Like most parents, one of my greatest desires is to get my kids to heaven. I don’t mean trying to figure out the absolute bare minimum it takes to sneak past those pearly gates; I mean, I desire them to live a full life, one steeped in the richness of the Catholic faith. One where they know and love Jesus in a deep and personal way through the graces of the sacraments. A life where they spent so much time talking to him in prayer that he sees them on judgment day, wraps his arms around them, and says, “Welcome home, dear friend.”
While this ideal is certainly worth striving for, it’s not going well. I get typical teenage eye rolls when I holler, “Grab your rosary!” or, “Get in the van, we’re heading to confession quick!”
With nine kids, age 16 down to three months, even Sunday Mass is a rodeo; my patience flew out the window five kids ago. To combat my chaotic attempts at raising my kids in the faith, I occasionally call in backup.
As kids grow, they shift their focus from their family being their circle of influence to their peers and friends becoming so. Instead of begrudging this phenomenon, I decided to leverage it. So, this summer, I sent my two middle schoolers to Extreme Faith Camp with Illuminate Youth Ministry in St. Cloud.
They spent the week doing the normal, awesome camp things like swimming, kayaking, laser tag, ziplining, rock climbing, etc. The list could go on and on! My already active kiddos had a blast.
But the secret sauce to Extreme Faith Camp is the Catholic immersion. Daily Mass, praise and worship, small group discussions, faith talks, confession, and Eucharistic Adoration rounded out their busy schedules.
My 13-year-old daughter said that the personal Benediction was one of the highlights of her week. (The priest carried the monstrance from student to student, who were kneeling in reverence, and made the Sign of the Cross over them.) She said she felt Jesus in a way she had never felt before.
Although I wasn’t there, I can imagine the impact of not only experiencing Jesus’ love in a new way, but also seeing your friends kneeling by your side and watching as they experience an emotional wave of love from our Eucharistic Lord.
My 15-year-old son was more influenced by the Eucharistic procession around the campground. He also had story after story about his cabin buddies and their shenanigans. The memories he made with that group of kids will stay with him long after he waves goodbye to the teenage years.
This was the first year that it was offered in our diocese. And I am so grateful that they did. Middle school is an influential time in a young teen’s life. What a blessing to be proactive and allow others to help me in my effort to get them to heaven!
Leah Brix and her husband Adam live on a farm near Albany. She is the mother of 9 young children and author of the children’s book, “St. Joseph’s Hammer.” Leah co-founded Catholic Country Chronicles Ministry, which aims to use storytelling to evangelize in a way that is accessible and meaningful for everyday people. You can find her blog and podcast at catholiccountrychronicles.com.