Seven young men participated in the first vocation camp specifically for Latino youth hosted by the diocese in mid-July.
“I’ve been impressed with the young men that we have here,” said Father Doug Liebsch, director of vocations for the Diocese of St. Cloud. “It’s been really cool just to get to know them and I’d say there is a decent level of openness in this crew just to follow Jesus wherever he leads, which is pretty cool, too.”
The camp was held July 15 and 16 at the Jon Rutten place on Lake Osakis. Father Liebsch and Deacon Mario Mancilla, diocesan Latino ministries manager, along with seminarians from the diocese gathered with the young men for two days packed with games and activities like swimming, soccer and volleyball. The event also included Mass, confession and Eucharistic adoration. There was even time for a question panel with the seminarians.
Father Liebsch said the success of an Andrew Dinner — an event aimed at helping young men discern whether they have been called to the priesthood — held for Latino youth last November inspired him to pursue hosting a vocation camp for them this summer.
“I was really surprised at how much some of the Latino men were in a space to open up,” he said. “I saw them more alive there than when they were a minority at other events.”
As he witnessed the young men there being more comfortable and open to sharing, Father Liebsch thought hosting a Latino vocation camp just made sense.
“It kind of spoke to the need to have a Latino camp, not necessarily for the language because they do speak English, but for the culture,” he said. “In vocations, we’re really called to hear the voice of God and when we’re around those that are familiar to us, it just brings greater openness and a greater ability to ask questions.”
Deacon Mancilla said there are several reasons he thinks that a separate camp for Latino youth is a good idea. The culture is number one, but lack of self-confidence in socializing with other cultures plays a part, too.
“I think the camp was very positive because even though there were only seven youths, they had fun, they played together and they prayed together,” he said.
Collin Prom, a seminarian from Upsala, helped with this camp as well as the larger one held in June.
“One of the gifts [of the smaller size] has been that there’s a sort of closeness and an ability to be with each one of the guys,” Prom said. “Having Deacon Mario here has also been a huge gift. He brought five of the guys, so he knows them really well and is able to engage with them in a special way and kind of draw them out.”
Anderson Alvizurez, 20, is discerning a possible vocation and was invited to attend the camp by Deacon Lorenzo Sánchez Rodríguez, who serves at St. Mary in Morris, Alvizurez’s home parish.
“It’s been really good to spend time with the priest and with the seminarians, to get to know them a little bit better, to know their vocation stories,” he said. “It’s also been an amazing experience spending time with the guys and having Mass with them and holy hour.”
Deacon Mancilla said he was impressed by Father Liebsch and his willingness to encourage the youth so that they would feel confident in participating.
“The presence of the seminarians also was a very important foundation for the youth who experienced this camp,” he said. “I think that the seminarians’ testimony of how God call them to begin the path to the priesthood had a big impact to the youth.”
Fourteen-year-old Vinnie Rojas was one of the five that came with Deacon Mancilla from Pelican Rapids. He said he attended to grow closer to God.
“It was really fun,” he said. “There are so many activities to do, and the praying is fun.”
Father Liebsch is optimistic that this first Latino Vocation Camp was a success.
“Time will tell,” he said. “The desire was to have a camp to bring Latinos together with each other just to create that openness in their hearts to hopefully hear the voice of God.”
Pictured above: Anderson Alvizurez blocks Father Doug Liebsch as seminarians Paul Guertin and Zach Klimek come up behind during a soccer game. (Dianne Towalski / The Central Minnesota Catholic)
