Vacation Bible School “Catholic Boot Camp”
Vacation Bible School big hit with parish young people
If you were looking for Christ the evenings of June 9, 11 and 13, he was hanging with 12 parish young people at Sacred Heart’s Catholic Boot Camp – learning some of the prayers, rituals and truths of our faith all wrapped up in fun and fellowship!
Some kids were able to make it every night, and other because of scheduling, came as they could.
The kids used camouflage paint to mark their faces, and tied Rambo-style camo fleece strips around their heads, arms, legs or pony tails.
The night started with a Catholic cadence and marching: “Father, Son and Holy Ghost, it’s our God we love the most! Holy Mary, Angels and Saints, from our hearts they lift the weight! Sound off! Catholic! One, two, three four!”
We worked on the Guardian Angel Prayer, the Glory Be, the Our Father and the Hail Mary. The kids had a tour of the Church sanctuary without lights turned on – making it more mysterious. We visited the Holy Water Font and learned its purpose, how to make the sign of the cross, why, and its power. We learned about genuflection, and why and where, how to raise and lower the kneelers in silence, what’s a tabernacle and who’s inside, and for what purpose, why bow at the altar, why is it important that each person sing, how to hold your hands and walk up to receive Holy Communion – and why? And how to return to your seat, and why?
Over the three days they learned about the rosary and St. Dominic and the Blessed Mother, the powerful intercessor St. Anthony, the difference between a plain cross and a crucifix and which oozes Catholicity. Each child received a backpack with holy water, a rosary and instructions how to pray it, a dog tag with a crucifix on it, a St. Anthony medal that had been pressed against his tomb in Padua, Italy, and learned that while a soldier’s Meal Ready to Eat Is food rehydrated with water, a Catholic’s Meal Ready to Eat is the Eucharist – our Lord’s body, blood, soul and divinity!
There were crazy obstacle courses at Catholic Boot Camp, where you stopped at certain stations to recite one of the prayers and sucked up water in a power shooter, dropping to your stomach to fire at images of the devil. Water balloon hand grenades were tossed and parachuting toy soldiers with halos were sent sailing from atop a ladder onto a target. The last night, two teams behind their own fortress wall fired tennis balls at each other, trying to blast signs that read “SIN.” Each young person before firing back had to yell from the signs posted on the inside of the wall identifying the kinds of things that help us defeat sin: the rosary, prayer, the Eucharist, reconciliation, and many others.
We ended Friday night with a Quiz Bowl, where kids rang in on real buzzers. Every question asked reflected something learned that week. The prize? Candy of course!
Grateful thanks to Dustin and Angel Clare for being extra sets of hands and eyes, and for Dustin’s leading of the Catholic Cadence! To Sophia Green, for teaching the kids about St. Dominic and the Blessed Mother and the rosary. Daniel Buckbee held a tall ladder and stabilized chairs to keep games safe! Tori Buckbee channeled all her MOM POWER – and made short shrift of a table full of daunting chocolate cupcake crumbs! Soooo grateful! Jackie Welles pitched in with some welcome catechesis!
Great thanks to Dalton Negro, Austin Kellogg, Amelia Miszak and Caleb Clare – who volunteered to serve as “counselors” and help run things as well as participate. The younger people caught your enthusiasm and joy – a priceless grace!
Greatest thanks go to Gaylord Diocese Seminarian Mark Steck, whose summer assignment is to travel around to different churches and experience/help with VBS. Ours was his first! Mark was a great blessing! He did everything he was asked to do, and a born self-starter – stepped in when he saw help was needed without being asked. He entered into the whole experience with exuberance and leadership!
We even had a Cadence verse written specifically for him: “The Church needs priests to offer all! Seminarian Mark Steck hears the call! Studying hard to do God’s will! He loves his Lord – and he’ll climb that hill!”
Mark got a kick out of that!
If you spot a young person – ask them what they learned that they did not know before.
They have answers!
- Marilyn Trumper-Samra, Coordinator of Youth Ministry