Church Revitalization

Diocese of Incheon: “The WYD Preparation Process Itself Is a Journey Toward Parish Revitalization” Reported by the Catholic Times.

Training Session Held for Parish Pastoral Councils for the '2027 WYD Incheon Diocesan Event' Attended by Approximately 840 Lay Faithful from 91 Parish Pastoral Councils

The Diocese of Incheon is shaping the Incheon Diocesan Event for the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day (WYD) into a systematic pastoral journey that drives the renewal and re-evangelization of parish communities.

On July 25, the 2027 WYD Incheon Diocesan Event Organizing Committee held a training session for parish pastoral councils (serving as parish organizing committees) at the Boniface Grand Hall of the Diocese, attended by approximately 840 lay faithful from 91 parishes. During the event, the Incheon DOC shared a blueprint to guide the preparation process itself as a pastoral journey encompassing the sanctification of families, parish revitalization, and re-evangelization.

The Incheon DOC presented a framework for whole-parish participation centered on the pastoral council and asked council members to share this with the faithful and adapt it to the specific circumstances of each parish. Furthermore, they urged the participants to ensure that the experience of preparing for the event would serve as a driving force for parish renewal even after the event concludes. Participants reviewed the role of the parish organizing committee and detailed operational plans—covering homestays, Masses, and companion activities—thereby reinforcing the understanding that parish members are key agents, alongside the pilgrims, in leading the diocesan event.

Plans for organizing teams and assigning roles to implement this vision within the parish were also presented. The Incheon DOC advised utilizing the existing parish pastoral council as the organizing committee rather than creating a separate WYD subcommittee; the council, along with neighborhood/cell groups and parish organizations, would share responsibilities such as operations, safety, homestays, companion activities, publicity, and liturgy. This approach aims to prevent an undue burden on a few volunteers and encourage broader participation among the faithful.

Regarding homestays, the plan moves away from a model where a single family bears the entire burden; instead, five specific areas—family prayer, accommodation, meals, transportation assistance, and companion activities—are to be shared among neighborhood and cell groups. Sunday school groups, young adults, and parents' associations will participate in local tours and companion activities, fostering intergenerational faith sharing.

The training session also presented strategies to revitalize youth ministry—using the WYD as a starting point—by addressing pastoral needs for young adults in their 30s and 40s and bridging gaps in youth ministry continuity. An operational model was introduced that categorizes young adults (aged 19–45) by life stages—such as employment, marriage, childbirth, and child-rearing—and facilitates casual Gospel-sharing sessions for about 20 minutes before or after Mass. Additionally, guidelines were provided for catechetical education to be conducted in small community gatherings in 2027, utilizing materials compiled by the Diocese’s Future Pastoral Research Institute.

The Incheon DOC plans to support young adults who reconnect with the Church through this event as they settle into these small groups, ensuring that parish youth ministry continues beyond a one-time occasion. Following the event, the homestay management system will transition into a parish pastoral information system. It is intended to manage records of volunteers' training and faith-related activities, as well as to prevent information gaps caused by the reassignment of priests.

Secretary-General of the Incheon DOC, and, Deputy Secretary-General, stated, "While pilgrims return home after the event, it is the parish members who remain together." They added, "We hope that pilgrims and parishioners can become a 'universal church' to one another, allowing them to profess their faith with pride and conviction." Citing the Incheon Diocesan Event’s volunteer slogan—"Lighten the burden of service, increase participation in service!"—they emphasized, "This should be an opportunity for the faithful to participate in service courageously and without pressure, thereby confirming their identity as members of the Church."

The Director of the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office and a member of the Incheon DOC, spoke at the opening of the training session for parish pastoral councils. He said, "Just as the disciples, who invited Jesus to a meal as hosts, were themselves transformed by Jesus—who came as a guest—so too will our eyes be opened, our faith renewed, and our experience of Jesus deepened when we invite young people as hosts." He urged the diocesan community to actively participate in preparing for the event.