NCYC 2025
Jesus ‘is the king of our hearts,’ Archbishop Perez shares at NCYC’s closing Mass
Some 16,000 Catholic teenagers from across the country worship on Nov. 22 in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis during the closing Mass of the National Catholic Youth Conference. (Photo by Sean Gallagher)
By Sean Gallagher
Looking out from a sanctuary built on the floor of Lucas Oil Stadium on the 16,000 youths from across the country that came to Indianapolis for the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Perez shared with them a message of hope he wanted them to nurture in their hearts as they returned to their homes.
“When you feel lost, Jesus is your shepherd,” said Archbishop Perez in his homily during the conference’s closing Mass on Nov. 22. “Remember that. When you feel you’re in darkness, Jesus is your light. When you feel you’re absolutely hungry and your soul is weighed down, Jesus is your bread.”
Jesus, he returned to again and again in his homily on the feast of Christ the King, is the “king of our hearts.”
In reflecting on Christ the King, Archbishop Perez said that he is not a king in the way that the world views such rulers.
“His throne is a cross,” he said. “His crown is not made of gold and gems. It’s made of thorns. He doesn’t wear fancy, beautiful, priceless rings on his hands. He has nails.”
According to the world, Christ’s death on the cross was “the worst of all ways to execute a criminal.”
But, because of Christ’s resurrection, the Church in faith proclaims that his crucifixion was actually a great victory for him and all who believe in him.
“Goodness has won,” Archbishop Perez said. “Christ the King has already given us victory. We have to embrace that, internalize that and make a part of who we are. And that’s the journey of our Christian life.”
Three times in his homily, Archbishop Perez cried out in a popular and historic phrase in Spanish, “Viva Cristo Rey!” (“Long live Christ the King!”). And each time, the congregation cried out the common reply, “Que viva!” (“He lives!”).
Because the centerpiece of this year’s NCYC was a nearly hourlong video interaction of the participants with Pope Leo XIV, Archbishop Perez reflected in his homily on parts of the pontiff’s message.
He reminded them in the pope’s words that Jesus “ ‘knows when life feels heavy. Even you do not feel his presence, our faith tells us he is there.’ ”
Archbishop Perez encouraged them in the pope’s words to take “ ‘daily moments of silence … whether through adoration, or reading Scripture, or simply talking to’ ” Jesus in order to build up a relationship with him and to “ ‘entrust their struggles’ ” to him.
“ ‘Little by little, we learn to hear his voice both from within and through the people he sends us. As you grow closer to Jesus, do not fear what he may ask you for. If he challenges you to make changes in your life, it’s always because he wants to give you a greater joy and freedom. God is never outdone in generosity.’ ”
Archbishop Perez offered a heartfelt prayer at the end of his homily after quoting Pope Leo’s words.
“Thank you, Lord, for the visit of your vicar,” he said. “We are blessed and honored to have had him with us. And thank you, Lord, for being our king, for being the king of our hearts.”
He and the 16,000 youths in the stadium then ended the homily as they had begun it.
“Viva Cristo Rey!”
“Que viva!”
“Viva Cristo Rey!”
“Que viva!”
“Viva Cristo Rey!”
“Que viva!”
The love for Christ that the youths and their chaperones showed during the homily poured forth during Communion when many knelt and raised their hands in prayer, entering into the popular praise and worship music that the conference’s house band played.
And as Archbishop Perez, more than 20 concelebrating bishops and nearly 250 concelebrating priests processed off the stadium’s floor at the end of the closing Mass, the house band struck up again the praise and worship music that filled the hearts of the 16,000 youths who joyfully celebrated their faith.
With the music continuing to play and youths still overflowing with joy in the stadium, Karyna Lopez spoke in a concourse of the stadium with The Criterion about her experience of her second NCYC.
“It was so good that I had to come again,” said Karyna, a teenager from the Diocese of Jefferson City, Mo. “The Holy Spirit is very strong here. Everyone is just so inspired for the Lord.
“I got to meet the Church of today. It’s amazing. There may not be that many [Catholics] at my school, but I know that there are people out there that have the same faith.”
Like many of the other 16,000 teens who attended NCYC, Karyna took memories of her encounter with Pope Leo as she left Lucas Oil Stadium and prepared to return home.
“We got to see the pope,” she said with joy. “It was amazing. He had so much wisdom to share. I’m just glad that I got to experience that.”
(For more photos from NCYC, visit www.archindy.org/ncyc.) †
See more stories from the National Catholic Youth Conference here
