Senior Elise Wing from Columbus Catholic High School is one of five teenagers selected to speak directly with Pope Leo XIV at the 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference.

The National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) is a national gathering organized by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) that brings together high school-aged Catholic teens from across the United States. The conference offers prayer, speakers, workshops and community worship designed to deepen the participants’ faith. 

“NCYC is basically a huge opportunity for Catholic youth from across the country to come together and grow in faith,” Wing says.

NCYC sessions are divided by to size, with large gatherings held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, while smaller sessions are held in conference centers across the street. “There are opportunities to encounter Jesus the entire weekend with confession, adoration and various breakout sessions covering topics like discernment, the future, sexuality, love in action, sainthood, mental health and self-identity,” Wing says.

Held every other year during the week before Thanksgiving, NCYC draws more than 16,000 teenagers, along with bishops, archbishops, priests and adult mentors. Wing describes the experience as transformative.

“I would say it’s a Catholic revival focused deeply on Jesus, the sacraments, unity and love,” said Wing. “It’s incredible.”

In addition to worship and prayer, the conference features live music and an interactive exhibit hall where teens gather to dance, sing, trade items like hats and pins, and visit booths hosted by Catholic universities, religious orders, artists, and vendors.

Wing has attended NCYC twice during her high school career, and both experiences left a lasting impact. “Both times I attended brought me closer to my faith and connections with amazing [people] who believe what I believe, and honestly changed my life.” 

The Archdiocese of Dubuque, specifically the Waterloo sector, brings one of the largest groups of people to the National Catholic Youth Conference each year. It was through the Archdiocese that Wing’s journey to speaking with Pope Leo began.

In late September, Kevin Feyen, the director of youth and young adult ministry at the Archdiocese of Dubuque, was contacted by NFCYM and asked to put forward a representative to help develop questions for dialogue with the Pope. Wing was invited to participate in the process. She explained how these meetings would start and end with prayer, asking for God’s guidance and the Holy Spirit’s blessing. 

“NFCYM made it very clear that [we] were not ‘auditioning’ for being considered for the position of asking questions on stage,” Wing said. However, as the process continued, Wing was repeatedly invited back. 30 dioceses were selected to put forth representatives for consideration, with only five teenagers chosen nationwide to speak on stage. 

“Over two months I participated in over 18 hours of digital meetings to discuss and share what teenagers want to know from the Pope’s perspective,” Wing said.

When Wing learned she had been selected for this once in a lifetime opportunity, she was required to keep the news confidential for more than two weeks until the Vatigan granted permission to share the information publicly. 

Wing said she felt overwhelmed with gratitude after learning she would be speaking with Pope Leo XIV. “I feel beyond blessed and honored to have been chosen for my role in the dialogue,” she said. “I have so much gratitude for many people who lifted me up in prayer, have supported me developing my voice and viewpoints, and have aided in my devotion to my faith.”

Wing believes her whole life prepared her for that moment on stage. “The impact the conversation with Pope Leo has already created is unbelievable. Millions of people have watched the conversation and been impacted by what Pope Leo said about the future, mental health, AI and the church itself,” Wing shared. 

Rev. Greg Lambert, associate Pastor at St. Edward Catholic Church, Wing’s church, expressed pride in Wing and her family.  “I am incredibly proud of the young lady that she is, as well as who she is becoming,” Lambert said. “Elise is a gem of a human being that strives in her faith. Both Elise, and her family add a lot to our parish community.”

Lambert also emphasized the importance of Wing’s questions. “The youth of today want to make a difference in a world that seems to be constantly shifting,” he said. “They don’t only want to know about right and wrong, they want to know about the God that inspires hope and love.”

During the dialogue, Wing asked two questions she had originally proposed during the planning meetings. Both were approved by the Vatican.

Her first question focuses on the Church’s future: How is the church preparing for the future? She asked this due to her concern about the church not being relevant to the people or meaning as much in the future.

Pope Leo XIV responded by encouraging faithfulness over fear. “The church prepares for the future by staying faithful to what Jesus asks of us today,” he said. “He told us not to be overwhelmed by worries, but to seek first the kingdom of God, trusting that everything else will fall into place.”

Wing’s second question focused on ensuring that young people are involved in the church: How can we as young people make sure we are part of the conversation about the future?

“You are not only the future of the church, you are the present,” Pope Leo replied. “Your voices, your ideas, your faith matter right now and the church needs it. The church needs what you have been given to share with all of us.” He encouraged youth to remain active in their parishes, attend Mass, participate in ministries, and say yes to opportunities for growth and service. 

For Wing, the moment was unforgettable. “Everything I said was completely authentic to me,” she said. “To hear the Pope reciprocate my enthusiasm and dedication to the future was wildly profound.”

What did they ask?

Pope Leo fielded questions from five chosen high school students: Mia Smothers from the Archdiocese of Baltimore; Ezequiel Ponce from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles; Christopher Pantelakis from the Archdiocese of Las Vegas; Micah Alcisto from the Diocese of Honolulu; and Elise Wing from the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa.