{"id":25237,"date":"2025-09-23T16:30:49","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T23:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/?p=25237"},"modified":"2025-09-23T19:09:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T02:09:13","slug":"finding-faith-fun-and-friendship-st-francis-youth-camp-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/2025\/09\/23\/finding-faith-fun-and-friendship-st-francis-youth-camp-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Faith, Fun, and Friendship: St. Francis Youth Camp 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jolean Matsumoto, Camp Chaperone<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Aptos, California)<\/strong> – This summer, St. Francis Youth Camp proved to be more than just a getaway\u2014it was a journey filled with faith, connection, joy, and discovery. Nestled in a beautiful, peaceful natural setting, the camp was the perfect backdrop for a truly unforgettable experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the moment we arrived, the energy was warm and welcoming. The site itself was stunning, with cabins that offered comfort and a sense of community. Nature surrounded us, providing the perfect balance of peace and inspiration throughout the week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As first-time chaperones, we were blessed with the unique opportunity to step back and witness something truly special: campers laughing, learning, and growing. Whether they were engaging in team activities, non-team activities, or singing at Mass, it was powerful to see how much they were gaining from the experience\u2014not just in fun, but also in faith and personal growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The counselor and co-counselor created a supportive, joyful atmosphere where every camper felt seen and valued. Their dedication and warmth made a lasting impression on everyone. Campers weren\u2019t just supervised\u2014they were encouraged, uplifted, and challenged to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to the great leadership of the camp team, each day was thoughtfully planned with a variety of fun and meaningful activities. From creative group games to reflective small group discussions, there was always something engaging for everyone. A highlight of the week was our beach outing, where we enjoyed sun, waves, and plenty of laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evenings were filled with more than just campfires and marshmallows. It was filled with themed activities for the campers. On the last night of the camp, the campers put on a talent show, which served as a true testament to the creativity, courage, and community spirit of our campers. From skits and music to dance and comedy, it was an uplifting celebration of the unique gifts God has given each person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We owe a special thank you to Brother Regan for organizing all the activities for the campers. His thoughtfulness, creativity, and tireless coordination not only made the schedule run smoothly but also made every day full of joy, purpose, and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A huge thank-you also goes to Loc, who served as the general assistant throughout the camp. Whether it was logistics, last-minute needs, or just being there to support wherever necessary, Loc\u2019s leadership and willingness to help made a big difference in keeping everything on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were nourished not just spiritually, but also physically\u2014thanks to the wonderful kitchen crews, whose delicious meals brought comfort and joy to every mealtime. Their hard work, long hours, and love poured into every dish didn\u2019t go unnoticed. From warm breakfasts to delicious snacks and hearty dinners, they kept us fueled and happy every single day. Thank you for your incredible service!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The theme of the camp tied everything together beautifully, offering spiritual guidance that was both educational and impactful, and age-appropriate. The Masses celebrated by Father Mario, Father Chinh, Father Vinh, Father Joseph, and Father John, accompanied by heartfelt messages, were the spiritual heart of the camp. Their words of wisdom, encouragement, and faith were deeply moving and reminded us of the purpose behind everything we do. Special thanks again to Brother Regan and Brother Quang, whose presence, service, and joyful witness added richness to the experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re also incredibly grateful to Nurse Sheila and her husband, Louis, for being present and ready to care for the campers whenever someone felt unwell or got a little too adventurous. Their calm and compassionate care gave us all peace of mind throughout the week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In all, St. Francis Youth Camp was more than a summer event\u2014it was a place where campers formed lifelong memories, deepened their faith, built new friendships, and experienced God\u2019s peace in the beauty of nature. Whether you came looking for fun, community, or spiritual renewal, you left with a bit of everything\u2014and a heart full of gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you to Father Joseph, Father Jhoni, Brother Regan, Brother Quang, Nurse Sheila, Louis, Loc, and the entire kitchen crew for your leadership, service, and love. Because of you, this camp continues to be a place of transformation and grace for our youth.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jolean Matsumoto, Camp Chaperone (Aptos, California) – This summer, St. Francis Youth Camp proved to be more than just a getaway\u2014it was a journey filled with faith, connection, joy, and discovery. Nestled in a beautiful, peaceful natural setting, the camp was the perfect backdrop for a truly unforgettable experience. From the moment we arrived, the energy was warm and welcoming. The site itself was … Continuar leyendo Faith, Fun, and Friendship: St. Francis Youth Camp 2025<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":10336596,"featured_media":25239,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20310044,768720529],"tags":[35890],"class_list":["post-25237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-province-news","category-salesian-clubs-youth-centers","tag-featured"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/salesianbulletin.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/img_9102-e1758679728825.jpeg?fit=1600%2C900&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p59ePG-6z3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10336596"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25237"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25237\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25303,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25237\/revisions\/25303"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}