Welcome to our Priests & Seminarians
This Is Where Parish Life Gets Stronger
This is where pastors step back, breathe, and gain perspective.
This is where youth ministry becomes clearer, healthier, and more fruitful.
This is where investment in young people strengthens the whole parish.
Life Teen’s Catholic Youth Ministry Convention (CYMC) is the largest annual gathering of adults serving teens in the Church and a premier formation opportunity for clergy who desire vibrant, sustainable parish life.
Youth ministry is essential and demanding. CYMC helps parishes serve teens faithfully, effectively, and in full alignment with the Church’s life and mission.
For over 40 years, Life Teen has partnered with clergy to form young disciples rooted in Truth, Tradition, and the sacramental life of the Church. CYMC is the annual culmination of that mission.
When you attend CYMC, you are not simply attending a conference. You are strengthening the future of your parish.
When youth ministry is strong, parish life flourishes. CYMC helps make that possible.
Why Priests & Seminarians Attend CYMC
Youth ministry thrives when pastors and parish leadership are formed with their teams.
CYMC gives priests and seminarians the opportunity to:
Life Teen’s approach is:
Whether you oversee youth ministry, are preparing for parish leadership, or discerning how best to serve the next generation, CYMC meets you where you and your parish are.
What CYMC Will Do for Your Parish
Healthy youth ministry blesses the entire parish, and clergy leadership is essential to that health.
By attending CYMC, you’ll gain insight and tools that help your parish:
This is not about adding more programs. It is about strengthening the Church where you serve.
What CYMC Will Do for Youth Ministry
Life Teen has not created a new model of youth ministry. For 40 years, we have faithfully lived the Church’s catechetical mission:
Teens come to know Christ.
They grow to love Him.
They are formed to serve Him with their lives.
CYMC offers formation across a wide range of parish and school contexts, including:
Every session is grounded in real parish life and supports the Church’s mission at the local level.
WHAT CYMC CAN DO FOR YOU
Formation Rooted in the Mission of the Church
CYMC offers formation that respects your vocation and supports your pastoral leadership.
You’ll experience:
You’ll leave encouraged, equipped, and reminded why this ministry matters.
A Place for Renewal
CYMC is also about your spiritual life.
Alongside training, you will assist in celebrating and experiencing:
You will leave renewed spiritually and pastorally, ready to serve with joy, conviction, and hope.
SHEPHERD’S SCHOLARSHIP
Through the generosity of Life Teen donors, priests and seminarians may attend CYMC at no cost.
Designed to remove barriers so clergy can be formed alongside their parish teams. Youth ministry is a pastoral priority. We want to make it possible for you to be there!
The Location
CYMC takes place at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. The resort offers suite-style accommodations, resort amenities & a seven-acre water park, convenient 10-minute access from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, It’s the perfect setting for learning, connection, and renewal.
Check-in runs from 12:00pm-4:00pm on Sunday. The first session starts at 4:00pm and the conference ends at 12:00pm on Wednesday.
A full detailed schedule to come soon.
$650 Subscriber Discount // January 13 – 27
$670 Regular Rate // January 13 – March 31
$690 Last Chance // April 1 – June 5th
Registration closes on June 5th
Each event registration includes general sessions, breakouts, Sunday dinner, Monday lunch and dinner, Tuesday lunch and dinner, and conference materials. Participants are responsible for booking their own accommodations. See the Hotel Info for discounted rates and booking details.
All registration fees must be paid no later than May 1st. Payment can be made by check or credit card.
Checks should be made out to Life Teen and mailed to:
Life Teen, Inc.
ATTN: CYMC 2026
P.O. Box 117299
Atlanta, GA 30368-7299
To submit a credit card payment, please click here to view and pay your balance.
Events Team
events@lifeteen.com // 800-809-3902 ext. 231
Maximilian Kreslins, Events Registration Coordinator
mkreslins@lifeteen.com // 800-809-3902 ext. 231
Julianna Nett, Events Manager
jnett@lifeteen.com // 800-809-3902 ext. 229
Check-in runs from 12:00pm-4:00pm on Sunday. The first session starts at 4:00pm and the conference ends at 12:00pm on Wednesday.
A full detailed schedule to come soon.
$650 Subscriber Discount // January 13 – 27
$670 Regular Rate // January 13 – March 31
$690 Last Chance // April 1 – June 5th
Registration closes on June 5th
Each event registration includes general sessions, breakouts, Sunday dinner, Monday lunch and dinner, Tuesday lunch and dinner, and conference materials. Participants are responsible for booking their own accommodations. See the Hotel Info for discounted rates and booking details.
All registration fees must be paid no later than May 1st. Payment can be made by check or credit card.
Checks should be made out to Life Teen and mailed to:
Life Teen, Inc.
ATTN: CYMC 2026
P.O. Box 117299
Atlanta, GA 30368-7299
To submit a credit card payment, please click here to view and pay your balance.
Events Team
events@lifeteen.com // 800-809-3902 ext. 231
Maximilian Kreslins, Events Registration Coordinator
mkreslins@lifeteen.com // 800-809-3902 ext. 231
Julianna Nett, Events Manager
jnett@lifeteen.com // 800-809-3902 ext. 229
This premier training conference is perfect for any and all adults involved in youth ministry— youth ministers, core members, music ministers, confirmation coordinators, DREs, campus ministers, priests, deacons, seminarians, religious sisters. Basically, something valuable is offered at this event for everyone who works with teens in any capacity. As much as we love teens, this event is for adults only. All participants must be at least 18 years old and graduated from high school in order to attend. Teens who are interested in being leaders and evangelizing their peers should check out our Life Teen Leadership Conference.
Your Convention fee includes all general sessions, breakouts, and materials. In addition Sunday dinner, Monday lunch and dinner, and Tuesday lunch and dinner are included. Guests are responsible for booking their own hotel rooms.
We have a limited amount of scholarship money available for youth ministers only. Unfortunately, we do not have funds available for core members. If you are in great need of financial assistance, click here to apply for a scholarship.
Priests and seminarians should see the Shepherd’s Scholarship info.
Simply indicate you are a priest or seminarian when you register and your registration fee will be waived. If you’re a priest or seminarian who has never been to a Life Teen event before, we will also cover your flight and hotel expenses! To receive this portion of the scholarship, please register online for the conference and then submit your application, hotel receipts, and airfare receipts via this form.
Yes, we will have a digital audio download of all keynote and breakout talks for sale at the conference. The digital download will not contain music that is played at the conference as we cannot distribute music for copyright reasons. In the registration process, you will have an option to pre-order the digital download. You can also purchase the download on site. Digital talk downloads cannot be ordered after the event ends or by people who don’t attend the event, so be sure to pre-order yours or order it on site! Cost is $70 beforehand and $75 on site.
Check-in runs from 12:00pm-4:00pm on Sunday. The first session starts at 4:00 and the conference ends at 12:00pm on Wednesday.
Check back soon for the full conference schedule.
The closest airport is the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). It’s about a 10 minute drive from the Convention site.
No, we are unable to provide transportation to or from the airport for the Convention. We recommend Uber and Lyft as good options for transportation from the airport to the resort as well as for getting around Scottsdale/Phoenix.
These hotels host numerous events throughout the year and sometimes the reservations agent isn’t looking in the right place for our conference. It may be a simple mistake in relaying the proper information to you. Our first recommendation is to hang up and call back to speak with a different person.
The next recommendation is to ask if every night of your stay is full or if only one night or room type might be the issue. If the problem continues after trying both of these things contact our Events Team, at 800-809-3902 ext. 231 or events@lifeteen.com so that we can look into it for you.
There are many hotels in the area that would be happy to accommodate you should the room block be full.
If you have a food allergy or dietary restriction we need to be aware of, please let us know. There is a section that allows you to share this information with us during the online registration process. We always do our very best to accommodate your needs; however, it never hurts to bring some supplemental snacks.
Yes, you are more than welcome to bring your families to enjoy the resort while you attend the conference! If family members would like to join you for conference meals, you can purchase an additional meal plan for each of them when you register. The meal plan for non-registered guests costs $225/person. While conference sessions are for registered participants only, family members are welcome to attend Mass with you each day.
All priests attending the conference must submit a Letter of Good Standing.
This can be emailed to eventsforms@lifeteen.com or mailed to:
Life Teen, Inc.
ATTN: Convention 2026
P.O. Box 117299
Atlanta, GA 30368-7299
Please submit this no later than May 1st.
We would love for all priests to concelebrate at the conference liturgies! We ask that you bring your own vestments (alb & stole of the proper liturgical color) for Mass and to assist with the Sacrament of Reconciliation.