On the 12 of March, the Lenten retreat aimed at young people of the Salesian Youth Movement of South Korea took place at the Salesian Youth Centre Daerim-dong in Seoul. The meeting provided an opportunity to prepare for the participation of the SYM of South Korea in World Youth Day in Lisbon.
44 young people from various SYM groups from the country took part in the retreat, along with eight Salesians of Don Bosco and two Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, with Fr. Marcello Baek, Youth Pastoral Delegate, guiding the lectio divina on the theme “It is finished” (John 19:30).
The day especially involved the young people who are preparing to participate in WYD 2023 in Lisbon, who gathered for the second time. In addition to the meeting with Pope Francis, the young people are awaiting the opportunity to participate in the SYM Day meeting that will take place in Estoril on August 2, with the participation of the Rector Major, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, and the Mother General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Sister Chiara Cazzuola.
The prospect of South Korea hosting World Youth Day in the future is generating much curiosity about the event that will bring thousands of young people, from all over the world, to Portugal to meet Pope Francis. Local SYM officials believe that, despite the small participation of young Salesian South Koreans, at the Lisbon gathering, WYD will be “an extraordinary opportunity to re-launch youth ministry in the country with the lowest birth rate in the world”.
