World Youth Day Seoul 2027

Dear future pilgrim,

I went to World Youth Day for a holiday in a new city, not knowing what I'd receive, but I left pondering a completely new trajectory. To see so many young people there, around 1 million, all there for one purpose, truly was unfathomable, and it really helped me discover the joy of being a Catholic young person.

From being surrounded by so many young people speaking different languages, to having people freely approach me to sign their flags or make conversation, to walking in 40-degree heat to sleep on a dusty field - it all felt strangely fun and exciting. Even though I'd just travelled to a new country without knowing even 1% of the people there, it still felt like home and that was purely because we were all united by our love for Christ.

I'd always found the Way of the Cross long and boring, yet funnily enough this became my highlight and it was through this very experience that the Lord chose to speak to me. Jesus revealed to me, in a multitude of languages, how personally he knows me and cares for me. That experience is what eventually led me to becoming a JY, where I gained a family in which I am able to feel and share in that same joy at home.

I said my “yes” to South Korea back in Lisbon because World Youth Day Lisbon changed my life in a way I never expected but couldn't be more grateful for, and now I'm excited to see how marvelously He'll work in South Korea.

Dear future pilgrim,

To be honest, I had no intention of going to World Youth Day. But then I thought to myself, well, Lisbon is a great city, so why not? As soon as I land, I'll head off and do my own thing.

When I landed and was about to wander off, some random Australians came up to me and invited me to Burger King. I didn't know them, but I thought, why not? And I ended up spending the next week with them.

I knew there was something I was searching for, but I didn't really know what it was. Spending that week with these guys was something amazing. And it wasn't just them, but everyone I met from all these different countries had this joy, this peace, something about them that was just different.

I remember feeling so loved and genuinely happy being around these people. And the more time I spent with them, the more I realised that whatever they had, I wanted it too. It was because they had Jesus in their lives. And that's when I realised, yeah, I need Jesus in my life too.

The friendships I made with people from all these different places, I still have to this day.

So although it was nothing like I expected, and definitely not what I planned, was it the best thing I've ever been to in my life? Yes. Can it ever be topped? Only God knows!

Dear future pilgrim,

World Youth Day in Lisbon was one of the first times I really began to see Christ differently. Falling asleep surrounded by millions of young Catholics from all over the world on the last day is something I'll never forget.

What stayed with me most was the people I met and how much joy they found in their faith. Seeing how openly they lived it out was something I hadn't really experienced before, and it made me want to find that same joy for myself. God was working through all those friendships, conversations and moments of prayer, even if I didn't realise it then.

Lisbon planted a seed in me that I didn't fully realise at the time, but one that eventually led me to grow closer to Christ!

Dear future pilgrim,

I decided to go to World Youth Day to meet the Holy Father, experience a new culture and share my faith with young Catholics from across the world. I never imagined how deeply it would touch my heart. Amid the scorching heat, endless queues, tired feet and precious little sleep, there was an extraordinary joy that made every moment worthwhile. One memory I treasure is sitting down for lunch when someone suddenly produced a guitar and began singing praises to God. Within moments, voices from different countries and languages had joined together. It was spontaneous, joyful and beautiful. I realised that despite our different backgrounds, we were one family, united by our faith. That feeling of belonging to something so much bigger than myself is what I will carry with me forever.