Minneapolis, Minn., Jun 14, 2020 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- When it’s time for camp this summer, Catholic youth around the country will listen to inspirational talks, make friends in small groups, and sing praise and worship music around a bonfire– all in their very own living room and backyard.
In light of COVID-19 restrictions, many Catholic summer camps have had to close their doors this summer. But some of those camps aim to provide a camp experience to kids this summer, albeit virtually, and to keep themselves afloat while they do it.
“The Lord saw our hunger to reach the young people and he said, listen, I’m going to overcome this barrier,” said Dan DeMatte, founder and executive director of Catholic Youth Summer Camp (CYSC). The camp, based in Centerburg, OH, plans to offer both an in-person and a virtual camp experience this year.
Camp Wojtyla, based in Colorado, will offer a virtual program for kids and their families to engage in daily activities such as challenges, videos, and prayer. But as a wilderness camp, the idea of adapting Camp Wojtyla to an online format initially seemed odd.
“It is a little outside of our wheelhouse,” Eby told CNA. “We really do try to minimize screens. There’s not too much technology, or I guess modern technology, at our wilderness camp.”
Totus Tuus is a week-long catechetical day camp program run in dioceses around the country.
Cassie Zimmer, a 20 year old Totus Tuus missionary in the diocese of Marquette, will lead a team of six missionaries to deliver a completely virtual summer program. This summer marks her 3rd year teaching the program.
“We have to just kind of learn how to be good at doing videos,” said Zimmer. “I don’t even know if this is a Totus Tuus program, per say, it’s more of a Totus Tuus TV program.”
Adapting a Catholic summer camp to a screen requires immense creative genius.
The virtual program from CYSC will employ a box of materials delivered to each virtual camper’s door, which will contain materials for activities and games.
“Imagine your son or daughter pitching a tent in their bedroom or their backyard or their basement, and having all the aspects of catholic youth summer camp brought to them on a daily basis through the whole course of the week,” DeMatte said in a video promoting the camp to parents.
The kids at CYSC will even have a virtual cabin leader, who will remotely guide his or her small group through the same kind of activities a kid would expect at summer camp.
At Camp Wojtyla, campers will be encouraged to build a chapel out of materials they find outside, like flowers, rocks, and sticks. Every morning, they will be encouraged to pray there before plugging into the camp’s introductory video, called “gritty masters,” over breakfast. The video will explain the day’s activities, and will subtly encourage campers to do their dishes.
Campers will have the opportunity to join in a summer camp bonfire at the end of the week, though with some social-distancing modifications.
Virtual campers will be invited to build their own fire and join in livestreamed songs and chants– all the things that ought to culminate a summer camp experience.
“We try to take as much of our typical day to day program that is at camp and help people to live that out in their own home, with a virtual platform, that will allow for real experiences,” Eby told CNA.
Although the Totus Tuus program differs vastly in each diocese, Totus Tuus staff in the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan, will offer a weekly “data drop” to those who sign up for the program. The staff will be busy all summer recording and editing videos, employing everything from saint costumes to gorilla suits to keep campers engaged.
At first, 19 year old Ethan Wilcox, a seminarian who will teach the virtual program this year, doubted the viability of a virtual Totus Tuus program.
“I thought, there’s no way, how is this going to work?” said Wilcox.
But In spite of the limitations, many camp organizers are confident that virtual platforms, such as Zoom, will have a meaningful impact on kid’s lives.
“Kids are having encounters with Jesus. We’re had kids filled with the Holy Spirit and transformed over the Zoom platform,” DeMatte told CNA.
“If we buy into a lie that God can’t work powerfully over an online version of camp, then He’s not going to be able to work powerfully over an online version of camp.”
DeMatte compared those who lack faith that God will work over a virtual platform to the people of towns in the Gospels that lacked faith in Christ. Jesus never worked a miracle in those towns, DeMatte noted.
“The level of our faith we have determines the degree to which God’s power can be activated in people’s lives,” said DeMatte.
“With the new evangelization, technology is really something that the Church needs to look into,” said Wilcox. While he was quarantined at home due to the coronavirus, Wilcox broadcast videos of himself singing praise and worship music over Facebook Live and was overwhelmed by the response.
He sees technology as “a tool for the Church.”
“The Catholic Church has stepped up to meet people in the digital age,” said Grace Theoret, an 18 year old Totus Tuus missionary in the Diocese of Marquette. She described a plethora of digital Catholic conferences that were made available this spring.
The digital platform will allow many summer camps to reach a much wider audience than ever before.
In just eight weeks of virtual ministry this spring, DeMatte said that Damascus Catholic Mission Campus, the organization overarching CYSC, reached over 150,000 people. At Camp Wojtyla, Eby said she has seen a lot of families sign up for the virtual camp who had initially been waitlisted.
Emma Kate Callahan, a 21-year-old Totus Tuus missionary in the Diocese of Pueblo, CO, said that Totus Tuus is now able to virtually minister to four more parishes than it had originally planned for this summer.
Despite the potential for a wider reach of their ministry, some worry that the camps’ reliance on technology will compromise their potential for meaningful relationships.
“You don’t really have the same interactions online,” said Callahan. “You just can’t beat being face to face with a child and looking into their eyes and seeing the face of Jesus.”
This concern is shared by many parents, who wonder if online Catholic summer camp is a worthy investment.
“It’s hard to replace being in person with people, no matter how creative we are with content,” said Anna Witham, an early-childhood educator in Minnesota. “As an educator and a parent and a Catholic, it’s important for me to give my kids real experiences.”
“I’m a hard no on virtual summer camp,” Mary Walker, a youth minister in the Diocese of Arlington, VA, told CNA.
“Me and a few of my friends have decided that because we’re probably going back to virtual learning in the fall, that we need to have as few screens as possible during summer as possible to kind of reset and reboot,” she said.
“I’ve always been a parent who tries to limit screen time,” said Witham. “I hadn’t even thought to sign my kids up for anything like that because I feel like they needed a break from structured activities delivered via screen.”
Walker described how gross-motor skills, such as climbing a jungle gym or playing outside, facilitate learning fine motor skills, such as holding a pencil. Both she and Witham said that their kids’ summers will be full of bike-riding, hiking, playing outside, and imaginative play.
But Walker said that there’s a reason beyond spurning technology to opt out of Catholic summer camps.
“Parents are the primary educators of their children in matters of faith,” she told CNA. “And I think it’s prime time for parents to stand up and take ownership of that.”
In fact, many Catholic summer camps are embracing the fact that parents will be able to engage in the material alongside their children.
DeMatte said that Catholic Youth Summer Camp’s goal is “not to do the ministry for parents, but to facilitate the ministry for parents.”
“We were getting messages from families saying, this is the first time we’ve ever played together, or, this is the first time that dad has ever goofed off with the kids,” DeMatte told CNA. “And that’s revolutionary in a family.”
“What do we have? Families,” said Zimmer, who leads her six-person Totus Tuus team. “We can build up the family unit. We are gearing this towards hopefully being able to help the parents teach the kids.”
“There’s opportunity there to have the parents involved in the mission just as much as the kids are,” said 22 year old Ben Gregory, who is part of Zimmer’s team. “(It’s) likely there will be conversations happening amongst the families.”
By engaging the whole family, moreover, Catholic summer camps hope to simply stay afloat themselves. One summer without camp could threaten the existence of many programs.
“The summer camp industry, as a whole, is really in danger right now,” said DeMatte. “I think you’ll see a lot of camps close.” He described that 60%-75% or more of a summer camp’s revenue is generated over the summer. One summer’s campers, moreover, fuel the next year’s admissions.
“I hope that being in this environment with other Catholics, that for our campers and our families and all who are part of our mission, we can come together and say, ‘this isn’t going to be forever,’” said Eby. “We’ve got to keep the hunger, the desire, the flame.”
Regardless of how their camp is delivered, many Catholic summer camps share the determination to remain steadfast to their mission of sharing Christ.
“We don’t exist to run summer camps, we exist to proclaim the name of Jesus,” said DeMatte. “If we think of this from heaven’s perspective, God is like, ‘are you kidding me, you don’t think I can’t change kids’ lives through an online platform?’”
[…]
I’d recommend that these bishops ought to spend the time praying for their own salvation.
Let us recollect that the Shepherds of their flocks the Bishops are called to be more concerned about the welfare of their flock than of their own souls. Taking a moment to pray for the victims, the shooter and first responder is certainly charitable and compassionate and our calling to pray for our enemies and the enemies of God, those that hated Him before they hated us.
Yeah, you’d recommend it. You wouldn’t take the trouble to pray for their salvation yourself, of course. Not your job, is it, deacon? But then, maybe that’s no great loss, if your prayer was only going to run like this: “O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this bishop. I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess.”
You make no offer to pray for them yourself. Such an offer might be Pharisaical grandstanding — it usually contains at least an element of that — but if you were to follow through with private prayers, some good would come of it.
Nor are you offering fraternal correction. You do not address them directly. I doubt you would say that directly to your own bishop, or even write a letter with a signature and a return address to any of these other bishops.
What you are doing is gossiping. That’s all. Cut it out.
You put “deacon” in front of your name, presumably because you think Holy Orders entitles you to some deference. Well … not really in a forum like this, where the argument should not depend on the genetic fallacy that it matters who said it. Regardless, if you think your office of deacon entitles you to respect, the same logic should require you to think that the office of bishop entitles them to whatevever respect or deference you hope to receive from your title.
If no one can tell you have Holy Orders from the wisdom and holiness of what you write, maybe keep that part to yourself.
I will pray for you, however, Outis.
We are not obligated to respect corrupt leadership, and defending it, which is a consistent pattern for you, is sin on your part.
Absolutely
Fight, fight, fight the progressives outside the Church and inside the Church.
Prayers for all those who were injured or killed yesterday. 🙏
Security breakdown is obvious and as some of the media are reporting this morning, looks bad to the world when your Republican candidate is not adequately/smartly protected, (not to mention those in attendance).
Dear Kevin Roberts.
To bring this sad event into perspective, let’s remember that it is not the radical Left alone who are responsible for political violence. At the storming of the Capital (which was a violent political response which this very man did little to prevent) several people also lost their lives. Violence is never the answer and both parties are quilty of it. We must condemn all violence and not put the blame on one party alone. May the former president recover and conduct a decent campaign and be willing to humbly accept whatever the outcome. May both parties become more honest and moral in their rhetoric and behavior. May we as Americans hold the next president accountable for his actions and demand transparent and just leadership. May God bless America.
“We must condemn all violence and not put the blame on one party alone.”
A disgraceful and inappropriate post. Republicans aren’t shooting their opponents.
Is it disgraceful and inappropriate to condemn violence and call for both parties to be accountable? How can we ignore those on the Right such as the Proud Boys and the KKK etc. etc. who openly support Trump? Just look at their current posts and tweets that are calling for war and promoting violence! It’s Not all one sided. Both parties have drifted into the extreme. There is little if any honest dialogue, none seem willing to compromise. Our form of government welcomes diversity of opinion and dialogue resulting in compromise and cooperative dialogue . We need to understand and respect each other and get along. Nothing is gained by broad brushing and labeling others. We need love, tolerance and respect which is becoming to our Christian witness.
“… the Proud Boys and the KKK…”
I think all reasonable people lament and denounce the endless rioting and the hundreds of millions of dollars in destructions and damage caused by the Proud Boys and the KKK during the riots of 2020. (Ahem.)
The idea that because Party A (Dems) have become incredibly radical, amoral, and immoral means that Party B (GOP) has surely done the same in equal measure is both stupid and contrary to data/reason. The problem with the GOP, in many ways, is that is simply does what the Dems did 5 to 10 years ago rather than following actual objective principles. Hence, the part of stupid. And the reality of a “uniparty” in so many ways. But it mustn’t blind anyone to the fact that the Democratics, as a Party, have completely sold out to the culture of death, insanity, moral depravity, mutilation, etc.
James Connor,
Your “perspective” referencing the storming of the Capitol lacks perspective…
The House Select Committee formed to investigate January 6, 2001—why did it reject the request for a broad perspective to consider escalating events preceding that single date? The street riots in other urban areas in 2000? In Minneapolis and Portland, and in Seattle where several city blocks, including a police precinct station, were occupied for almost a month? Several shots fired and one 16-year-old boy hit fatally. Have a look: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitol_Hill_Occupied_Protest
Would Jan. 6 have been even thinkable without these incompetently-handled lead-in events?
I clearly recall, at the beginning in Seattle, Mayor Durkan at the site (and broadcast live on local radio) likening the event to a neighborly “block party,” and then pleading, “we gave you free college education, what more do you want?” A reference to Seattle’s recent taxpayer-funded program for free junior college education. Compassionate vote buying, and a small-scale version of forgiving student loan debt?
“What more do you want”? The swan song from a therapeutic/value-neutral education system and Provider State?
So, about your “perspective”: there are more layers to this onion. Including this recent clip regarding responsibility: https://x.com/OversightAdmn/status/1800207258514575730
Dear Peter. I doubt that we will ever know what really happened at the storming of the Capitol, but we do have numerous tweets and recordings of Mr. Trump which call for vigilante violence against those who have parted ways with him or he considers his enemy. Such as arresting and locking up former President Obama, the Clintons, former vice president, Michael Pence, President Joe Biden and many others. Many people have been intimidated. Some politicians such as Mitt Romney have publicly stated that they got out of politics because of threats against their families . These are all instances of dirty politics, and we must demand better. The dirty politics of the past pale in comparison to what is happening now. Watergate Looks like a fraternity prank in comparison to the physical violence we are experiencing today. Both parties are guilty of giving their tacit support to violent groups who support their agendas. It is not at all one sided. We must demand better we must demand accountability and transparency. My prayer is that the former president humbles himself and is drawn close to the Lord and if re-elected becomes an exemplary leader who draws the country together. I pray that he respects the rule of law and the limitations of his elected office. I pray that he openly condemns all of the violent groups who support him as well as those on the left. I pray that he will welcome dialogue and be able to respect the opponents views without resorting to character assassination. In short I pray that he may become a humble and holy man who is greatly used by the Lord. May God bless America and him.
Meanwhile, I’ll pray that you might develop the willingness to see beyond your DNC talking points and see the situation, and your contributions to it, more clearly. Don’t worry about Trump. Repent of your own sins.
James. I agree with your assessment of our polarized politics. As you point out, there is dirty politics on both sides. However, I take issue with Trump ever becoming humbled or admitting guilt for anything. “The buck stops THERE”. His enormous ego prevents him. But you and I must continue to pray for miracles. We have no choice.
Thank you.
No political figure was assassinated on Jan 6th. The people who gathered to support President Trump were peacefully assembled.
The folks who dressed up in costumes and entered the Capitol, which is in fact a public building that exists to serve the American citizens, had emerged from a QAnon rabbit hole. I know a few people who follow that conspiracy narrative and they can barely perform their daily tasks competently, much less organize an insurrection.
I think there was a combination of easily led, angry citizens and some orchestration by interests who wanted to smear Trump and his supporters. It was a perfect way to accomplish that. If Donald Trump had been a political insider he might have seen it coming.
WOW! Your glasses? On Jan 6 several people died. “Stop the Steal” protesters Kevin Greeson, 55, and Benjamin Phillips, 50, both died of cardiovascular disease. Rosanne Boyland died “in a crush of fellow rioters during their attempt to fight through a police line. Ashli Babbitt shot while entering a broken Capitol window. Officer Brian Sicknick “passed away due to injuries sustained while on-duty.” The report stated that Sicknick “was injured while physically engaging with protesters. He returned to his division office and collapsed. Four suicides: Four other police officers committed suicide in the days and months after the riot. In-your-face!. Crazy Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson echoed “the rioters were only a group of tourists HAVING FUN”. AND, he was there!!!
Evidence Trump, Guiliani, Bannon and Eastman were directly initiating the invasion…
Trump: “Go down to the Capitol and FIGHT LIKE hell. While reclining to the WH for 2 hrs, Meadows received many calls to have Trump end the attempted coup, (even his family!!!), he refused. Then, after the building was trashed, Trump arose to say “Go home now, we LOVE YOU!!!
Bannon’s podcast and on TV. Jan. 5th. “Fasten your seat belts. All hell is going to break loose tomorrow”.
At the elipse…
Giuliani Call for ‘Trial by Combat’ Before Trump Mob Broke Into Capitol.
Eastman: Even after Jan 6 Eastman was trying to convince the public that the 2020 election was fraudlent. Iroinically prior to the coup told Trump two days before the insurrection that his scheme to keep himself in power was against the law.
All three begged Trump for a pardon!!!
Some other lawyer minions who admitted guilt…
Kenneth Chesebro the architect of the false elector scheme
Jenna Ellis, pleads guilty in Georgia.
Sidney Powell who was restricted from Trump meetings because she was “crazy”.
All factchecked. Hope this helps.
This rant is simply insane and is a good example of the very kind of delusional thinking that prompted the assassin’s attempts this weekend. Shame on you.
Mr. Morgan, a riot is not a coup nor an insurrection.
I’ll be glad when Mr Mr Trump is reelected, please God, and we can put these false narratives aside.
It’s a free country and you can vote for whomever you choose but we shouldn’t be going down these rabbit holes forever.
“On January 7, 2021, a United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer, Brian Sicknick, died after suffering two strokes the day after he responded to an attack on the U.S. Capitol.” ~ Wikipedia, citing a Washington Post article.
“All factchecked.” … badly.
Political violence has come from both sides of the political aisle. But currently 95% of the violence emanates from the Far Left. January 6 is the fault of the right, compared to the George Floyd riots, Antifa riots, Antifa taking over entire cities like Portland and Seattle, and the violent Pro-Hamas protests on US campuses, all of which are the fault of the Left.
I’m afraid that blood may flow from BOTH sides soon. BOTH are equally dangerous. It’s the nazis against to communists all over again. Different names but same ideologies.
Republicans are not Nazis. There is no logical or historical basis for that claim, which means that you are either profoundly ignorant or outright lying, both of which are unacceptable from the standpoint of basic Catholic teaching.
You are not the Pope. You don’t speak for the Church.
Violence is mostly from the GOP, and that the catholic church is tolerating this is unbelievable. Jesus Christ would be be very ashamed of the American catholic church.
Pope Francis’s view of this whole abortion and LGBTQ issue is exactly how Jesus would look at it.
“Violence is mostly from the GOP…”
Which branch? The Antifa-GOP? The BLM-GOP? The Planned Parenthood-GOP? The Abortion-Without-Limits-GOP? The Trans-Mutilation-GOP? The Illegal-“Immigrants”-Who-Commit-Violence-GOP?
So many choices. (Sarcasm off.)
At our Mass this morning not a moment of silence nor prayers for the victims, shooter certainly not for Trump even in the prayers of the people. No parting comments after the dismissal. When I asked Father about the lack of compassion, he dismissed the attempted assassination as an “incident” then hurried away.
EWTN definitely mentioned it right away.
Does anyone really care about what are essentially automatic canned replies expressing shock and outrage tweets, of outrage so sincere it does not put off eating breakfast and forgotten the moment SEND is pressed….I am so sick of posturing by “leaders” and their PR staffs. But such posturing makes up the majority of “news” today, a long string of blather statements.
The unfortunate attack on former President Trump is a sign of the toxic political polarization evident in the divisive rhetoric, seemingly the new norm.
The evidence is being accumulated, but it is reported that the weapon used was the military-style AR15, much like my miltary issue, the powerful M16.
We must pray that honest and freedom loving American poeple will become more involved in helping an effort to reunite our delicate republic. A start is joining an organization in your area using the “bully pulpit” provided. And, contact your political reps.
When Trump was in the hospital a major event happenned. President Biden called to offer his concern and whished him a full recovery. Trump THANKED Biden and told him that “the heat of political rhetoric needed to be lowered”. Biden agreed and made an appeal to the public from the Oval Office.
It appears that the current divisivness began when Trump refused to provide a peaceful transfer of power and began a maddening campaign to overthrow the election.
I hope the heat will cool quickly. Suprisingly or not, they are only providing ONE thermometer .
All well and good, as in yada yada yada, ssdd, etc.
But let’s not forget that ‘catholic’ Joe Biden is quoted as recently saying this to his donors: “it’s time to put Trump in the bullseye.” (source – Sean Fitzpatrick Crisis Magazine July 15, 2024)
Who is dangerous?
And then Biden, in expressing “regret” for that comment, STILL turned right around and called the opposition (backed by about half the population) a “threat to democracy”….that is, not voting for Biden and his party, and voting for anybody else, is undemocratic…
Biden’s short-term memory isn’t the best, and his long-term habit is inflammatory speech.
Supposedly, the man who investigated him for mishandling classified information declined to prosecute on the grounds that he could not prove mens rea for a person with such significant memory problems. Likely we cannot expect him to be entirely responsible for his speech now either.
Has Pope Francis issued a personal message about the attempt and directly to President Trump? A message from the Vatican press office is not enough
Liked what MrsCracker & Terrence posted.
Today heard a solid podcast that shooter Crux couldn’t have acted alone with supporting details& then a scary but true-sounding podcast with video of ASST FBI DIRECTOR Brittany (?) sitting BEHIND TRUMP at Sat’s Butler, PA assassination attempt. She’s on camera using her cell phone but looking toward shooter BEFORE he shot! Then she doesn’t freak out & slips down behind her sign- unlike everyone else! She calculatedly then took photo of Trump on floor!
Then a demonic George Soros post on VOZ shows their chilling picture “prophecy” of a bullet in glass next to $47 in cash (-presidents on bills) ! Trump would be President #47!!
And let’s recall that the Left lied “prophesying” again claiming that “Trump would take revenge on his political ‘enemies’ after his election”. But then I realized that all of the “FBI-protected” Leftist criminals would then BE investigated by actual TRUTHFUL law-abiding Conservative PROSECUTORS, with FAIR judges! Optic that they’d be “innocent victims”! Ugh!
PRAYING for WISDOM for our citizens & GOD’S WILL 🙏