"Take courage! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

It would have been hard to find a better place to begin our new pastoral year.

More than 135 people from 70 communities gathered on September 20 at the Korean Catholic mission of Saints-Martyrs-Coréens (Holy Korean Martyrs) for the pastoral launch of Mission Jeunesse–EVC, the diocesan office that serves in the areas of youth ministry, evangelization and Christian life. It was a gathering of many languages, cultures and vocations, bringing together young leaders, priests, women and men religious, laypeople serving in parish and pastoral life, and others who accompany young people throughout the Archdiocese of Montreal.

Our choice of the Korean Mission was intentional. As the Church journeys toward World Youth Day (WYD) Seoul 2027, we want to do more than prepare people to travel to Korea. We want to encounter the faith of the Korean Church, listen to its story and let its witness inspire our own mission here in Montreal.

The timing made the gathering all the more meaningful, as we joined the community in celebrating the feast of the Korean Martyrs and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving). Sharing the occasion with them offered a glimpse into the story of a Church built on the extraordinary courage and witness of ordinary women and men who chose Christ.

The day began with Mass. The choir's beautiful singing drew us at once into prayer, while the pastor, Fr. Damián Choi, and the whole community extended a generous welcome.

After Mass, members of the Mission Jeunesse and Service teams, along with representatives of our local WYD groups, sat down to a delicious Korean meal prepared by our hosts. Their eagerness to share their culture and faith gave our young people preparing for Seoul a foretaste of pilgrimage: encountering the Church as it is lived in another culture and rediscovering the richness and universality of our Catholic faith.

That spirit of sharing carried through the afternoon.

Young members of the community gave us a short introduction to the history of Catholicism in Korea and the heroic witness of its martyrs. Later, they sang the World Youth Day theme song in Korean and English. It was one of those moments when not everything needed translating. Faith, music and joy cross language barriers with ease.

We also presented the five patron saints chosen to accompany the journey to WYD Seoul: St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, St. John Paul II, St. Carlo Acutis, and St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon and his companions.

Their lives could hardly be more different, yet together they remind us that holiness is never passive. It sends us out on mission.

And that brings us to the heart of this pastoral year.

Take courage

The theme of World Youth Day Seoul 2027 is "Take courage! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

This theme is not only for those who have registered for WYD in South Korea. It is central to our pastoral plan for young people this year.

We want every young person we meet, whether in a parish, a school, a movement, a community, a catechesis program, a youth group, a retreat or a diocesan event, to hear Christ say to them: Take courage.

Courage to believe and to bear witness. Courage to ask hard questions and to stay close to Christ when faith is not easy. Courage to serve, to take on responsibility and to recognize that they have a mission in the Church today.

The story of the Church in Korea brings this theme to life. Remarkably, the faith first took root there
through laypeople who encountered the Gospel and chose to share it. They did not wait for circumstances to be perfect. They became protagonists in the life and mission of the Church.

Mission Jeunesse holds the same conviction about young people: they are not simply recipients of ministry. They are called to be its protagonists, with gifts to offer, questions that need to be heard, communities to build and a mission that belongs to them, not someday, but today.

Montreal Archbishop Christian Lépine was among us and made that message wholeheartedly his own. He thanked all those across the diocese who work for and with young people and spoke of the courage it takes to bear witness to Christ in our time.

He also gave our young people reason to rejoice when he announced his intention to accompany the Mission Jeunesse delegation to Seoul, whether still Archbishop of Montreal by then or Archbishop Emeritus.

As he reminded us with a smile, young people help keep him young.

Youth ministry and faith education, woven into one mission

The launch was also an opportunity to share the pastoral vision that will help guide us this year and to introduce Mission Jeunesse–EVC in its new form. Youth ministry, faith education and the catechumenate (RCIA) now operate and serve together within one diocesan office, under shared leadership.

This integration rests on a simple premise: evangelization, catechesis, accompaniment, Christian living and youth ministry are not separate missions. Together, they help people encounter Jesus Christ, grow as disciples and find their place in the life and mission of the Church.

Enthusiasm ran high as participants reconnected, met new collaborators and looked ahead to the year to come.

We were also glad to welcome two key leaders from the diocesan Office for Cultural and Ritual Communities: Fr. Pierangelo Paternieri, cs, Episcopal Vicar, and Alessandra Santopadre, Assistant Director. Their presence reflected the growing collaboration between our teams and our shared desire to build stronger ties among Montreal's many local and cultural communities, especially in our mission to and with young people.

Ready to serve

A special thank-you to our Mission Jeunesse Service Team.

It was a joy to see so many familiar faces return and equally encouraging to welcome new members ready and eager to serve. Much of what Mission Jeunesse accomplishes is possible because young adults and collaborators generously choose to say yes, often quietly and faithfully, behind the scenes.

The day made for a wonderful start to the pastoral year: young people praying, singing, serving, welcoming and taking their place in the mission of the Church.

To Fr. Choi and all our Korean Catholic hosts: thank you for opening your church, your tables and your community to us with such joy.

We came to the Korean Mission because the Church is preparing for Seoul. We left convinced that the invitation of WYD Seoul already begins here, in Montreal:

Take courage. Bear witness. Serve. Let Christ work through you.

That is the path we want to walk together this year.

Learn more here:
www.missionjeunessemtl.org
www.jmjwydmtl.org

Isabel Correa
Director, Evangelization and Christian Life and
Mission Jeunesse Youth Ministry
Archdiocese of Montreal