Warmth, sunshine, and 90 children filled the lively Catholic summer camp at St. Mary Mokena during the week of July 17th. Called the “Mount Carmel Summer Camp,” the week-long gathering included a variety of faith-based spiritual and recreational activities aimed at inspiring the children to model the saints.
“We wanted a well-balanced approach to teaching the faith in a fun environment,” says Megan Murray, Director of Adult Faith Formation at St. Mary. “Every activity revolved around how to become holy like the saints and learning more about their lives.”
Each day, the camp began with a prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus followed by singing. Next was a catechism class on various topics, including prayer, the Eucharist, humility, sacrifice, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Afterward, the children attended Confession and Mass before breaking for lunch. Beyond this, there were daily crafts and outdoor games.
The camp arose to replace the traditional Totus Tuus summer program, which had been discontinued by the diocese. “Given my experience with organizing and running summer camps for children and teens, as well as Tami Brongiel’s [the Director of Religious Education] experience of running Totus Tuus, we decided to have a Summer Camp for children on a parish level, starting from scratch,” explains Murray.
All was made possible by a team of dedicated volunteers including parents, St. Mary School students, and other parishioners. “Most of the volunteers participated as group leaders,” says Murray. “Others helped with taking the children to the bathroom, preparing snacks, and being available to help set up for the next activity. Finally, some were available for any sort of problem or medical issue.”
After a successful camp, Murray is hopeful that St. Mary will continue running an annual summer camp, whether it’s Totus Tuus or Mount Carmel. “I hope the children learned that faith isn’t just an asset or accessory but is essential in everyday living and in every activity that we do,” she says. “I hope that they know that holiness isn’t something weird or foreign, but possible and desirable – it means being a faithful friend of Jesus.”
The Mokena Marian 