For the first time in diocesan history, a bishop will be leading a group of Diocese of Phoenix young adults to World Youth Day, an international gathering of millions of young Catholics from around the world. Auxiliary Bishop Peter Dai Bui will make the pilgrimage with young adults to Seoul, South Korea, in August 2027, to experience Korean culture and the beauty of the universal Church.

World Youth Day is a six-day gathering of young Catholics that takes place every two to four years, celebrating the Church’s unity among the vastness of nations and cultures throughout the world, and providing an opportunity for young people to witness the Gospel in a profound way and apply it to their daily lives.

“We are pilgrims in this world, called to accompany one another with faith, hope and love,” said Junuee Castro, the coordinator of the Youth & Young Adults Office for the Diocese of Phoenix, who is involved in organizing the trip.

“God invites us to take courage, walk alongside each other and encounter one another outside our ministries, parishes and diocese,” she continued. “A World Youth Day pilgrimage offers a unique way to do so.”

This courage Castro emphasized echoes the theme of World Youth Day 2027, based on words from the Gospel of John: “Take courage! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16:33)

Founded by a saint

In 1985, World Youth Day was founded by Pope St. John Paul II, who is now one of World Youth Day 2027’s patron saints. Drawing multiple crowds of 250,000-300,000 people in Rome that first year, he emphasized the value of young people, and the importance of their role in the Church.  

The gatherings have continued to grow, and 2027 will be the first World Youth Day to be held in a country where the majority of the local population is not Christian. However, the seeds of faith have spread significantly. In the past half-century, the number of Catholics in Korea has risen from roughly 500,000 to 6 million, showing a 1,200-percent increase. 

The Catholic Church in Korea had an unusual beginning, as it was started by lay people and scholars rather than missionaries. St. Andrew Kim Taegon, another patron saint of World Youth Day 2027, was the first native-born priest in Korea.  Alongside his 102 companions, St. Andrew became a martyr when he was killed in the 19th century during extreme Catholic persecution in Korea. Additional patron saints of the six-day pilgrimage include St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, St. Josephine Bakhita and St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint who was canonized in September 2025.

The diocesan group traveling with Bishop Bui will leave for Korea on August 1, 2027, and return to Phoenix on Aug. 9. In addition to interacting with countless Catholics from all over the world, the group will be visiting historic sites such as Ganghwa Island, Paju & DMZ and Seoul City Center. Young adults will also have the opportunity to visit the St. Andrew Kim Shrine and attend a vigil Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV.

Michael Mansour, who attended World Youth Day in 2023, recalls the impactful moments he experienced while attending in Lisbon, Portugal. 

“Countless grace-filled moments come to mind when I think of the incredible pilgrimage — moments of laughter and interactions between my Catholic brothers and sisters from around the world, worshiping our Eucharistic Lord with the pope and being able to concretely witness the universality of our Church.”

 Young adults ages18-39 are invited to register to be part of this historic trip by Sept. 30. Pilgrims can also learn more at the World Youth Day Info Night on Sept. 1, at 6 p.m. at the Diocesan Pastoral Center in downtown Phoenix. The diocese is partnering with Vocatio Travel, a travel agency that is responsible for the accommodations and logistics.

“Through our baptism we have been made pilgrims, walking alongside each other, whether or not I knew their name or spoke their language,” Mansour continued. “One Church, one Lord and one mission. I found this best exemplified through my pilgrimage at World Youth Day.”

History of internationally hosted World Youth Days:

Rome, Italy (1986)

Buenos Aires, Argentina (1987)

Santiago de Compostela, Spain (1989)

Częstochowa, Poland (1991)

Denver, Colorado, U.S. (1993)

Manila, Philippines (1995)

Paris, France (1997)

Rome (2000)

Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2002)

Cologne, Germany (2005)

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (2008)

Madrid, Spain (2011)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2013)

Kraków, Poland (2016)

Panama City, Panama (2019)

Lisbon, Portugal (2023)

Rome (2025)

Seoul, South Korea (scheduled for 2027)