September 18, 2025
This year, the Church calls us to join in the joy of the Jubilee of Hope, which Pope Francis proclaimed and, during his speech at World Youth Day Lisbon 2023, enthusiastically invited all young people around the world to participate in.
With that same enthusiasm, we responded by participating this summer in the youth jubilee, which was celebrated by our new Pope Leo XIV. In Rome, we experienced a moment of Church, renewal, faith, and hope, together with more than a million young people.
“Pilgrims of Hope” was the name of our group, which was characterized not only by the joy and fraternal charity of the 30 young women who, accompanied by 25 sisters, but also demonstrated that when the goal is to seek Jesus, neither cultural nor language differences are a barrier. With more than 15 nationalities present, we truly experienced the unity of the Church.
Before the weekend in Tor Vergata, we visited Rome to receive the graces of the Jubilee, which were a profound preparation for the meeting with the Pope.
We had the joy of visiting various shrines and praying alongside the relics of saints such as St. Catherine of Siena, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and the now Saints Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis. We entrusted our intentions and all those that had been entrusted to us to them. We prayed especially for peace in the world and for countries in difficult situations such as Ukraine, Cuba, Cameroon, and Mexico, which were represented in our group.
Although each experience touched us deeply and personally, three moments of the week in Rome stand out:
● Audience with the Holy Father, during which we were able to listen to and exchange glances with our new Shepherd of the Church.
● Passing through the Holy Door of St. Peter's and that of St. Mary Major.
● And the Evening at the Basilica of the Sacre Cuore di Gesù, organized and animated by the sisters, where hundreds of young people were able to have an deep moment with Christ.
On the other hand, the pilgrimage to Tor Vergata was quite an adventure, walking among songs, flags, and hundreds of young people from all over the world who, once gathered, numbered more than a million pilgrims.
The Vigil with the Holy Father was a testimony that faith remains alive in young people and in the Church. In addition, Pope Leo XIV's speeches, his responses, and his closeness to us motivated the youth and awakened in each one the desire to follow Christ, the desire for holiness. We thank God for giving us Pope Leo XIV, a pastor who is close to young people, with a zeal for vocations and total trust in Christ.
The final Mass was rightly the most eagerly awaited event, and we could not help but remember St. John Paul II, who 25 years ago celebrated the Jubilee of 2000, “Christ yesterday, today and forever,” in the same place.
And so, after this experience, each of us has returned to our country as ambassadors of hope, carrying in our hearts the Pope's message: "Yes, with Christ it is possible! With his love, with his forgiveness, with the power of his Spirit. My dear friends, united to Jesus as the branches are to the vine, you will bear much fruit; you will be the salt of the earth, the light of the world; you will be seeds of hope." See you in Korea in 2027!
