When sophomore Christopher Melchor, a member of Loyola Marymount University’s Christian Life Community since his first year, was selected to join Christian Life Community Worldwide to represent the United States at the 2025 Jubilee of Youth in Rome, he had only an inkling of the adventure ahead of him. The jubilee, held July 28-Aug. 3, 2025, brought national representatives together in the spirit of St. Ignatius to celebrate a year of reconciliation, pilgrimage, and coming home.
Melchor has served CLC as a participant, a leader, and on both leadership councils. “CLC is my family away from home,” said Melchor. “The relationships within CLC are based in faith and the spirit is really at work.” Christian Life Community at LMU welcomes students of all faith backgrounds and walks of life to grow in their relationship with God, build meaningful friendships, and put their faith into action. In small groups, students share the stresses and graces of their week, reflect on Scripture, pray, and discern where God is moving in their lives.
Through a nomination process, Melchor was chosen to be the delegate and represent North America. When he arrived in Rome he met the other delegates from 17 countries. “It felt like we had known each other for a long time,” said Melchor. “We were all kind of connected by one string, and I think just knowing that really brought us together.” Each day began with the morning prayer followed by meaningful conversations about CLC and ended with an examen.
There were several life-changing experiences on the trip for Melchor, including meeting Society of Jesus Superior General Arturo Sosa on the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Melchor has been educated by the Jesuits for seven years, so meeting the superior general made a lasting impression. “He is the big boss, and yet he was also one of the humblest people I have ever met,” said Melchor. “He said curiosity is beautiful, that we should let curiosity kind of lead, instead of always wanting to find concrete answers.”
Another highlight for Melchor was when hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims camped out overnight in preparation for a closing Mass. Pope Leo XIV presided over the vigil, and though Melchor said it was a fun atmosphere, he said it was also sacred. “I have never felt the way I did; I felt the presence of Jesus and had a one-on-one experience with Him with a million people around me.”
Victoria Zobrist, campus minister for Christian Life Communities, said that Melchor’s experience at the Jubilee of Youth was a deeply meaningful experience. “Chris didn’t just experience liturgies in ancient basilicas, walk through the Holy Doors during a Jubilee year, or stand in lines to greet the pope,” Zobrist said, “he got to see firsthand how young Catholics from vastly different cultural contexts live out their faith, and witnessed how both the Church and CLC shape their daily lives. From late night conversations to shared pilgrimage moments, from communal reflections to large worship celebrations, Chris was able to form a more global understanding of what it means to be Church and what it means to be a member of the CLC world community.”
She added, “As a CLC youth delegate, Chris was able to reflect with his global peers on not only the current reality and future opportunity of the Church, but also to discern the evolving role of young adults in leading it, especially within CLC. Young adults like Chris aren’t just the future of the Church; they are already shaping it through their leadership roles. As such, it is imperative that we not only hear their voices and give them a place at governing tables, but also actively invest in their formation as leaders. For Chris, his time in Rome was one such opportunity.”
Melchor will spend the next two years serving as a young adult representative to CLC USA, continuing the work of the delegates at the synod and helping to more fully integrate young adults into the national CLC community. Here on the bluff, he continues to share his joy of Ignatian leadership through leading his CLC small group and by serving as a mentor to the CLC small group leaders.