INDIANAPOLIS — Over 100 people from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois were on hand to take part in the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), held Nov. 21-23 in Indianapolis. They were there with the over 23,000 people from all 50 states, the military archdiocese and the U.S. Virgin Islands who participated in the biennial event that gathers together Catholic teenagers, youth ministers, diocesan leaders, pastors and seminarians.

The number that attended from the Springfield diocese was greatly increased from 2011, according to Kyle Holtgrave, associate director for Youth and Young Adult Ministry in the diocesan Office for Catechesis. “We had 103 from our diocese representing 18 parishes, compared with 46 from eight parishes at the last event,” he said.

A number of the students from Springfield registered through Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, while many of those from the Quincy area registered through Great River TEC, said Holtgrave. Parishes represented were St. Agnes, St. Aloysius, Blessed Sacrament, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Christ the King, St. Katharine Drexel and Little Flower, all in Springfield; Blessed Sacrament, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Peter and St. Francis Solanus, all in Quincy; St. Brigid, Liberty; Holy Cross, Auburn; St. Charles Borromeo, Charleston; St. Francis of Assisi, Teutopolis; St. Mary, Pittsfield; St. Joseph the Worker, Chatham; and St. Paul, Highland.

Sofia del Rosario, a young parishioner at St. Mary Parish in Pittsfield, was chosen to represent the diocese during the opening prayer at the event. “She was a water bearer,” said Holtgrave. “Each delegation was asked to bring a small sample of water from a source from within the diocese. Everyone’s water was comingled in the font used for the event as a symbol of everyone coming together. I collected a water sample from Lake Springfield and Sofia was part of the procession of all the dioceses on the main stage to pour the water into the font.”  

“Sofia loved the conference, even though she was the only one from our parish,” said Angela Lipcamon, an adult volunteer from St. Mary Parish in Pittsfield.  “I asked her if the conference had given her more courage and strength in spreading her faith and her answer was affirmative.”

Lipcamon said the conference was very well organized and offered a great selection of sessions that covered traditional Catholic teaching, traditions and practices. “I was impressed by the great Catholic young people I came in contact with; (they were) polite, respectful and considerate.”

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki was at NCYC where he presented two workshops on his book Holy Goals for Body and Soul and held a book signing at the Ave Maria Press booth. “He sold out of his books and also played air hockey at the booth, offering a free copy of his book to anyone who could beat him,” said Holtgrave. “He says he lost twice.

“Our seminarians from (Bishop Simon) Bruté Seminary were involved in the NCYC activities, as was Deacon Steven Arisman,” said Holtgrave, who was one of several adult lay leaders from the Springfield diocese. “Father Chuck Edwards from St. Paul in Highland was there, as well as Father Brian Alford and Deacon Denny Baker.

“Other college students in the area were there, too, helping in various roles,” he said. “Emilie Esker from Dieterich, who is a student at Marian University, was in the choir. And Michael Haley from Springfield was a volunteer with Catholic Relief Services.”

“I was proud to see our bishop there,” said Lipcamon, who also enjoyed the liturgies and seeing the Catholic leaders connecting with the youth. “It truly gives a person hope, when you see these young people so fired up about their Catholic faith and their fervor for serving Christ through his church.”