By UCA News reporter
SOUTH KOREA – Catholic youth from 11 Asian nations who joined an exchange in South Korea described the experience as rewarding and a meaningful opportunity to share their faith and build lasting friendships.
The Daejeon Diocese hosted the second WE Connect: Pilgrims of Hope event from Nov 1-7, drawing 73 participants. WE Connect was founded by Asian delegates who participated in the 6th Asian Youth Day and by alumni of the “Fondacio” youth leadership program.
Kim Hye-ji of the Daejeon Diocese said the gathering helped participants better understand one another and grow in faith.
For example, “when I shared thoughts about Korea’s martyr spirituality, I felt the Holy Spirit moving,” Kim said.
“Despite our differences in language and culture, I realized we are one in Christ,” she added, expressing hope that the experience would guide her in discerning her vocation.
Young people from Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, East Timor, and the Philippines attended the program, besides those from the host country.
Bishop Emmanuel Kanon Rozario, chairman of the Office of Laity and Family of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), spent three days interacting with the young participants.
The week-long program featured workshops, cultural exchanges, and faith-sharing sessions. Participants also learned about the history of the Korean Church and visited major pilgrimage sites associated with martyrs in the dioceses of Daejeon and Suwon.
The Haemi Shrine in Daejeon Diocese commemorates more than a thousand Catholics who were buried alive between 1866 and 1872. The Solmoe Shrine in Suwon marks the birthplace of Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon (1821–1846), Korea’s first Catholic priest.
During a reflection session, participants prayed for Saint Andrew Kim, Venerable Thomas Choe Yang-eop, and the unnamed martyrs of Haemi.
Felsie, a participant from Malaysia, said it was inspiring. The lives of saints, “whom I learned about during the pilgrimage, particularly resonated with me,” she said.
Father Park Jin-hong, director of the Daejeon diocesan youth center, expressed hope that the young people “while reflecting on the martyrdom spirituality of the Korean Church, will discover and share the unique spirituality of their own churches.”
Park said the WE Connect initiative demonstrates the potential for building a “network of spirituality” among Asian youth.
The event, he said, was “a small preparation for the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day (WYD),” which South Korea will host.
The global Catholic youth gathering, founded by Pope John Paul II in 1985, draws tens of thousands of participants from around the world. Pope Leo XIV is expected to attend the 2027 celebration. – UCA News
