time listening closely to young people, and finding new ways to foster vocations has been at the heart of many of those conversations. This session will focus on the convergence of what we have learned from the V Encuentro, the National Dialogue, and the XV...

As ministers it can often be easy to sacrifice your marriage on the altar of ministry. This workshop offers practical advice on how to avoid the pitfalls many fall into. For over twenty years, Chris and Linda have done fulltime ministry, and these tips will help those who are married or thinking ...

Accompanying young people on their journey of faith demands leaders who not only walk with them listening to their stories but also proclaim and give witness to the fullness of the Catholic faith. We are called to accompany them toward something— mature Christian discipleship as an ordering of on...

How do we “get to” teens who are fixated on screens, have schedules that are more hectic than those of CEOs, and only give us small nuggets of information if they give us any at all? How do we connect when they seem disconnected from us and are gravitating in other directions? We will discuss som...

On Thursday we will focus on the themes of journey and being blessed. As each of us journeys through life, we encounter Christ on the way. Sometimes in ways that we recognize him, and sometimes in ways that we don't. However, each one of us has the opportunity to encounter the Lord, at any time, ...

The disciples do not recognize Christ when they first encounter him on the road. Their faces are downcast as they recall to him what had happened in Jerusalem. Things are not always as they appear; as Jesus, who died on the cross, stands with them in their sadness.
Keynote: Immaculée Ilibagiza

The disciples urged Jesus to stay with them. It was in the breaking of the bread that they recognized him. Keynote: Mark Hart

On Friday evening, we will have time to sit in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord. He is made known to us at table as well, on the altar in the Eucharist, the Bread of Life. Presider: Fr. Josh Johnson

The journey of the Road to Emmaus led to the Lord. Our lives are a journey as well, in which the Lord accompanies us. On our journey, we discover who we are in him, and his healing presence.

With burning hearts, the disciples ran back to Jerusalem to share what they had experienced. Each one of us are called to share the Good News—we are strengthened in the sacraments to go forth, share the Gospel, and lead others to the Lord.
Celebrant and Homilist: Archbishop Charles C. Thompson of...