Sacrament of Reconciliation for the young people

On the evening of Friday, Dec 18, thirty tents outside Myeongdong Cathedral caught the attention of tourists and intrigued passersby.

Jan 08, 2016

SEOUL: On the evening of Friday, Dec 18, thirty tents outside Myeongdong Cathedral caught the attention of tourists and intrigued passersby.

As one of the celebrations for the Jubilee Year of Mercy and Advent, the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the Young People aimed to provide young Catholics the opportunity of confession— not in a traditional confessional, but in outdoor confessional tents.

“Young people are precious assets to the Catholic Church,” said Fr Peter Yang Jangook, the director of the Youth Department of the Archdiocese of Seoul, and the chief organizer of the event. “In our modern society, however, it is not easy for the young people to keep their faith. Therefore, we would like to offer them a chance to feel the mercy of God.”

The event began at 7:30pm, with the Time of Reflection inside Myeongdong Cathedral. Young people were asked to take the time to pray, reflect, and repent on their wrongdoings. At the same time, Bible readings and Taizé hymns were played throughout the  30-minute process.

At 8:00pm, young people, led by volunteers, left the cathedral one by one for the outdoor confessionals.

Maria Kim, 27, one participant of the event, said that she started to tear up as she sat in the cathedral listening to the Taizé hymns.

“At first I thought there won’t be much to say. But as I sat in the cathedral, all those thoughts and reflections started to flow into my mind. I was sobbing very hard when I sat in front of the tent, beginning my confession,” Maria said.

“The whole process was like a time of healing for me. The voice coming from inside the tent was so gentle and warm. I felt like Jesus was hearing my confession.”

According to the Youth Department, the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the Young People ended around 10pm. Thirty priests, 50 volunteers, and 450 young people participated in the event. Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung and Bishop Peter Chung Soon-taek also took part in hearing the confessions. -- Archdiocese of Seoul

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