There is a deep and ancient tradition of going out into the wilderness for retreat and to grow in relationship with God. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years; God spoke to Elijah in the wilderness in that “still, small voice”; Our Lord retreated into the desert for 40 days to prepare for his public ministry. Throughout the United States, a form of this tradition is continued in the Catholic summer camps that provide profound spiritual experience, instruction in the faith, and a deepening of relationship with God, while appreciating God’s creation in a wilderness setting.

There are a great number of such camps around the country. Here are just a few examples.

 

Camp Tekakwitha, Shawano, Wisconsin

A ministry of the Diocese of Green Bay, Camp Tekakwitha was established “to invite and guide young people into a deeper encounter with Jesus Christ amidst the beauty of God’s natural creation,” said McKenna Runde, director of the camp for the past year. However, Runde has been a part of the “Camp Tek” community for 11 years, as a camper, counselor, marketing coordinator and associate director.

The camp was founded in 1926 by Rose Van Laanen, who wanted to provide an opportunity for Catholic girls from Chicago to have a summer-camp experience in northern Wisconsin. It rapidly expanded and has continued to grow, and the camp is now a ministry of the Diocese of Green Bay. It took on the name Camp Tekakwitha in the 1970s. Boys were hosted at the camp, as well, beginning in 1981.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the “Lily of the Mohawks,” was born in 1656. She had a bit of a tumultuous childhood, with smallpox hitting the village, killing her parents and brother, and scarring and partially blinding Kateri. She eventually encountered Jesuit missionaries who guided her, and she converted to Catholicism at age 19. She died at the age of 24 in 1680.

“It is an important and incredible gift to have summer camps that are Catholic,” Runde said. “We encounter many families who are seeking authentic opportunities to be surrounded by the good, true and beautiful gift of our faith.”

 Many parents of campers sing the praises of Camp Tekakwitha, including one anonymous parent who is quoted on the camp website: “I love that this great camp is practically at our doorstep, but this Catholic camp is worth traveling across the country for.”

“We are honored to be able to provide a space for authentic community and great joy, rooted in Jesus Christ, here at Camp Tekakwitha,” Runde said.

 

 

Camp Wojtyla, Jamestown, Colorado

Nestled on 1,200 acres in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, Camp Wojtyla aims to lead young people into a deeper and transformative relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church. Camp Wojtyla (pronounced “voy-TEE-wa,” following the Polish pronunciation of Pope St. John Paul II’s family name) was founded in 2007 by Annie and Scott Powell, both of whom served as campus missionaries with Fellowship of Catholic University Students.

Annie Powell had attended and worked at many camps throughout the country and felt called to start a camp that would help people know and love God and his creation. She pitched the idea to FOCUS founder Curtis Martin, who encouraged her to move forward. The work of many hands over the years, the idea came to fruition, and the camp is now thriving.

It is described as a “Catholic adventure program,” where students learn perseverance, teamwork and experience firsthand God’s glorious creation. This experience of creation is of paramount importance. Campers even sleep in teepees rather than cabins, so that they can be more connected with nature. Basecamp at Camp Wojtyla is at about 7,800 feet above sea level, with some campers traveling up the mountain and sleeping at elevations between 8,000 and 13,500 feet. Days are filled with a variety of activities designed to challenge the campers and encourage them to be the man or woman that God created them to be.“Everything we do is to help our campers find true freedom and life to the full in Jesus Christ,” said Annie Powell. “We believe that God can speak to these young people through the raw, beautiful encounter with his creation.”

Many campers have offered their own thoughts on the impact the Camp Wojtyla experience had on them. “I saw God in all my brothers in the teepee,” one anonymous middle-school boy camper said, as posted on the camp website. “I grew in my relationship with Jesus during adoration. I loved archery — it reminded me that if you don’t aim for heaven, you won’t get there.”

“Life to the full is life with Jesus Christ,” Annie Powell said, “and to quote our namesake, Pope St. John Paul II: ‘To live with Christ is a wonderful adventure!’”

 

 

Camp Veritas, Multiple Locations

Camp Veritas was founded in 2008 by Ryan and Elizabeth Young. They recognized a crisis in the Church, with droves of young people leaving the Church after confirmation. So they founded a Catholic summer camp for teens, primarily focused on Eucharistic-centered worship and evangelization, orthodox teaching in line with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and magisterium, and interaction with clergy and religious. By this, they aimed to foster a love for the faith and the Church in the campers.

Ryan Young described the camp as a week’s sleepaway “pilgrimage of play and pray” for teens from 12 to 18 years old. Since its founding 16 years ago, Camp Veritas has hosted more than 12,000 teens and an additional 4,000 adult volunteers, between five camps per summer. These camps are: Lake Placid Camp in Lake Placid, Florida; Clongowes Wood College in Kildare, Ireland; Summit Lake Camp in Emmitsburg, Maryland; Lake Champion in Glen Spey, New York; and Camp Lakota in Wurtsboro, New York.

“Camp Veritas is an immersion within the sacramental life of the Catholic faith, with the Eucharist front and center,” Ryan Young said. Every day, campers attend Mass, pray the Rosary, attend adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and hear testimonies, while being taught by numerous diocesan priests and religious orders, including the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal, Sisters of Life and more.

Campers also engage in traditional camp activities during the daytime, including swimming, sports and hiking.

Young said, “The ability to stop in one’s life, step away in pilgrimage to look back at one’s life in order to discern what path they are on, while being immersed in truth and the sacramental life of the Church, has clearly been the most effective tool in creating long-term disciples of Jesus Christ.”