It’s a summer of innovation as camps and gatherings go virtual

It turns out pandemic restrictions couldn’t crush dreams of going to summer camp.This summer, 20 young altar servers from Corpus Christi Parish in Vancouver participated in a full week of activities, from Mass and movies, to scavenger hunts and stories of saints, all from their homes.“It was really, really positive,” said organizer Deacon Richard Conlin. He teamed up with a few seminarians and others to host the weeklong virtual camp using at least half a dozen online tools including Zoom, Google Classroom, Discord, and Kahoot.The virtual camp included Mass with a dedicated “altar server cam” as well as pre-recorded and live presentations from priests including Father John Horgan and Father Peter Nygren, OSB. There were breaks for lunch, competitive online games, and even a movie night.“You are called to be saints,” Father Nygren told the boys in a Zoom call. “A saint is not just something you are aiming for when you die. You are given the grace and all the power and all the relationships you need now to be a saint.”The altar servers, who had not served Mass since March, were offered camp T-shirts, bagged lunches, rosaries, and a whole week of interacting with friends they had not seen in months.“The boys had a nice opportunity to connect with their friends again and their parish community that they felt so distant from,” said Deacon Conlin.Divided into two teams, they could also participate in challenges to earn points for their team. Dumping a bucket of ice water on your head, for example, was worth seven points.Before launching the camp, organizers sought out feedback from 10 parents about activities and online platforms their children were comfortable navigating.“Online virtual camps are doable. That’s one clear result,” said Deacon Conlin. “We’re hoping to do more things like this in the future.”Deacon Conlin and other young men who organized the altar servers camp take part in a video call.Other virtual innovations that sprung up this summer included as many as 1,500 young members of CFC-Youth from Canada and the United States tuning into a two-day online conference with worship music, workshops, activities, and speakers.Meanwhile, members of the Focolare movement estimate as many as 800 people from Western Canada and U.S. participated in their annual Mariapolis conference held online for the first time. Organizer Jo-Ellen Karstens said the program focused on spiritual reflections from Focolare foundress Chiara Lubich and others about bringing more love and unity into the world. Much of the program was hosted by young people. “Two of the youth, one from Los Angeles and the other from Mexicali, Mexico, host a podcast that demonstrates their enthusiasm and strong commitment to live their faith in very concrete ways, and build unity across borders,” Karstens said.“We were also extremely blessed to have our two international performing arts groups perform live each day from Italy. Even though they are quarantined, they are using the internet to spread a message of peace and love through their music and songs, giving hope to everyone.”Focolare also hosted a virtual kids’ camp for three days in July that saw nearly 200 children from Canada and the U.S. play games, dance, sing, and share personal testimonies online.Young Focolare members from B.C. also connected with Mildred Moy, the founder of Catholic Street Missionaries, over a video call to learn about the needs of the homeless in Vancouver. That online event inspired them to collect and donate 546 pairs of socks to her ministry.Mildred Moy, foundress of Catholic Street Missionaries, with a car full of donated socks.In the Lower Mainland, more than 50 students in Grade 7 and 8 participated in a summer retreat called ARISE! in place of the annual summer camp Searching in the Spirit.That event, usually held at Camp Jubilee, is designed to strengthen the faith of young people who have recently participated in the sacrament of confirmation. This year, with bans on gatherings and uncertainty about when or if confirmations could go ahead, the virtual retreat focused more broadly on who God is and how to have a relationship with him.“There was a lot of excitement,” said Erwin Fung, a coordinator for the archdiocese’s ministries and outreach office. “A lot of them said ‘I had no idea.’ They knew of the Trinity, but they didn’t know the unique aspects of it. They hadn’t necessarily thought of Jesus as a brother or a friend. They hadn’t really considered God as a Father.” For two days, the young people viewed presentations, testimonies, and skits, and participated in small group discussions online.“For them, it was enlightening,” said Fung.Online innovations were not limited to events for young people. For example, Man’s Destiny, a local men’s retreat, had 125 men sign up for online talks, prayer, adoration, a presentation by guest Keith Nester and a live Q&A for two days in July.During the retreat, participants were invited to go to confession in person at St. Matthew’s in Surrey.This fall, the archdiocese’s second annual Upper Room conference will also move online with speakers and workshops on evangelism, prayer, and deepening one’s relationship with God. Last year, more than 1,000 Catholics gathered at the Vancouver Convention Centre for the inaugural conference. This year, participants will be invited to tune in online Sept. 19.Did you participate in any creative virtual events this summer? 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