Young Catholics
‘You Are Power-ful!’
T
he power of the Holy Spirit descended upon the campus of St. Joseph Parish and Donovan High School, Toms River, and warmed the hearts of the approximately 900 teenagers and their adult leaders who gathered for the 2026 Diocesan Youth Conference Feb. 7. The day, which had as its theme “Power-ful,” had the young people who represented more than 45 parishes, joining in praise and worship experiences, hearing inspiring talks, rolling up their sleeves and getting involved in service outreach projects, quieting themselves and spending time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament during a workshop on Adoration. The cafeteria was rocking throughout the day where the young Catholics from eighth
through 12th grade had lunch, browsed the various display tables and got up and danced along to the popular party music. At day’s end, they came together as community and celebrated their Catholic faith and each other during the Mass with the Diocese’s Chief Shepherd, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.
FINN RICHARDSON Religious education, Mary, Mother of the Church, Bordentown “I think DYC has definitely lived up to the hype and it’s cool to hear from the speakers and to be around a lot of people who share the same beliefs as me.”
For more photos visit TrentonMonitor.SmugMug.com Bring hundreds of kids together for an event like DYC and there’s bound to be a lot of energy and smiles . Matt Marzorati photo
12 THE MONITOR MAGAZINE
February 2026