ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Korean WYD, Cardinal Yeom: "In the heart of young people I see the presence of Christ"

Wednesday, 27 June 2018 youth   world youth day   christianity   faith   spirituality   unemployment  

Arcidiocesi di Seul

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - The Archdiocese of Seoul will host the Korea Youth Day (KYD) next August. The great feast of young Catholics in the country, the so-called "Korean WYD", will have as its main theme the evangelical phrase "Do not be afraid; it is me". As Cardinal Yeom Archbishop of Seoul explains to Agenzia Fides, the event (from 11 to 15 August 2018) is an opportunity for the spiritual growth of young people and for them to meet Christ in their lives: "I sincerely desire that many young people can discover true peace and consolation in the presence of God, entrusting himself to him".
The Day, explains the Cardinal, also represents for the Korean Catholic Church, a reflection with and on the young: "We can see that recently the unemployment rate of young Koreans is the highest in history. Young people tend to delay or renounce marriage and form a family because of unemployment, but in the hearts of young people I see hope and I feel the presence of Christ. The young approach God with passion and desire, and bring to the world true happiness that they live by experiencing the love of God in their existence.
They have infinite potential because they are young and deserve to be loved just because they are young. The Youth Pastoral work and events like KYD help young people to keep their love for God and their faith alive in their journey of life".
The first national youth festival was held in Korea in 2005 in Masan. In
2007 the first official Korean Youth Day was held in the diocese of Jeju. The second, in 2010, took place in Uijeongbu, while the third, in 2014, in the diocese of Daejeon, united with Asia Youth Day, on the occasion of Pope Francis' visit to Korea. The fourth KYD is will be held in 2018 in Seoul. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 27/6/2018)


Share: