Mercy Students Participate in Historic Digital Encounter with Pope Leo XIV

On November 21, 2025, Pope Leo XIV made history by joining young people from across the United States for the first-ever live Digital Encounter during the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). This groundbreaking dialogue invited teens to dialogue with our Holy Father, in real time via livestream technology.

We are especially proud to share that one of the five student representatives speaking directly to Pope Leo was Mia Smothers, a member of the Class of 2029 at Mercy High School (Baltimore, Maryland). Mia’s thoughtful question highlighted the heart of our Mercy mission:

“In my experience, it’s been difficult to voice my mistakes. Is it hard for you to accept God’s mercy when you’ve made mistakes or feel that you’ve let people down?”

Mercy Education was well represented among those attending NCYC, with students participating from Bishop Feehan High School (Attleboro, Massachusetts), Mercy Academy (Louisville, Kentucky) and Mercy High School (Farmington Hills, Michigan).

A Resource for Your Classroom or Campus Ministry

The full livestream offers rich opportunities for reflection and conversation, whether in religion classes, advisory sessions, retreats, or campus ministry gatherings. Educators may find it especially helpful for discussions around:

• Mercy and forgiveness
• Artificial intelligence and technology
• Young people’s role in the Church

Watch the full recording of the Digital Encounter here.

We celebrate Mia and all the Mercy students who took part in NCYC. They represent the competent, compassionate leaders flourishing in our Mercy schools.