A taste of Korea as pilgrims prepare for World Youth Day

By Heather Excell

For the young Tasmanians preparing to travel to Seoul for World Youth Day 2027, the pilgrimage has already begun. Not at the airport, but among the Korean Catholic community in Sandy Bay.

Members of the Archdiocese of Hobart’s World Youth Day contingent were invited to join the local Korean Catholic community for their September Chuseok celebration, a traditional Korean thanksgiving festival.

Held on 25 September, the occasion began with Mass celebrated by Korean chaplain, Fr Brian Buckley, at Holy Spirit Church, Sandy Bay, and was followed by a shared meal. Pilgrims were given the opportunity to pray for deceased family members, while also giving thanks for the gift of family.

Director of Youth Evangelisation, Darcy Rogers, said pilgrims were invited not simply to learn about Korean culture, but to share in the community’s celebration.

“The purpose was to come as guests to their celebration, to share in their hospitality, and to be transformed by the Lord working in their community,” Darcy said.

With hundreds of thousands of young people expected to gather for WYD in Seoul, Darcy said opportunities like this help pilgrims prepare for the experience by beginning to form relationships with one another.

“Coming together throughout the year in social, cultural and spiritual settings calms the nerves, forms deep friendships, and prepares their hearts to receive what is to come,” he said.

The pilgrims took the opportunity to hear stories about Korea and seek advice about how best to participate in the culture they will encounter next year.

“Fr Brian Buckley had one line of advice, ‘Expect the unexpected’. It’s our invitation to give room for the Holy Spirit to inspire,” Darcy said.

He was encouraged by the openness of pilgrims to enter into this new experience.

“They entered the Mass reverently, they practised the language through conversations, and tried new foods like acorn jelly,” he said.

“I pray the young people can take experiences as valuable as this one to prayer, to discover how God works so uniquely in our lives and communities.”

As preparations for WYD27 continue, pilgrims will have further opportunities to meet one another and build friendships, with an emphasis on preparing their hearts for the pilgrimage ahead.