THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC YOUTH CONFERENCE
NCYC (National Catholic Youth Conference) is a powerfully unique three-day experience of prayer, community, evangelization, catechesis, service, and empowerment for Catholic teenagers (of high school age) and their adult chaperones.
NCYC is the premier Catholic youth event on a national scale that gathers people from all across America for a life-changing encounter with Christ.
NCYC: Known. Seen. Loved will be held November 20-21, 2026, at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, CA.
St. Francis’ joyful witness and the Digital Encounter with Pope Leo XIV at the 2025 NCYC influence this year’s theme. Rooted in the Gospel truth that human dignity is a gift that we cannot earn, participants are invited to a transformative encounter with the divinity of Jesus Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity. Through his incarnation, death, and resurrection, he reveals that we are truly known, fully seen, and profoundly loved by God. Participants will be challenged to go forth as instruments of God’s peace, reflecting His compassionate heart to the world.
What to Expect at NCYC
Some of the best speakers in the Catholic space.
Celebrate liturgy and the Eucharist with tens of thousands, led by our American bishops.
Praise and entertainment led by award-winning artists.
Countless games, crafts, obstacle courses, meetups, live radio shows, challenges, and so much more.
PResented BY
NCYC was created by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM), an organization committed to advancing the field of pastoral ministry to young people in the United States. Founded in 1981 at the encouragement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, NFCYM’s mission is to support and strengthen those who accompany young people as they encounter and follow Jesus Christ. NFCYM provides pastoral formation through small to massive-scale events (like NCYC!), educational webinars for ongoing development, a virtual membership for support and resources, and countless other opportunities to develop youth and pastoral leaders across America.
Thanks to NFCYM, Catholics from across the country come together to cultivate, evangelize and celebrate the Young Church.
To learn more, visit NFCYM.org.
HISTORY
NCYC began in 1983 as a regional conference, with one session for the east coast and one session for the west coast. The regional conferences had a few thousand youth in attendance. NCYC then merged into a national conference in 1991 and interest in the conference began to grow. Today, NCYC serves the Young Church as the biggest Catholic Youth Conference in America.
You can see a full list and learn more on our Past Events page.
NCYC Mission Statement
In a distinctly Catholic setting, the National Catholic Youth Conference invites participants to encounter Christ, experience church, and be empowered for discipleship.
Upcoming NCYCs
Save the date for:
- 2027 NCYC in Indianapolis – November 18-20, 2027
Visit the Future NCYCs page.
View the NCYC Planning Timeline as you plan for the next NCYC.
