By UCA News reporter
A Catholic parish in South Korea’s capital, Seoul, has started a group for adults in their 40s to help them connect better with people younger and older than themselves.
The Don Bosco Society in Seoul’s Achasan Parish was established in January to help the “sandwich generation,” people in their 40s who do not fully belong to either the youth or elderly groups.
Father Antonio Shin Hyun-woo, parish priest and founder of the society, says the group was started after realizing that people in their 40s can help care for the upcoming generation from infants to teenagers.
While many people in their 40s wanted to participate in various parish activities, they hesitated because they were not members of any specific youth-related groups.
“Those who wanted to live the gospel with their fellow believers but couldn’t find a community to belong to or didn’t have the opportunity to do so have been active for more than half a year,” says Shin.
“Their faith, which they had previously considered lukewarm, has been reignited with new passion.”
A platform for volunteering and sharing
The society now has 11 members, five of whom are former youth ministry members.
The members take part in various activities, including giving gifts such as Easter eggs decorated by the children, and donations of various items for the needy. They also raise money to buy special items needed in the parish.
A member of the society, who is an English language teacher, gives free English lessons every week to several children in need.
Serena Kang Soo-yeon says she experienced a rekindling of her faith through her membership of the society.
“When I actually wanted to join the Legion of Mary, I felt that I was too old to fit in with the other members,” says Kang.
Kang adds that the invitation to join the society from Shin gave her a “sense of belonging,” and she found stability in her life by practicing her faith in a way that suited her current lifestyle.
According to Shin, many believers in their 40s become less active in their faith after leaving the youth ministry. Sometimes their only connection to the parish is limited to attending Sunday Mass.
For such individuals, the Don Bosco Society shows them that it is possible to live as young people within the parish even as they grow older.
Some of the regular events organized by the society include monthly visits to facilities like “Ahhae Mam” and “Little Joseph’s House,” operated by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus near the parish.
The two facilities are for infants and children from North Korean refugees and families in government welfare blind spots.
Volunteering activities by members include facility repairs, seasonal cleaning, outdoor activities with the children, and emotional support sessions.
Angela Woo Young-sook, who was a member of the Mothers’ Association in the parish, says she had zero interactions with the parish youth until she joined the society.
“I am able to collaborate and communicate with them in various activities within the parish, which is a great source of strength as we encourage each other’s faith,” says Woo.
A bridge between generations
Alexander Kim Jun-il, 41, is the first president of the Don Bosco Society, and says that his role as a member of the “sandwich generation” is more of a strength than a weakness.
Kim believes that people in their 40s, “who are both young and middle-aged, can serve as a buffer between the two generations.”
Even before he took the reins of the society, Kim maintained cordial relationships with both young and middle-aged people.
He built strong bonds with young people through various activities such as the youth liturgy ministry and choir, and says he gladly helps them whenever they are in need.
“Especially when young people and older people prepare events together at the parish, my ‘sandwiched identity’ is a great strength,” says Kim.
Kim points out that both adults and youth have separate ways of expressing themselves and have different expectations.
“So, when I act as a mediator, communication becomes much smoother,” says Kim. “Middle-aged members often hesitate to make even small requests to young people for fear of burdening them.”
Kim says that the core of the Don Bosco Society’s service is “empathy.” He believes that understanding children’s thoughts and listening to their words is most important.
“The value of such communication applies equally to intergenerational communication within the Church,” says Kim.
Recalling a scene from a retreat training mission Mass, Kim said many of the youth cried when they hugged each other while exchanging greetings of peace.
“It was probably because they felt confirmed that they were valuable people,” says Kim.
Kim adds that the reason young people leave the Church is “because they cannot find the connections they so desperately seek within it.”
“As an older youth, I want to create a space for such warm connections for the younger ones. That way, they can stay in the Church.” – UCA News
