There is a growing list of Catholic conferences in which teens can participate. Some are national gatherings such as NCYC [National Catholic Youth Conference]. Others are local, like DYC [Diocesan Youth Conference.] Below is a brief description of each.

Quick Link to each conference: DYC -- NCYC -- WYD -- DCYM -- NCCYM

Diocesan Youth Conference (DYC)

High school teens are invited to the 2008 Diocesan Youth Conference schedueld for the weekend of March 29 - 30 at the Gateway Center in Collinsville. The theme for this conference is Treasures Beyond Measure taken from Matthew's Gospel 6:19-25.  The conference starts at 9:00 AM on Saturday and ends with Liturgy at approximately 4:30 PM the next day. Join over 700 teens from around the diocese for this exciting event! TARGET AGE GROUP: High School.

Keynote speakers tentatively are Paul Masek and Heather Gallagher from the REAP Team in St. Louis.  More information about DYC will be published as it becomes available.

National Catholic Youth Conference 2007 (NCYC)

Mark your calendars for November 8-11, 2007 as significant dates on your youth ministry calendar. What is it, you ask? It's the 2007 National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). We'll be joining over 20,000 Catholic teens from across the nation for an exciting celebration.

Who Can Attend?

NCYC is open to all Catholic high school teenagers and their adult chaperones. The majority of the youth are between the ages of 16 and 18 and many are leaders in their local parish youth programs.

What is the NCYC?

The National Catholic Youth Conference is a biannual celebration of the young church of today. Over 18,000 people attended that last NCYC in Atlanta. This is the largest Catholic gathering for teens in the nation.  In addition to great keynoters and educational workshops, there will be inspiring liturgies and prayer opportunities.  Plus there is a service project and a Thematic Park called Port Discovery.  This park is an interactive area that includes arts and crafts, exhibitors, the "college corner", games, sporting activities, and interactive educational activities.

Where?

Columbus, Ohio. Our accommodations will be at the Fairfield Inn & Suites-OSU.  Four NCYC Pilgrims are assigned to a room.  A local shuttle will transport us to and from the conference center.  Transportation provided by motorcoach bus is included with registration.

When?
NCYC is Thursday, November 8 through Sunday, November 11.  The Early Registration Deadline is May 1 and all registrations are due August 1.

Why should I go to NCYC?

This is a chance to see how alive our Catholic Faith is in the hearts of young people.  To catch a glimpse of the spirit of NCYC, ask Kyle for a preview DVD that shows more about the event!

How do I sign up?
A registration form can be found on the registration page of this website.  Total cost is $385.00.

Diocesan Conference for Youth Ministers

National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCYM)

December 4-7, 2008 in Cleveland, Ohio.  This is a gathering of youth ministry leaders from across the country.  This is a wonderful opportunity for all Commission members, coordinators of youth ministry, parish staff, catechists, campus ministers, and more.

At the last conference, there were 2,500 adult youth ministry leaders, 3 keynote addresses, 6 concurrent sessions, 45 workshops, dynamic daily prayer and liturgy, over 100 exhibitors, networking with colleagues, and the lights, sounds, shows, and glows of Las Vegas in December!

Also presented in 2006 was Best Practices in Adolescent Catechesis: Methods, Models and Meanings a special track featuring two workshops per round, highlighting some of the best approaches to adolescent catechesis from across the country. TARGET AGE GROUP: Adults