Diocesan Youth Conference

The Diocesan Youth Conference (DYC) is an annual high energy weekend Diocesan gathering at Richmond Convention Center in which Catholic youth come together to celebrate the richness of our faith. This weekend event includes: Food, Friends, Games, Live Music, Keynote Talks, Sacraments, Eucharistic Adoration, Indoor Rock Climbing, Breakout Sessions, Conversations with Catholic College Students, Men’s/Women’s Spirituality Sessions, and Rise Against Hunger, a faith-in-action meal-packing service project to assist our brothers and sisters in need overseas. It is open to youth who are in 8^th through 12^th grade for the 2025-2026 academic year.

This Year's Theme

Theme: REJOICE (Philippians 4:4-7) Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. As the Church leaves the Jubilee Year of Hope, the theme of REJOICE calls Catholics around the diocese to live each and every day in joyful hope. Sometimes we are in a season of blessing and thanksgiving, and it can be easy to remember to rejoice in the Lord. Sometimes we are in a season of adversity and hardship, where it is challenging to see reasons to rejoice in the Lord. In all seasons, we are called to remember the goodness and justice of God. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we have been redeemed, He has purchased for us everlasting life; that alone is reason to REJOICE. Too often we hide our faith under a basket. Propelled by the graces given to us in the Jubilee Year of Hope, we are called to go into the world sharing our faith, our hope, and our love. Let us no longer contain our joy in our own hearts and instead let it burst forth as we REJOICE!

General Information

DATES:

The Diocesan Youth Conference (DYC) will be held on Friday, February 20th (6:00 p.m.) through Sunday, February 22nd (12:00 noon), 2026 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia.

WHO CAN ATTEND?

DYC is open to youth who are in 8th grade through 12th grade for the 2025-2026 academic year.

REGISTRATION DETAILS:

• Submit forms/fees by Sun. Nov. 16, 2025. We pushing early-bird rates* for all of us at this point.

 

• Print forms - YOUTH FORM  |  ADULT FORM
• Return all forms/fees to Chris Jenkins at the Parish Office at 9505 Gayton Road Richmond VA 23229
• Paper forms and checks only (apologies… no electronic portal this time)
• Checks should be made payable to “Saint Mary Catholic Church” (DYC 2026 in the memo)
• If teens wish to select their own roommates, they should communicate together in advance and then submit their forms together as a stack to me. I cannot emphasize this enough because I cannot guarantee roommate preferences if forms come in separately. In the end, I will assign roommates as best I can based on grade level/school/etc.
• Forms are organized on a first come first reserve with a running waitlist
• Chris will email updates on our group that is forming – communicating if we need more chaperones
• Youth conference fees are $175* based on 4 youth per room. This is the default.
• 2 double beds with 4 youth; youth are asked to bring sleeping bags/bedroll and share what beds are in the hotel room; sometimes there are roll-aways but not always)
• If youth wish to buy out spots in a room to create 2 or 3 person room those rates are higher $225 ea. person/3 youth per room; $275 ea. person/2 youth per room and you definitely need to submit your forms as a stack

• Adult Chaperones create Youth Spots.
• We must have 1 adult for every 8 youth
• Adult chaperones must be at least 21 years of age or older
• Must VIRTUS screened and trained in compliance with Diocesan Safe Environment Policies
• Adults GO FREE ($200 ea. Adult, paid for by parish) but must share a 2-person room. If an Adult comes who wants their own room (solo), the parish asks them to pay the difference ($170)
• Children of adult chaperones are guaranteed a secured spot
• For questions, contact Chris

• Cancellations and Substitutions
• Full refunds are available if needed before January 5, 2026 – will need to work with Diocese to process that
• Any cancellations after January 6, 2026 cannot be guaranteed a full refund. Efforts will be made for a partial refund if possible.
• Any teen or adult who registers after January 6, will not be guaranteed T-shirts sizes, room preferences, dietary restrictions, etc.

• Registration fee includes lodging on Friday and Saturday evenings, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, Sunday breakfast, late-night snack on Friday and Saturday, and conference T-shirt 

• Lodging: Most hotel rooms have 2 queen-size beds OR 1 king-sized bed with a pullout couch. Each room will be assigned 2 adults OR 4 youth of the same gender unless your parish opts for smaller numbers of participants per room. The Office for Evangelization will combine parishes with odd numbers to maximize the room allocations.

 

• All participants are required to stay at a hotel assigned by the Office for Evangelization for security reasons.

 

• There is NO day-only option available.

• Important note: Youth are expected to make DYC their priority social commitment the weekend of Feb 20-22, 2025. Since it is local, it is tempting for teens to come very late Friday or wish to leave and return for other youth activities on Saturday. We ask you to consider how parish groups from Roanoke or Virginia Beach don’t have to worry about these situations. DYC is meant to be a retreat-like experience that enriches us spiritually. It is truly an amazing weekend! Departures/returns can obviously be disruptive and diminish the experience. That said… Please be very careful before committing to participating based what your winter activities could be (i.e., athletic events, post-season games, recitals, scheduling SATs, etc.). We are certainly sympathetic that activity schedules are not always known this far in advance, but we really want to keep a lid on not letting things get crazy with teens coming and going all weekend from the Marriott lobby. We are of course happy to try and work with families if there are extenuating situations that pop up where some grace is needed. Please certainly reach out to Chris if that is the case, but try to really commit to all of DYC – the whole weekend.

Saint Mary's Contact: Chris Jenkins