The room grew silent as the judges stepped onto the stage to announce the winner of the 2024 Angel Award.

The anticipation in the room was palpable.

Among those seated in the audience was Matthew Ziegler, Boys Director of RC Philly Youth.

He represented one of the four organizations that presented that evening in front of a live panel of judges for The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia’s Angel Award—a $50,000 grant that supports innovative approaches to spreading the faith through the Catholic Church of Philadelphia.

For Matthew, the moment carried the weight of years of quiet ministry.

Retreats organized.
Bible studies led.
Friendships formed.
Countless conversations with young people searching for something deeper.

When RC Philly Youth was announced as the recipient of Angel Award, the room erupted in applause.

For Matthew and his team, the moment felt like more than recognition.

It felt like the beginning of something much bigger.

Since that evening, the Angel Award has served as a catalyst that continues to bear fruit for RC Philly.

Forming Missionary Disciples

RC Philly Youth is part of Regnum Christi, an apostolic movement of the Catholic Church. Their mission is simple mission—help the youth of Philadelphia become better friends with Christ and with one another so they can go out and change their communities.

“We create environments where kids can encounter Christ,” Matthew explains. “Our job is to create the environment and then allow Him to do the rest.”

Through what the ministry callsits “Core Four” experiences, missions, retreats, summer camps, Bible studies,and one-on-one accompaniment, young people are invited into authentic friendships and meaningful encounters with the Gospel.

These experiences are intentionally designed to counter the isolation many young people experience today.

“We want kids to grow infriendship in real life,” Matthew says. “Not online, not through social media, but in person, in environments where they actually want to be and where faith becomes part of everyday life.”

Growth Made Possible

Since receiving the Angel Award, RC Philly Youth has experienced remarkable growth.

The ministry has expanded into three additional parishes and is preparing to add at least two more in the coming year. New initiatives have also taken shape, including the continued growth of its boys’ summer camp and the launch of a girls’ summer camps cheduled for later this year.

Another major development has been the expansion of parish missions, bringing evangelization directly into local communities.

“We’ve started partnering with parishes to go out on mission in their neighborhoods,” Matthew explains. ”It’s not just youth anymore. Families and adults are joining us as well, going out together to share the beauty of our faith.”

These missions, now active inmore than five parishes, align closely with Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez’s call to strengthen parish life through missionary outreach.

But the most important impact cannot be measured simply by numbers.

A Life Transformed

One young man who entered the program as a middle school student now embodies the very mission RC Philly Youth hopes to inspire.

Over the past four years, he has participated in retreats, summer camps, and Bible studies through the ministry. Today, as a high school freshman, he has become a leader among his peers.

“He has a group of friends who goto daily Mass together,” Matthew says with a smile. “That’s pretty remarkable for a ninth grader.”

Inspired by his experience, the student has also begun leading Bible studies at his school while continuing to mentor younger students in RC Philly Youth programs.

For Matthew, this kind ofspiritual multiplication is the heart of the ministry.

“Our goal isn’t just participation,” he explains. “It’s helping young people take ownership of theirfaith and then share it with others.”

Building the Future of theChurch

Looking ahead, RC Philly Youth hopes to continue strengthening the pathways that guide young people through key moments of spiritual formation, particularly the transitions from middle school to high school and from high school into college.

“These are pivotal moments in ayoung person’s life,” Matthew says. “If we can accompany them during those transitions, we can help them stay rooted in their faith and continue growing.”

With the momentum created by the Angel Award, RC Philly is now positioned to expand that accompaniment even further, ensuring that young people have a spiritual home that continues to support them as they mature.

For the Catholic philanthropists who make grants like the Angel Award of The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia possible, the impact extends far beyond a single grant.

It becomes a ripple effect of faith.

New parishes are served. New programs are launched. And young people, many for the first time, encounter Christ in ways that shape the rest of their lives.

For RC Philly Youth, the Angel Award was not simply a moment of recognition.

It was the beginning of something much larger.

Since that evening, the Angel Award has served as a catalyst for growth that continues to bear fruit across Philadelphia, forming a new generation of young missionary disciples.