Seminary Summer Camp Programs ~ A Great Success!

The words Summer Camp conjure up thoughts of team sports, boating, swimming, pillow fights, food fights and homesickness.  This past June, the Vocations Office of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in cooperation with Saint Francis de Sales Seminary hosted two very unique summer camps that included none of the above activities, but the participants considered the camps fun, faith-filled and far too short!

Time to Get Real, for middle school men, was held from Sunday evening, June 21 until Wednesday noon, June 24.  Six Spirit-filled and spirited young men participated fully in discussions, Mass, prayer services, the Rosary, Benediction, a service project in the cemetery, seminarian call stories, Fr. Nathan Reesman’s call story, a swim session at the Cousins Center and lunch with Archbishop Dolan.  Seminarians Matthew Widder, Jacob Heidel, David Schroeder, John Gibson and Nathan Minniat assisted Fr. James Lobacz with music and activities.  Administrative Assistant Susan Kurek was the designated “mom” for the week.  The camp participants slept in Meyer Hall, which has now been set up as a comfortable retreat center.

What’s Up? Jesus? was designed for high school men and five registered for this camp, held from Wednesday evening, June 24 to Friday noon, June 26.  The participants were kept very busy by seminarians Luke and Jacob Strand, who have garnered their experience by working with Catholic Youth Expeditions.  Matthew Widder and Jacob Heidel continued gaining “counselor” experience throughout the week.  These five campers were treated to a bonfire and s’mores and then climbed to the cupola to watch fireworks!  After that, they were still able to get up early and have breakfast with Archbishop Dolan the next day.  Both groups also viewed the movie “Spiderman” and discussed the parallels between the movie and discernment to the priesthood.

It was exciting to witness the depth of maturity and faith in all eleven of the young men.  They were unafraid to ask questions and most seem relieved to understand that one need not be “perfect” in order to consider priesthood as a vocation.  Most asked for more prayer time and more quiet meditation time.

Evaluations by the campers proved the experiment to be a huge success and plans are already in progress for next summer.  The dates for the 2009 camps are Sunday, June 21 to Wednesday, June 24 and June 24 to 26, respectively.  All of the campers want to put in their reservations for next year.  Fr. Lobacz invited each to bring two friends with them!  Fr. Donald Hying, seminary rector, is enthused about the summer camps and is glad to see them return after an absence of more than twenty-five years.  It looks as though summer seminary camps will be a holy and wholly great place to be!

To participate in future Seminary Youth Summer Programs, contact Father Jim Lobacz, Vocations Director at: vocations@sfs.edu.