“Adventure Camp is a great opportunity for young people to get away from the busy world we live in. For me, it offered time to get away from distractions and focus on what matters. I grew closer to God through the opportunity of daily Mass, adoration, friendships and enjoying God’s creation in the outdoors.”
– John Paul Rubenzer first attended Adventure Camp in middle school and continues to attend camp as a graduate to help as a small group leader
Adventure Camp
Adventure Camp empowers teens to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today through daily Mass, exposure to different types of prayer and catechesis and group activities such as canoeing, rappelling, high ropes course, etc. Experiencing deeper conversion to Jesus Christ through developing a deeper spiritual life, the young people are called to greater participation in the life, mission and work of the Catholic faith community.
The young people also are called to be witnesses, allowing their renewed faith to be contagious. This is a camp that combines friendship, faith and fun through adoration, daily Mass, prayer, catechesis, alongside canoeing, rock climbing, biking, high ropes, and so much more! All campers are part of a small group in which they discuss and reflect on these teachings.
There is a chapel, with Our Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament, which provides campers with a great place for prayer and quiet reflection during the week. It is planned that one priest will always be at the camp. This allows participants to have daily Mass, confessions throughout the week and a special time of adoration on Thursday night. There will also be Morning Prayer, Holy Hour (optional, but highly encouraged and well-attended), and Night Prayer.
The camp runs for three weeks each summer and all students in grades 6-12 are invited to attend.
Immersion Retreat
The Immersion Retreat is a weekend retreat at the Chula Vista Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. This retreat gives young people the opportunity to understand their relationship with Jesus Christ is to be center of their life; to realize that growing in their faith, which is a lifelong process; and to encourage them to be active participants in the life of the parish to which they belong. This formation is needed, as one of the biggest challenges we face is that young people tend to stop attending Mass and fall away from prayer after they are confirmed.
This retreat combines faith, friendship and fun through powerful speakers, lively music, adoration, daily Mass, the sacrament of reconciliation and spiritual guidance, along with time to enjoy the indoor water park. The immersion environment provides parish youth groups the opportunity to have a great experience with other parish youth groups. Further, the component of small-group sharing allows young people to form a deeper bond with one another, thereby creating a stronger community. Typically, the Immersion Retreat is held once a year in November and all students who are currently in grades 8-12 are invited to attend.
Totus Tuus
Totus Tuus is Latin for “Totally Yours” and was the motto of Pope St. John Paul II. Taken from St. Louis de Montfort’s great work, True Devotion to Mary, it represents the desire to give ourselves entirely to Jesus Christ through the hands of His Immaculate Mother.
Totus Tuus is a program dedicated to helping young people develop their relationship with Jesus Christ and to understand their faith through catechesis, Christian witness and eucharistic worship so that they may live it in today’s world. To accomplish this, the Totus Tuus team of four trained young adults emphasizes devotion and love for our Lord in the Eucharist and for Mary in such a way that it is fun for both teachers and youth alike.
The Grade School Program provided by Totus Tuus is designed for children in grades 1-6. The students are encouraged to be clear and consistent in their faith, affirming always their identity so they may see God as their loving Father.In so doing, this empowers them to be witnesses for Him in the world. Finally, Totus Tuus endeavors to show the children that the humble, yet courageous, seeking of all believers is to be based upon the Word of God, who cannot deceive or be deceived.
For junior high and high school students (grades 7-12), Totus Tuus offers vibrant, faithful, college-aged teachers who can effectively impact the junior high and high school youth. The Totus Tuus High School Program includes instruction, small-group discussions, quiet meditation, prayer and fellowship. The team teaches in such a way as to continually offer a dialogue in which each person feels respected and which highlights his or her dignity. This eight-week summer program can be offered at your own parish and all students who are grades 9–12 are invited to attend.
By Chris Rogers Director of the Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Visit diolc.org/yya or call your local parish for more information on how to sign up for these and other youth events