April 28, 2010

Summer activities to combine faith and outdoor fun

By Denver Catholic Register

As the end of the school year looms, many events, outings and programs are scheduled to enable youths to enrich their faith, enjoy friendship and have fun this summer.  Below is a list of some activities slated for the coming months.

“Jump! The Leadership Experience”: summer camp for middle school girls [June 9-16]
Catholic girls and their friends are invited to attend Challenge Club’s Summer Camp from June 9-16 in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, in Bellvue, Colo. Girls attending camp will enjoy prayer and spiritual growth through personal mentoring and the sacraments. They’ll love the sports, games, workshops, team dynamics, night activities, swimming and water sports and more! For more information or to register, visit www.ChallengeColorado.com. *Special mini-camp for 5th-graders June 12-16.

Rocky Mountain Catholic Youth Day at Elitch Gardens [June 12]
The Rocky Mountain Catholic Youth Day at Elitch Gardens will be held June 12 for all high school students in the Archdiocese of Denver.  Begin the day with Mass celebrated in the park and lunch provided in one of the pavilions.  For more information, contact the youth ministry office at your parish.

Guppy Fest for middle-schoolers and high-schoolers [June 18]
St. Thomas More Parish in Centennial will host the 2010 Guppy Fest, a youth celebration of Christian life.  Open to middle- and high-school students, the June 18 Guppy Fest is a rally built around prayer, worship, community, leadership, evangelization and catechesis.  Participants attend breakout sessions, engage in fellowship, attend Mass and unwind at the end of the day with a dance.  Call David Tschumper at 303-220-3388 Ext. 1 for details and cost.

Young Men’s Camping Trip [June 25-27]
The weekend of June 25-27, the Archdiocese of Denver's Office of Priestly Vocations will host a camping trip open to single men (18-35) who are discerning God’s call to the priesthood.  Campfire and meals will be provided, bring your guitar for music, $30 to attend. Other details will be provided at an organizational meeting 7 p.m., Friday, June 4 at Our Lady of Fatima Parish (1985 Miller St., Lakewood), Fireside Lounge. Contact the Office of Priestly Vocations at 303-282-3429 or email Info@Priest4Christ.com if you are interested in additional information. Click here for a PDF Flyer.

Archdiocesan Congress of Charistmatic Renewal: “Servidores de Cristo y de su Iglesia” [June 26]
The annual Conference of the Charismatic Renewal Movement will take place Saturday, June 26 at the Fairgrounds of Douglas County in Castle Rock. It is sponsored in part by the Hispanic Ministry of the archdiocese. The weekend event reunites all members of the movement from the various parishes, gathering adults, youth and children for an intense and living encounter with the Lord Jesus through scheduled speakers, prayer time, music, liturgy and socializing. For more information, please contact Abram Leon, coordinator of the Charismatic Renewal Movement in Denver, by calling 303-295-9470 ext 103 or emailing abram.leon@archden.org.

Camp Wojtyla for Youths, aged 11-18 [late June through late July]
Are you looking for a CATHOLIC CAMP?  Camp Wojtyla offers Christ-centered adventures where kids, ages 11-18, learn about God and his Church through hiking, archery, fishing, rock climbing, white water rafting, overnights in the forest, daily Mass, small group discussions, and sleeping in teepees! Go to www.camp-w.com for details on registration and scholarships! Questions? Email apowell@focusonline.org or call 303-926-1556.

Prayer & Action [end of June through late July]
The seminarians of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary are organizing Prayer & Action for all high school youths this summer.  Students in the program, which originated in the Diocese of Salina, Kan., stay for a week at selected parishes in the archdiocese.  During the day, they go out into the community to perform service work for the elderly and poor, painting houses, trimming trees and doing general clean up.  During the evening, the youths return to the parish for song, discussion, adoration and fellowship.  Prayer in Action is scheduled for three separate parishes this summer: Christ the King in Denver, June 20-25; St. Anthony in Sterling, July 4-9; and Immaculate Conception in Lafayette, July 25-30.  Details on the weekends, including registration information, are available online at www.prayerandactiondenver.com.

Family Weekend Retreat at St. Malo [June 25-27]
Marriage and family weekend retreat to be held in June at Camp St. Malo Retreat Center.  The theme of this year’s retreat is “The Family: A Fascinating Path to Holiness.”  Reservations are being taken for this event, which runs June 25-27 at St. Malo, 10758 Highway 7, Allenspark, Colo.  Call 303-715-3223 or get more information online at www.saintmalo.org.

A Day at Water World [July 7]
All middle school and high school students are invited to join the Archdiocese of Denver at Water World on July 7 for a day of fun in the sun.  See all the attractions at the water amusement park and be part of a special gathering at noon for all the Catholic youth in the Archdiocese.  Youth ministers are encouraged to get their groups registered early.  Cost and registration information are available online at www.archden.org, click on Youth, Young Adults and Campus Ministry.

Steubenville of the Rockies [July 16-18]
Steubenville of the Rockies, a faith-searching weekend for youth, will be held this year July 16-18 at the Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St. in downtown Denver.  Last year, more than 2,100 young people attended this spiritual weekend to take part in the lectures, discussion, question and answer periods, adoration, entertainment and meditation time.  The theme of the 2010 conference is, “The Word Became Flesh” (Jn 1:14).  Speakers include John Beaulieu, Sean Forrest and Father Jim Crisman.  For registration information, call 303-715-3178 or visit www.archden.org and click on Steubenville.