The Pope is set to hold a 45 minute digital conversation with thousands of Catholic teenagers across the United States in November.

The event is part of the annual National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) which gathers Catholics from across the country for three days of prayer, community, evangelisation and celebration.

This year’s event is taking place in Indianapolis and Pope Leo will engage directly with a pre-selected group of young people.

The National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) said it was ‘deeply honoured’ by the news that the Pope would be joining the gathering digitally. In a  statement it said: ‘This historic moment will mark a powerful opportunity for young people to witness the universal Church’s care and concern for their voices, experiences, and hopes.’

15,000 14-18 year olds are expected to attend the event and Christina Lamas, Executive Director of NFCYM said the Pope’s presence would be inspirational: “His presence is a profound reminder that young people are at the heart of the Church and that their voices matter.”

Welcoming the news, Most Rev Nelson J Perez, the Archbishop of Philadelphia who serves on the board of NFCYM said: “Even in a globalized world, the Church can seem far away for young people. The Holy Father’s choice to encounter the American Youth in this way is an expression of his closeness to Catholic youth, following in the footsteps of his predecessor Pope Francis who called the youth the ‘now of God’.”