Youth from across the United States gathered in Indianapolis for the annual National Catholic Youth Conference, a vibrant witness of faith that included several memorable moments this year, among them a live virtual conversation with Pope Leo XIV before nearly 16,000 teens.

It was also the first time Bishop Erik Pohlmeier attended NCYC. He traveled with 76 youth from seven parishes in the Diocese of St. Augustine, including a group from Live Oak that made the 14-hour bus journey.

One moment that stood out to the bishop was the sight of long confession lines throughout the conference.

“That’s when you see the depth of what’s happening and get closer to who they really are,” he said. “Those moments are truly formative. There’s a seriousness of faith blended with the exuberance of youth.”

Pope Leo XIV also reminded participants that young Catholics are not just the Church of the future but the Church today.

“I remember St. John Paul II saying the same thing, and it’s something they really respond to,” Bishop Pohlmeier said. “They have something to offer now, and it’s hopeful to see them asking big questions of God at such a young age.”