A Young Witness to Faith: Catie Wilwerding on NCYC and Youth Leadership - 12/20/2025

On this episode of Making It Personal, Bishop William Joensen and Jeanne Thill are joined by Catie Wilwerding, a senior at Dowling Catholic High School and a speaker at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). Catie shares her journey of faith, her leadership on the National Youth Advisory Council, and what it means for young people to live as protagonists of faith in today’s Church.

Catie reflects on her family’s strong Catholic foundation, her involvement in small-group faith formation, and her role in helping restart Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) retreats in the Diocese of Des Moines. She also recounts her powerful experience traveling to Ghana with Catholic Relief Services, where she witnessed the global Church in action and encountered Christ through service and solidarity.

Bishop Joensen offers reflections on Advent, discernment, vocation, and the importance of creating spaces where young people can encounter Christ through retreat, prayer, and accompaniment. This episode is a hopeful and encouraging look at how the Holy Spirit is at work in the next generation of Catholic leaders.

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Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows:

• Be Not Afraid with Fr. PJ McManus
• Be Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian Moncada
• Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson
• Making It Personal with Bishop William Joensen
• Man Up! with Joe Stopulus
• The Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo Bonner
• The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
• The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr
• Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle

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