Animating Summer Camps as a Salesian Family

By Judy Alvarez, Salesian Cooperator

(Los Angeles, California)

“He [Don Bosco] was always aware of the need for cooperative charity in educational and pastoral service, convinced that the Holy Spirit raises up charisms for the benefit of the whole Church.” – Salesian Family Charter

Numerous Salesian camps took place this summer in the Province of St. Andrew the Apostle in the Western United States. These experiences of Salesian oratory gathered young campers and youth leaders throughout the province. Retreat centers offered week-long residential camp experiences; youth centers provided full-day programming, including field trips; parishes initiated summer camp sessions; and even schools provided enrichment opportunities beyond the classroom.

Salesian educators lead these opportunities for summer joy and friendship, made possible by many members of the Salesian family. They are often in the background, sometimes unseen, and given our family spirit, they are deeply needed to fulfill our Salesian mission with youth.

The following gallery of images offers a glimpse of some of these contributors (hint: look for the adult and young adult leaders). There are Salesian religious (SDB, FMA, and those in formation), Salesian Cooperators, ADMA members, Past Pupils of Salesian schools, lay collaborators, and benefactors. All of them helped to build the Salesian oratories this summer, where young people delighted in having a home, school, church, and playground where they continued to grow and flourish with the family of Don Bosco.

Camp St Francis, Aptos, California