What Is NCSC Really Like?

Editor's Note: I asked Anastasia Northrop, the director of the National Catholic Singles Conferences, to tell me a little bit about the 2017 conferences in anticipation of the upcoming NCSC West in Phoenix.

What were some of the highlights of NCSC East in Pittsburgh?

It was wonderful to have some NCSC favorites, like Fr. Thomas Loya, Vicki Thorn and Emily Stimpson back to speak again! This time Emily brought her husband, whom she met on CatholicMatch many years ago! They both spoke and it was great to hear their story. Also, Fr. Thomas Loya arranged for us to have a Byzantine Divine Liturgy (Byzantine Mass). It’s the first time we’ve had a Divine Liturgy at an NCSC—and people loved being able to experience an aspect of the universal Church that they had never seen.

We also had a fun new trivia game as the mixer on Friday evening. During the pre/post events, attendees were able to visit the largest collection of relics in the world outside the Vatican at St. Anthony’s church, as well as see various other highlights of the historic "City of Bridges."

What should we expect from NCSC West in Phoenix?

Phoenix is a great destination—and the hotel we’ll be at is a relaxing venue, right on a golf course with an inviting pool! By September the weather there should be perfect, so we’ll be able to have our Friday night reception out on the patio. As always, we’re going to have an enjoyable line-up of pre/post conference events (to be announced soon!), but with a unique desert flavor. We’re making a few adjustments to the activities to make it easier to meet others who are around the same age.

And as always the speaker line-up will be great! Dr. John van Epp, author of How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk and a favorite from NCSC 2016, will be returning, as will Katrina Zeno who is single herself and has worked with the Theology of the Body for 20 years.

I’m also delighted to have Dr. Suzanne Baars speaking. She is the daughter of Dr. Conrad Baars, a Catholic psychiatrist whose important work was influenced by living through World War II and surviving life in Buchenwald concentration camp. She has a wonderful way of integrating Catholic psychology with some great tips for relationships.

Lastly, I’m excited to have Fr. John Parks with us for the closing talk and Mass on Sunday. He’s a dynamic priest who loves his priesthood and who, according to a fellow priest, is the “best speaker [he’s] ever heard”!

Is there any part of the conference you wish more people took advantage of?

Well, the pre/post events aren’t technically part of the conference, but people always say they really enjoy the extra fellowship time together along with the chance to see the local area. Those events kind of “extend” the conference for those who’d like it to be longer. Also, we always have an adoration chapel available at the hotel during the conference. The more people that sign up to spend a half hour with Jesus, the longer we’re able to have the chapel open and available.

There are so many great opportunities during the weekend—from the talks to the exhibits to times to connect with God to the networking and fellowship and just enjoying each other’s company! It’s definitely a time to get your batteries recharged both on a spiritual and social level. It really gives a lot of options—there’s something for everyone, for whatever you’re needing in your life at the moment. The great thing is that, if for some reason you just need some relaxing time by the pool, Phoenix will be the perfect place for it!

What do you personally like about the conference?

Even though I’m usually occupied with making sure everything is running as smoothly as possible, I really enjoy the fellowship aspect of the NCSC—meeting new people and seeing return attendees from previous conferences. It feels like it’s a family reunion!

There’s an atmosphere of joy when you’re with so many people of the same faith who understand the challenges of being single and are striving to live this time of life in a fulfilling way. It’s really very encouraging! It’s also so rewarding for me to hear how God uses the conference in people’s lives in so many different ways.

I’ve heard multiple stories of people meeting now-close friends at the early NCSCs—and I’ve made some great friends through the conference as well! Of course, there are the stories of people who have found their spouses through the NCSC too, and that’s always a fantastic bonus!

Being single myself I’ve seen more and more how important it is to have the support of others and to receive the inspiration to keep walking the journey in joy and in hope—so I’m looking forward to the 17th National Catholic Singles Conference—Sept 29, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona! I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of fellow CMers there!