By Andrea Mueller and Casey Close • Posted August 13, 2025

There is an immense need for youth and young adults to be seen, known, and loved. The hearts of young people are being pulled in countless different directions, while they are hungry for the truth only found in Christ Jesus.

The urgent need of our young people is that someone will accompany them in finding their true identity as beloved sons and daughters of God. Young people need strong leaders in their lives to guide them to the source of happiness: Jesus Christ. To bring about true revitalization in the Church, we must empower our young people to become missionary disciples! But how can we empower them?

The Catholic bishops of the United States have recognized this need and presented a new guide for this accompaniment and evangelization with youth and young adults in their national pastoral framework: “Listen, Teach, Send.”

The USCCB in partnership with the Office for Faith Formation with Youth and Young Adults of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is hosting a regional conference in Philadelphia on Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25 at Cardinal O’Hara High School to unpack this pastoral framework for engaging youth and young adults.

The gathering will center around the theme “Empowering Gen Now,” emphasizing the urgent call to equip, inspire, and uplift today’s young people in their faith journey. In the words of Pope Francis, we must announce to our young people: “You are the now of God.”

Through dynamic discussions, interactive workshops, and collaborative networking, this conference will explore practical strategies to engage youth and young adults, helping them grow spiritually and lead with confidence in their communities.

Archbishop Nelson Pérez has a distinctive focus on evangelization with youth and young adults and will lead aspects of this regional conference. In addition, nationally recognized ministry leaders will be joining the “Empowering Gen Now” conference.

Speakers include Christopher Wesley, founder of Marathon Youth Ministry and author; Dr. Carmina Chapp, dean of the School of Theological Studies and associate professor of theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary; and Christina Lamas, executive director of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry.

This conference is open to ministers with youth and young adults, catechetical leaders, educators, family ministry leaders, scout and CYO leaders, and anyone actively involved in parish ministry from across the northeast U.S.

The “Empowering Gen Now” conference  reminds us that we are not alone in working for the evangelization of our young Church.Let’s empower one another to go out into our communities of young people to make disciples.

You can learn more about this regional conference and register today at offyya.org/event/conference-for-pastoral-leaders/.

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Andrea Mueller is associate director of the archdiocesan Office for Ministry with Young Adults, and Casey Close is an office intern.