
NCYC 2025 UPDATES
Edition 5 | 3/6/25

FINAL NCYC 2025 PILGRIMAGE CAPACITY DETERMINED!
The final capacity will be 146 pilgrims!
After reviewing our current registration numbers, speaking with the 4-5 additional parishes that have expressed interest and/or been in communication with us about confirmed registrations but have yet to complete our online registration, and contacting Anderson Bus Company/Hampton Inn, we have determined that our final capacity will be 146 pilgrims.
REGISTRATION NUMBERS UPDATE!
133 PILGRIMS REGISTERED FROM THE FOLLOWING PARISHES:
- Holy Cross/Our Mother of Sorrows (Charlotte/Greece)
- Group Leader- Cindy Lammes
- Holy Trinity (Webster)
- Group Leader- Jennifer Schoene
- Immaculate Conception (Ithaca)
- Group Leader- Rich Rasmussen
- Parish of the Holy Family (Gates)
- Group Leader- Gina Capellazzi
- St. Agnes/St. Rose/St. Paul of the Cross (Avon/Lima/Honeoye Falls)
- Group Leader- Christine DeVito
- St. John of Rochester (Fairport)
- Group Leader- Anne Marie Egan
- St. John Vianney (Bath)
- Group Leader- Vivian Stratche
- St. Joseph (Penfield)
- Group Leader- Lisa Milano
- St. Martin de Porres (Churchville/Caledonia/Scottsville)
- Group Leader- Kate Esposito
- St. Maximilian Kolbe (Ontario)
- Group Leader- Corey Ginett
- St. Monica (Rochester)
- Group Leader- Jessica Tette
- Transfiguration/St. Catherine of Siena (Pittsford/Mendon)
- Group Leader- Anne Gallagher
Waitlist Guide
While we have not yet reached our new and final pilgrimage capacity of 146 pilgrims, we anticipate that we will reach the capacity by the regular rate registration deadline of March 31 at the latest. Once we reach our new capacity, we will implement our waitlist process that is outlined in the guide below. Parish group leaders will be notified when we have officially reached our new and final capacity/the waitlist process has gone into effect!
Planned Bus Groupings & Departure Locations
Bus 1 (56-Passenger Capacity) | Departure Location: St. Marianne Cope- Guardian Angels (Henrietta)
- Holy Trinity (Webster)- 12 Pilgrims
- Parish of the Holy Family (Gates)- 10 Pilgrims
- St. John of Rochester (Fairport)- 20 Pilgrims
- St. Joseph (Penfield)- 12 Pilgrims
- TOTAL- 54 PILGRIMS
Bus 2 (56-Passenger Capacity) | Departure Location: St. Marianne Cope- Guardian Angels (Henrietta)
- Holy Cross/Our Mother of Sorrows (Charlotte/Greece)- 12 pilgrims
- St. Agnes/St. Rose/St. Paul of the Cross (Avon/Lima/Honeoye Falls)- 8 pilgrims
- St. Martin de Porres (Churchville/Caledonia/Scottsville)- 11 pilgrims
- St. Monica (Rochester)- 6 Pilgrims
- Transfiguration/St. Catherine of Siena (Pittsford/Mendon)- 18 Pilgrims
- TOTAL- 55 PILGRIMS
Bus 3 (34-Passenger Capacity) | Departure Location: Our Lady of Peace- St. Stephen (Geneva)
- Immaculate Conception (Ithaca)- 6 Pilgrims
- St. John Vianney (Bath)- 7 Pilgrims
- St. Maximilian Kolbe (Ontario)- 11 Pilgrims
- TOTAL- 24 PILGRIMS
Pilgrim numbers for groups are current as of this update & subject to change!
Having one central departure location reduces costs and shortens the trip to/from Indianapolis (which means an earlier arrival!). The departure location may be more of a drive for some parish groups. To that end, group leaders are invited to share their preference for departure time from the Diocese of Rochester via email. Please know that bus departure times usually are between 2:00-4:30 p.m.
Featured Speakers for NCYC 2025!
Meg Hunter-Kilmer
Meg is a missionary and storyteller who travels the world telling people about the fierce and tender love of God. She is the author of four books about Scripture and the Saints and currently works as a campus minister at the University of Notre Dame. (When she’s not obsessively googling obscure Saints, trying to convince people to read Scripture, or driving appalling distances while listening to audiobooks on double speed, she loves watching the Olympics and spending time with her nieces, nephews, and godchildren.)
Brian Greenfield
Brian Greenfield, a Washington, D.C. native, attended Seton Hall and Franciscan University of Steubenville. After time with the Franciscans of the Renewal, he returned to Seton Hall, earning an MA in theology and a master’s in education leadership. Now in Tampa, Florida, Brian is the assistant principal for discipline at Jesuit High School and lives with his wife, Genevieve, and their three children.
Sr. Miriam James Heidland
Sr. Miriam is a former Division I athlete who had a radical conversion and joined the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) in 1998. Her story has been featured on EWTN’s The Journey Home, SEEK Conferences, Steubenville Conferences, and other outlets. She holds a master’s degree in theology from the Augustine Institute and leads healing retreats for priests and religious sisters across the nation. Sr. Miriam hosts the podcast Abiding Together and has authored several books.
Bishop Joseph Espaillat
Bishop Joseph Espaillat is the first Dominican-born auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York. Raised in Manhattan, he is fluent in English, Spanish, and “street.” Bishop Espaillat loves ministering to young people and helping them encounter Christ. He founded Messengers of Christ and enjoys celebrating Mass, hearing confessions, proclaiming the Word, rapping, playing sports, spending time with loved ones, watching movies, and writing poetry.
Cynthia Psencik
Cynthia Psencik, a proud Dominicana and native New Yorker, discovered her calling to ministry nearly 20 years ago. After studying and working in the fashion industry, she was drawn to serve in the Archdiocese of New York, where she worked in the Hispanic Ministry Office and Catechetical Office, led retreats, and played a key role in the First Encuentro on Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry. These experiences ignited her passion for walking with young people in their faith journeys and led her to earn a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Fordham University. She then served as the Director of the Office of Youth Ministry for four years before stepping into her current role as the Mentoring Program and Alumnae Director for the GIVEN Institute.
Evan Psencik
Evan Psencik, affectionately known as “Mr. P,” has dedicated his entire adult life to guiding young people on their spiritual journeys. With a passion for faith formation, he’s worn many hats—youth minister, diocesan director, theology teacher—and now, as the principal of St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School in Austin, TX, he continues to inspire the next generation. When he’s not in the classroom or leading the school community, you can find him practicing with the sports teams or line dancing with students. Outside of work, Evan and his wife, Cynthia, married for 10 years, enjoy running together, traveling to new places, and diving into their favorite TV shows.
Steve Angrisano
Steve Angrisano is undoubtedly one of the most effective and versatile ministry leaders in the Church today. Young and old alike embrace the passionate message of faith, hope and love woven throughout his music and storytelling. Always rooted in a spirit of humility and faithfulness, Steve’s easy, honest style of ministry is born from who he is: a committed witness to the life and love of Jesus Christ.
Documents/Forms Now Available!
The Following Documents/Forms Are Now Available on the Portal:
- Change Form
- Diocesan NCYC 2025 Scholarship Form
- NCYC 2025 CASE Form
- NCYC 2025 Medical Release Form
- Payment Schedule
- Planning Timeline
Word Versions of the Forms Can Be Found Below!
NCYC Scholarships Through NFCYM!
Application Now Available!
The National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM), the organizers of NCYC, provide scholarships for individuals who require financial assistance to attend the conference. They are funded by individual online donations and from the annual NCYC collection. You can find the scholarship application by clicking the button below. We kindly ask that scholarship applications be completed by April 1 at the very latest. The earlier the better! Please email Mark Capellazzi with the names of any pilgrims from your parish that have applied for the scholarship. This information will be helpful as we complete the conference ticket purchasing process. Thanks for your help!
NCYC 2025 Group Leader Portal
The NCYC 2025 Group Leader Portal provides all information, forms, resources, and important details for the conference in one place. The portal is now live and contains several different sections. More will be added to the portal in the coming weeks and months so please check it regularly. Highlights of what has been added will always be shared in these NCYC Updates! Check out the portal by clicking the button below!
INFORMATION ON THE NCYC 2025 PORTAL!
NOTE: Some information from NCYC 2023 has been left on the portal for informational and marketing purposes. Information on the portal will be continuously updated. Please check the portal often! Group leaders will also be notified when materials are added or changed on the portal.
- Waitlist Guide- NEW!
- Change Form
- Diocesan NCYC 2025 Scholarship Form
- NCYC 2025 CASE Form
- NCYC 2025 Medical Release Form
- Payment Schedule
- Planning Timeline
- General NCYC 2025 Schedule
- Hotel Information
- Official NCYC 2025 Logo
- Parish Social Media Posts
- Diocese of Rochester NCYC 2025 Group Leader Guide
- Downtown Indianapolis Dining Guide
- 10 Reasons for NCYC Participation Infographic
- Media Coverage & Informational Videos (Catholic Courier)
- Music Playlist- National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC)
- NCYC 101 for Parish Leaders (NFCYM)
- NCYC 2023 Recap Video
- NCYC 2025 Behavior Guidelines
- NCYC 2025 FAQ’s
- NCYC 2025 Flyer (For Parish Use)
- NCYC 2025 Fundraising Guide
- NCYC 2025 Packing List
- NCYC 2025 Preview Meeting Notes
- NFCYM Adult Code of Conduct
- NFCYM Youth Code of Conduct
- Pilgrim Journal for NCYC
- What is NCYC? Video
The National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) 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 premiere Catholic youth event on a national scale that gathers people from all across America for a life-changing encounter with Christ.
NCYC 2025
November 20-22, 2025
Lucas Oil Stadium & Indiana Convention Center
Indianapolis, IN
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Mark Capellazzi, Project Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry x1375
Email: mark.capellazzi@dor.org
Website: oec.dor.org
Location: 1150 Buffalo Road, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: 585-328-3228