Written by
Adam Calderone
Excitement is building across the Catholic Church as we mark one year until World Youth Day (WYD) 2027 in Seoul, South Korea. Recently, the Melbourne Archdiocese and Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) gathered students, staff and young people for the official launch of the journey to Seoul, celebrating the faith, hope and missionary spirit that WYD inspires. The launch highlighted the opportunity for young Catholics to encounter Christ, deepen their faith, and connect with fellow pilgrims from around the world as Melbourne begins its preparations for this global event.
World Youth Day was established by St John Paul II in 1985 as a way of bringing young people together in faith and fellowship. Since then, millions of pilgrims have participated in celebrations hosted in cities such as Rome, Sydney, Madrid, Kraków, Panama and Lisbon. WYD has become one of the largest international gatherings of young people, encouraging them to live as disciples of Jesus and witnesses to the Gospel.
Seoul 2027 will be only the second World Youth Day held in Asia, offering a unique opportunity to experience the rich faith and culture of the Korean Church. The theme for WYD next year is Take courage! I have overcome the world, words taken from the Gospel of John (Jn 16:33).
As an Ignatian school community, Loyola College looks forward to accompanying our young people on this pilgrimage of faith, friendship and hope as the countdown to Seoul continues.
More information about WYD 2027 can be viewed here:
