Houston-area youth join in prayer at The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Houston-area youth hold signs as they start their weekend at The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Houston-area youth hold banners from their different parishes as The Archdiocesan Youth Conference official kicks off their weekend hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
A rosary sits on a stand as vendor sell catholic items and trinkets to Houston-area youth gatherd at The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Houston-area youth gather at The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Houston-area youth hold signs as they start their weekend at The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Houston-area youth gather at The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Clips with bible versus, saints and positive affirmations are clipped onto peoples name tags as other parishes’ youth tag each other with clips throughout their time at The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Jewelry engraved the Virgin of Guadalupe, and apparition of Mary, is played out for purchase as Houston-area youth attend the The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Priest from Houston-area parishes pray the rosary inside the chapel at The Archdiocesan Youth Conference as students start their first sessions of the conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Houston-area youth hold banners from their different parishes as The Archdiocesan Youth Conference official kicks off their weekend hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Father Viet Nguyen, a parochial vicar at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, speaks to students attending The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Nearly 2,000 Catholic youth packed a downtown Houston hotel this weekend for a three-day conference featuring an influencer priest; workshops on the Holy Spirit, social media, and social justice; and attendees from 88 Houston-area parishes who say they are part of a revival.
Young Americans have been drifting away from Christianity for decades — though recent surveys have found that trend has plateaued. But in interviews at the conference, young people repeated the refrain that “the church is alive,” confident that they were part of a resurgence in Catholicism in the U.S.
In March, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston reported its highest number of new members in 15 years.
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“My faith is the literal center of my life,” said Aidan Cronin, a 17-year-old senior from a Katy church. “The youth are coming back.”
The theme for the Archdiocese’s 70th annual conference was “peace be with you all.” Those were the first words spoken by Pope Leo XIV at his inaugural public appearance as the first American-born pontiff.
The conference at the Hilton Americas-Houston hotel runs from July 31 to Aug. 2.
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The Rev. David Michael Moses, who moonlights as a content creator, kicked off the teaching on Friday with a sunny, compassionate keynote on prioritizing and finding peace in God. The Houston-raised priest has garnered over 18.2 million likes on TikTok and over a million followers on Instagram.
Houston-area youth dance before they start their weekends at The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Moses spoke the kids’ language, telling a full grand ballroom to “stop looksmaxxing and start peacemaxxing,” to eager applause. His point was to stop focusing on self-optimization and earthly priorities. He pointed to the biblical story of Martha, who was too caught up in her own stress and busyness to listen to God. Moses said that God wanted the youth to prioritize Him and find peace in His plans, not fixate on their own worry or imperfections.
The conference’s first night ended with a student testimony from recent high school graduate Victoria Taboada-Palau, who talked about how she neglected her relationship with God and obsessed over schoolwork and grades to cope with family turmoil.
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A Catholic retreat helped her stop putting God on “do not disturb” mode, she said. Amid the struggles of life, she encouraged her peers to remember God still loves them and is there for them.
After her talk, the crowd of young people recited prayers for God’s protection and forgiveness as a priest and seminarians in white robes carried relics and incense through the room.
Darek Aguirre, a 16-year-old Spring junior, said in a Friday night interview that his first day there had left him feeling “weightless.” Though he loves his school friends, many of them don’t share the Catholic values that are a core part of his identity. A lot of the time, he feels the need to suppress parts of himself or stay on the defense.
At the conference, Aguirre can let his guard down. “I’m just able to dance and sing and yell; it’s just all out of love for others, all out of love for God,” he said. “It just feels comforting and welcoming, and like I found a home.”
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Trina Tang, a 17-year-old Houston senior, said a moment during her first year at the conference cemented her commitment to the Catholic faith. While watching the communion ritual there in 2024, she was filled with both tears and joy and became certain that the bread and wine were truly Christ’s body and blood, as Catholicism teaches.
“You can’t explain it until you feel it,” she said. “I could die today, and I could swear on my life that Catholicism is the truth.”
Houston-area youth join in prayer at The Archdiocesan Youth Conference hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in the Hilton Americas in Houston, Friday, July 31, 2026.
Jacob Lujan/Houston Chronicle
Brian Henritze, who oversees the Archdiocese’s youth ministry, said the emotion kids experience is an important part of the conference — but not the whole point. “If we can’t take that emotional experience and connect it to a lived reality, to a lived practice, to a lived relationship, that’s where I think we can fall short,” he said.
The litany of workshops during the second day of the conference, Henritze said, ensures youth supplement the fun and emotion with theological and practical takeaways. The full list of workshops includes sessions on sainthood, evangelization, choosing a career, dating and relationships, and the specific experiences of Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Black Catholics.
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The conference wasn’t the only gathering of Christian youth in the Houston area this weekend. Grace Woodlands, a megachurch led by Pastor Steve Riggle, hosted more than 160 youth for its fourth annual Anthem Youth Conference on Friday and Saturday.
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After a day of games and Bible study, Grace Woodlands Pastor Christian Tapia gave a Friday night talk about surrendering to God’s path and not splitting your loyalty. “Don’t let people look down on you because you’re young, but set the example,” he told a room of kids with open Bibles and tired smiles.
That event shared one worship song in common with the Archdiocese’s gathering: “Great Are You Lord” by All Sons and Daughters.
Bathed in blue and yellow strobe lights with a pounding piano backing, kids at the Woodlands church jumped up and down from the song’s start to end. Most crowded around the stage, eyes closed or fixed on the worship leaders.
Like their peers back in the downtown ballroom, they reached a high-water mark of energy as they reached the chorus: “It’s Your breath in our lungs / So we pour out our praise.” As they sang, they stretched out their hands and put their arms on each other’s shoulders, joy and reverence on their faces.