NCYC!

 I am back from NCYC. 

And yes. NCYC is a pilgrimage, not a retreat. 

But still. It was my third retreat in November, and to say I am spiritually edified is not an understatement. 

Spending time with 16,000 people on fire for the Lord will do that. 

And truly it was such a good conference. It was weird though. Because I wasn't meant to be at NCYC. My parish went. And they took a great group. But I didn't go with them. 

Remember in September when Fr. Thom became Bishop Hennen? Well, he was supposed to go to NCYC with his parish. And the way that works in our diocese is once you claim a slot, you're on the hook for paying for that slot if something changes. So they asked me if I would come and chaperone for them. 

So I did. And we had a good time. I Catholic fangirled in the hardest way. I got a selfie with everyone on my "Catholic celebrity list." 

Pope Leo. Meg Hunter-Kilmer. Katie Prejean McGrady. Sr. Miriam James. Ashley David from Pink Salt Riot. And I had a meaningful encounter with all of them. Okay, Pope Leo absolutely has no clue who I am or what face I was in the crowd. But I was able to let each of the other fabulous women know what their work means to me.

We had lunch with our Bishop too, and that was lovely. 

It was a really wonderful and powerful weekend, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to have experienced it.