SPOTLIGHT 25/05/11 South Korean youth urged to become ‘witnesses of hope’

[성기화 요셉]

Youth festival attendees encouraged to explore the lives and missions of consecrated men and women

The 'Oseyo Concert' featured performances by religious brothers and sisters, including songs and dances that showcased the distinct charisms of their respective communities. (Photo: Supplied)

By UCA News reporter

Published: May 13, 2025 11:51 AM GMT

Updated: May 13, 2025 12:04 PM GMT

A Catholic archbishop in South Korea has urged attendees of a youth festival in the national capital, Seoul, to respond with courage and faith to God’s call to religious life.

“The Church thrives and bears fruit when it gives rise to new vocations,” said Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul.

Archbishop Chung made his remarks during the concluding Mass, celebrated on May 11, the last day of the three-day Youth Festival, according to a May 12 press statement from the Seoul Archdiocese.

“I earnestly hope that the [youth festival] will inspire more young people to open their hearts to the Lord’s call and respond with courage and faith,” Chung said.

“In many ways, the world is, perhaps unknowingly, yearning for ‘witnesses of hope’ — those who testify through their very lives that following Christ is the wellspring of true joy,” he added.

The Seoul Archdiocese, in collaboration with the Local Organizing Committee for World Youth Day 2027, organized the three-day event.

Based on a theme inspired by the Korean characters for Light, Hope, and Joy, the festival drew more than 30,000 young participants, including 3,500 attendees at the concluding Mass presided by Chung.

Seoul Auxiliary Bishops Job Koo Yobi and Paul Kyung Sang Lee, and other priests from the archdiocese, concelebrated the Holy Mass.

“This youth-led initiative was conceptualized, organized, and animated by young people themselves, who designed a vibrant, multi-zone experience,” the archdiocesan said.

“True to its spirit of openness, the festival welcomed people of all ages, nationalities, and religious backgrounds, creating a space of shared joy and intercultural dialogue,” it added.

The event included talk shows, experiential booths, interactive workshops, live performances, and food markets.

The festival area was divided into three zones – Truth, Peace, Love –  reflecting “different aspects of Christian life” and providing young people with “multiple pathways to encounter Christ, the Church, and one another in meaningful ways.”

The youth were encouraged to explore the lives and missions of consecrated men and women, the archdiocese said.

A “Oseyo Concert,” held on May 10 and 11, featured performances by religious brothers and sisters, highlighting the distinct charisms of their respective communities through song and dance.

On May 11, a Talk Concert was organized in which young Catholics, clergy, and artists shared reflections on faith, purpose, and hope in contemporary society.

“The format [of the Talk Concert] encouraged dialogue between generations and cultures, reinforcing the Church’s mission to accompany the young in their journey of life and faith,” the archdiocese said.