This pilgrimage is organised by the Dioceses of Auckland and Hamilton. A dedicated team of diocesan staff and priests have been working hard over several months to carefully plan and prepare this pilgrimage.
We seriously considered it, and we explored options including Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. However, adding a second country was going to add a fair bit of additional travel time, and it meant missing out on a lot of what South Korea had to offer. We chose to focus on South Korea so that pilgrims can enter more fully into the culture, history and Catholic story of this incredible country.
Participation in this pilgrimage is limited to young adults aged 18-35yrs old on 1 April 2027.
This pilgrimage is limited to those aged 18–35. This is primarily due to additional safeguarding, legal, and supervision requirements that apply to under-18s on international trips of this nature.
We organise a great pilgrimage to each international World Youth Day, so if you aren’t old enough to participate this time, we’d love you to consider being part of a future WYD pilgrimage.
Our pilgrimage is specifically designed for young adults aged 18–35, in line with international Catholic guidelines for World Youth Day and our experience of what works best for pilgrimage group like this.
For a pilgrimage of this scale, the needs, expectations, and group dynamics can differ significantly between age groups. Focusing on the 18–35 range allows us to create a formation, community, and experience that is well-tailored to this stage of life.
That said, if you are only slightly above the age limit and are genuinely interested in participating, we encourage you to get in touch:
We’re happy to consider these situations on a case-by-case basis.
This cost includes flights, accommodation, most meals, and travel insurance.
* Costs are indicative and may be subject to change.
Yes, payments are spread out over a number of instalments:
Total: $6000 (Standard Pilgrimage) / $4500 (Shortened Pilgrimage)
You can make payments earlier, if you want. But you need to make instalments of at least the above amounts by those dates.
We are offering this pilgrimage at cost price, and are working hard to keep it as affordable as possible for everyone. Because of this, we’re not able to offer additional discounts for groups or leaders.
Yes. We will celebrate Mass every day, alongside daily opportunities for personal prayer, reflection, and the sacrament of Reconciliation. Several priest chaplains will accompany us throughout the journey.
Accommodation will be a combination of:
We’ve made a deliberate effort to balance comfort and authentic pilgrimage experience.
Yes. You can choose to return later if you wish to continue travelling after the pilgrimage. The conditions for arranging a different return flight are:
Pilgrims will attend information and/or formation sessions once a month between October 2026 - July 2027.
Pilgrims are also required to attend a 3-day Pre-Pilgrimage Retreat (Friday - Sunday) in the months leading up to departure.
Participation in this Pilgrimage Preparation is an Essential Requirement of the pilgrimage.
The pre-pilgrimage information and formation sessions are an essential part of the journey and are designed to help you prepare spiritually, practically, and as a community.
If your work commitments mean you may miss some sessions, we encourage you to get in touch:
We’re happy to consider individual situations on a case-by-case basis.
However, it’s important that pilgrims are able to attend as many sessions as possible, as this preparation is a key part of the pilgrimage experience.
If you are within the eligible age range, we strongly encourage you to join the diocesan pilgrimage. It’s going to be an incredible shared experience for young adults in our Dioceses.
If you are outside the age range, or feel called to organise your own journey, an Affiliate Pilgrimage is an option. This involves independently planning and managing your pilgrimage.
Organising an affiliate pilgrimage carries significant responsibility. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC) has established a pilgrimage policy that all Catholic pilgrimages from New Zealand are expected to follow. This includes meeting high standards across areas such as liability, insurance, health and safety, financial management, and overall organisation.
If you are planning an Affiliate Pilgrimage, we would love to stay connected. Please let us know, as you are warmly invited to participate in key shared moments, such as the New Zealand Commissioning Mass, our gathering in Seoul, and other key events.
