reflections, updates and homilies from Deacon Mike Talbot inspired by the following words from my ordination: Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach...
Showing posts with label Archdiocese of Seoul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Archdiocese of Seoul. Show all posts
Pope Leo urges young people to register for 2027 World Youth Day
On the feast day of Pope St. John Paul II—the creator of World Youth Day—Pope Leo XIV sends a message to young people around the world, urging them to register for WYD Seoul 2027, saying it will offer an experience of “an even greater sense of unity, for we are all members of the one Body of Christ.”
In a video message sent to young people around the globe on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV urged them to sign up, but not just to “see a new city.” Rather, he explained, his is a “call to set out on a pilgrimage of faith, friendship and hope.”
In Portugal 2023, Pope Francis announced that WYD 2027 will be held in Seoul (Vatican Media)
A pilgrimage, he said, offers the chance to both discover Christian sites in a different place and to have time and space to encounter God on a deeper level, personally, and communally in the Church.
This 17th international World Youth Day will be an opportunity for young people from around the world to meet in one place, showcasing the rich and beautiful difference of languages and cultures.
“Yet, despite these differences, and indeed because of your God-given diversity, you will experience an even greater sense of unity, for we are all members of the one Body of Christ,” the Pope stressed.
For young people, Pope Leo explained, WYD 2027 will be an opportunity to deepen their faith and meet their brothers and sisters in Christ. He expressed his wish that they “will make joyful memories and form friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Bring your hopes, struggles, and dreams
The theme for Seoul is “Take courage! I have overcome the world”. Thursday, October 22, marks the feast day of Pope Saint John Paul II, who repeated this message to the world: “Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ.”
FILE PHOTO: 22 October 1978 — Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II at the beginning of his pontificate
These words of the Pope who began the World Youth Days continue to be true for all people today. With that in mind, Pope Leo challenged the young people to “bring all that you are and all that you carry in your hearts, including your dreams, desires, and hopes, as well as your wounds and struggles.”
God, the Pope stressed, is waiting for them at WYD. He calls each of them by name, and He wants to “reawaken your hope and to give you the fullness of life and joy.”
Pope Leo concluded his video message saying he is looking forward to seeing everyone in Seoul and offering his blessing upon all the young people and their loved ones.
With just one year to go before 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul, its official theme song is announced: Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum, or “Take courage! I have overcome the world”.
By Cécile Mérieux
It is a tune that will echo the minds of an entire generation of young Catholics. The official theme song for the next World Youth Day (WYD) has been unveiled, exactly one year ahead of the event. The hymn will set the tone for this upcoming international gathering of Catholic youth, who will gather in Seoul from August 3 to 8, 2027.
An hymn for all nations
The theme song is entitled Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum and takes up the theme chosen for WYD 2027: “Take courage! I have overcome the world,” a verse from John’s Gospel (16:33). An international hymn, the song is performed in several languages, including Korean, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.
The song opens with this invitation: “Come follow me, sleeping heart, wake up and walk”. Two versions have been recorded, the first (which can be seen at the top of this article) in a more classical style, featuring a choir and orchestra, while the second is a remixed pop version (which you can view at the bottom).
Singing of communion
One aim of this song is to offer a foretaste of the event. Above all, however, it will serve as the permanent soundtrack for participants as they prepare for the gathering. Each edition has its corresponding melody, carrying with it a wealth of memories for the participants.
The hymn is the result of an open contest. The task was to create an original composition that translated the WYD theme, “Take courage! I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). The initiative was a success, drawing 434 submissions, including 294 from abroad. The selected song was then submitted for approval to the Holy See’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.
A Korean WYD
The theme song was composed by Korean musician Francis Jiyoon Kim, who gave it the flavor of his country and culture. Sung largely in Korean, the vocals blend with local traditional instruments in a contemporary arrangement. The music video showcases the landscapes and iconic sights of Seoul, offering a first glimpse of what awaits participants next summer.
As is tradition, the “Days in the Dioceses” will precede the main gathering in the capital. From July 29 to August 2, 2027, fifteen Korean dioceses will welcome pilgrims into parishes and families, offering them an immersion into the life of the local Church prior to the celebrations in Seoul.
More than thirty years after Manila in 1995, this WYD will be only the second held in Asia. It marks the first time the event has been hosted in a country where Catholics are a minority. In South Korea, Catholics represent roughly 12% of the population, in a society marked by significant religious pluralism.
Next steps
Pilgrim registrations will open in October 2026, offering various packages based on the length of stay and selected events. A mobile app and an integrated logistics system are also being developed.
As in previous editions, hospitality will largely be provided by families and parishes across the Archdiocese of Seoul. Around 230 parishes are already actively recruiting and training host families so that young people can experience the daily life of the Korean Church.
“We will make every effort to ensure that WYD Seoul 2027 is a celebration of hope and a testament to the hospitality and solidarity of Korea and Seoul,” said Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul and President of the Local Organizing Committee. Teams have been preparing the event for three years now, and they are now entering the home stretch before welcoming hundreds of thousands of young people from around the world. Nearly 30,000 volunteers are expected to be mobilized, with several hundred already at work.
Preparations in full swing for 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul
As the one-year countdown to World Youth Day Seoul 2027 begins on August 3, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, urges Catholics to walk alongside young people towards Seoul 2027.
By Isabella H. de Carvalho
With one year to go until World Youth Day Seoul 2027, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) is hard at work as it is moving preparations from groundwork to full implementation across all sectors, including international cooperation, pilgrim services, accommodation, transportation, safety, medical care and communications.
World Youth Day (WYD) occurs every couple of years and gathers together millions of young Catholics, and the 2027 edition will be held in the South Korean capital, Seoul, from August 3 to 8. It will be the second WYD to take place in Asia – following the 1995 one in Manila – and the first in a country where Christianity is a minority faith.
“Over the past three years, we have concentrated on laying the foundations for the event,” said Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul, President of the LOC.
“The year ahead will be the time to complete our preparations and welcome young people from every part of the world. We will do everything possible to make WYD Seoul 2027 a celebration of hope and a witness to the hospitality and solidarity of Korea and Seoul.”
Preparations for World Youth Day Seoul 2027 (sito web GMG)
Walk alongside young people towards Seoul
“With one year to go until the start of World Youth Day Seoul 2027,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, “the young people who will be travelling to Korea alongside their pastors are increasingly at the heart of the preparations for the event.”
“Over its forty-year history,” he emphasized, “World Youth Day has been progressively enriched thanks to the faith, enthusiasm, and active participation of young people and the local Churches.”
"I therefore renew my invitation to the Bishops and those responsible for youth ministry throughout the world to walk alongside young people towards Seoul 2027, making the most of these resources in their preparation, and helping them to experience the pilgrimage as an authentic experience of faith, ecclesial communion, and a personal encounter with Jesus".
The theme song and a tree planting initiative
The one-year countdown, occurring next Monday, August 3, 2026, will be marked by the release of the official theme song on the WYD Seoul 2027 YouTube Channel. The song was chosen out of 434 entries sent in, including 294 from outside Korea.
The winning composition is called “Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum” – “Take courage! I have overcome the world” in Latin, which is also the verse from the Gospel of John that was chosen as the theme of this WYD. It was written by Korean composer Francis Jiyoon Kim.
Cardinal Farrell noted how the theme song – along with the already released official prayer and the five patron saints of the event – are important “pastoral tools that will help young people prepare themselves spiritually for the 2027 event.”
Preparations for World Youth Day Seoul 2027 (sito web GMG)
On August 3, the LOC will also launch the Breath of Life Tree-Planting Campaign, which encourages young people to plant trees in their countries and share their participation online. It builds on a local initiative launched in 2025 with the Korea Forest Service and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
This initiative is inspired by Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter Laudato Sì, and a similar campaign had been done for the previous WYD, held in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2023. Almost 18,000 trees were planted by the time the WYD had begun on August 1, 2023.
Registration to open soon
Official registration for pilgrims is scheduled to open in the second half of 2026, and all the information about packages and how to plan their journey will be available on the official website.
Registration for volunteers will also open in the second half of 2026. A total of 378 volunteers are already participating in preparations. Recruitment of volunteers in Korea and overseas will begin with pilgrim registration, supported by training, spiritual formation and psychological care. Over 25,000 volunteers participated in the Lisbon WYD in 2023.
Before travelling to Seoul for the main events, the young people will also participate in the “Days in the Dioceses” from July 29 to August 2 in 15 dioceses across Korea. They will stay with local communities and experience the faith and culture of the Church in Korea.
Seoul names patron saints for WYD 2027, highlighting faith amid struggle and witness
Organizers of the World Youth Day 2027 name five patron saints whose lives reflect persecution, migration, and social struggle, presenting them as guides for young people preparing for the global gathering.
By LiCAS News
The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for WYD Seoul 2027 announced the selection of five patron saints, saying they were chosen in light of the event’s themes of truth, love, and peace.
The list includes Pope St. John Paul II, founder of World Youth Day; St. Andrew Kim Taegon and companions, martyrs of the early Korean Church; St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, known for her work with migrants; St. Josephine Bakhita, whose life reflected faith amid suffering; and St. Carlo Acutis, associated with evangelization in the digital age.
Together, the figures span continents and generations, with lives shaped by war, displacement, slavery, and the challenges of modern culture—experiences organizers say resonate with the realities many young people face today.
The selection process began in late 2024 and included a nationwide survey of young people, youth ministers, and pastoral workers, followed by deliberation by the LOC.
A group of young volunteers later spent two months studying the saints’ lives and spirituality, preparing prayers and symbolic representations through reflection and discussion.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, said the patron saints play a central role in shaping the spiritual preparation for the event.
“The patron saints play a fundamental role in the preparation for every World Youth Day. They invite young people, formators, and pastors to reflect on the gift of God’s call, on our baptismal, priestly, religious, and marital vocations, encouraging us to respond to it with generosity and courage in following Christ, who has conquered the world, as the theme of the upcoming WYD reminds us,” he said.
“May the witness of these Patron Saints,” Cardinal Farrell added, “inspire young people around the world, especially in contexts marked by difficulties and persecution, to see that holiness is not a distant ideal, to fix their gaze on Christ and to respond generously to His call.”
Peter Soon-taick Chung, president of the organizing committee, said the saints offer concrete examples for young people.
“These Patron Saints span continents and generations, and each of them offers a concrete path for living the faith amid the realities young people face today,” he said. “I hope that young people will discover in these saints examples for their own lives and, through the journey of preparing for World Youth Day, form a deep spiritual bond with them.”
Organizers said they will continue introducing the saints through official platforms and develop programs to deepen engagement ahead of the 2027 gathering.
An interactive feature titled “Meet Your Patron Saint!” has also been launched, inviting users to answer questions and discover which of the five saints most closely matches them.
Interview with Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, who reflects on what the peace summit could mean.
In an interview with Catholic Pyeonghwa Broadcasting, Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the archbishop of Seoul and the apostolic administrator of Pyongyang, hailed the positive outcome of the Inter-Korean Summit and asked for continuous prayers for dialogue and peace between North and South Korea.
On April 23, Cardinal Yeom celebrated a Mass for Peace and Reconciliation in Myeongdong Cathedral, praying for a successful outcome of the inter-Korean summit.
Below is an English translation of the interview, aired Monday. Several agreements were made during the inter-Korean summit. What do you think is the most meaningful outcome of the Panmunjom Declaration?
I think the most meaningful outcome of the summit is the dialogue between North and South Korea. Dialogue is the first step to establishing a community of peace. In this sense, the dialogue that happened during the summit has given all of us great hope for peace. There are agreements on resolving humanitarian issues in the Panmunjom Declaration. What do you think about this part?
I think that finding ways to resolve humanitarian issues is extremely important. I especially hail the decision to arrange the reunion of separated families, which would be an opportunity to heal the wounds of separation. There were around 130,000 separated family members in the beginning, but many have passed away and around 57,000 people are still alive today. Since the majority of these people are in their 70s to 90s, I hope the reunion will not be a one-time occasion but a continuous arrangement between North and South Korea. How about humanitarian aid to the North?
Humanitarian aid is more than simply delivering goods; it is to meet the people, to share love and hope, and to be united as one. The Archdiocese of Seoul has implemented several projects to support the North. We should put out utmost efforts to continue our support and sharing, in both quantity and quality. To settle peace on the Korean Peninsula, what are the preparations that the Catholic Church should begin?
As always, we should begin with prayers.
For 23 years, the Archdiocese of Seoul has been celebrating Holy Mass every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Myeongdong Cathedral to pray for peace on the Korean Peninsula. We have also launched the “Remember the Parishes of the North” prayer movement to remember the 57 parishes and approximately 5,200 Catholics in North Korea.
Through prayer, we put God in the center of our lives. Through prayer, we become brothers and sisters. I ask all of you to continue to pray for North Korea as the Lord will eventually hear our prayers. As the Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang, you must find the hostile situation between North and South Korea heart-wrenching. How have you felt all these years?
Last year we celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Diocese of Pyongyang. Even though I am the Administrator of Pyongyang, I have never set foot in Pyongyang. I pray the Rosary every day, and I ask that God’s grace be bestowed upon the church in North Korea.
I believe the fire of the Holy Spirit is still burning in North Korea. Perhaps it is burning even more desperately under such difficult situations. I pray, also desperately, that one day I will meet with the North Korean Catholics to talk with them and to celebrate Mass together. What does peace mean to you?
Peace is the gift of God. Peace is realized through fraternal love. Peace is not something to enjoy alone but something to share. Peace of the Korean Peninsula becomes even more meaningful when we are able to contribute to the well-being and prosperity of our neighbor countries and countries around the world. Lastly, regarding the peace of the Korean Peninsula, is there anything you want to say to the Catholic faithful?
The summit is indeed an important first step toward authentic peace, but we still have a long way to go. While we should not fall into despair, we should also not fall into complacency. I ask everyone to unite our hearts and continue to pray for peace in our country.
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This interview and the translation have been generously provided by the Archdiocese of Seoul.
