Youth camp makes an impact on faith, community

By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger

DAVENPORT — About 70 youths ages 11-17 prayed together, listened to speakers, discussed vocations and participated in service projects during the recent St. Philomena Academy youth camp at Holy Family Parish. St. Philomena, a 13-year-old martyr who lived in the 3rd century, became known as “the wonder worker” because of the many healings and miracles attributed to her intercession.

Camp speakers included Sarah Jansen, outreach coordinator for Women’s Choice Center in Bettendorf; Father Andrew Rauenbuehler, parochial administrator for St. Mary Parish in Iowa City; Sister Anthony Worrell of the Franciscan Sisters of Christ the Divine Teacher in Davenport; and Nahid Khalili of Arizona.

Jansen, who speaks at Quad-City-area schools about purity-related topics, also spoke about Mary’s virtues. Father Rauenbuehler and Sister Worrell spoke on Theology of the Body and making real world choices. Khalili shared the story of her connection to St. Philomena. During a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, she met the late Karen Dugan of Our Lady of the River Parish in LeClaire. The two shared their stories of devotion to St. Philomena.

Dugan later shared Kalili’s information with Father Nicholas Akindele, pastor of Holy Family and St. Alphonsus parishes in Davenport and he invited her to speak at the first St. Philomena Academy in 2023. She was unavailable but offered to speak the following year. This past spring, she gave a talk over Zoom to students at Assumption High School in Davenport. Father Akindele contacted Khalili and reminded her of the offer to speak this year at the youth camp. She accepted. A convert from the Muslim faith, she talked about her strong devotion to St. Philomena and St. Joseph.

Service projects and art and craft projects kept the youths engaged. Cyndi Jarvis led a St. Joseph workshop on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Students took turns painting on two canvases, one bearing a sketch of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the other a sketch of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Each participant also painted or colored a Sacred Heart of Jesus image.

“Small actions make a big impact,” said Catherine Hamling, the youth camp’s executive director. Making relatively simple items to benefit others occurred through service projects. The youths worked on felt “stuffies” to give to people at the Women’s Choice Center and area shelters as a small token of love.

Youths packaged “mama bear bags” with items such as lotion, a note pad and pen, socks, lip balm, snacks and tea for Women’s Choice Center clients and made fleece tie blankets to donate to King’s Harvest in Davenport. The participants attended Mass and had the opportunity to  receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Eight priests were available to hear the youths’ confessions. At noon and 6 p.m. each day, the youths paused to recite the Angelus.

As the weekend closed, each participant received a religious medal and then enjoyed a ping-pong tournament with priests joining in on the fun.

Joseph Santiago of the Chicago suburb of Mount Prospect, Illinois, was among the participants. He said his family learned about the St. Philomena camp during a Walk for Mary event in Wisconsin. Quad-City area Catholics were at that event and distributed cards about the youth camp.

 “This was a lot of fun — except for the sleeping,” Joseph said.  At first, he wasn’t sure he would like the camp, especially not knowing anyone. By the end, he said he didn’t want to leave. “I’m having too much fun. I’ll definitely be here next year.”

Henry Hamlin of St. John Vianney Parish in Bettendorf came to learn more about his faith. Last year he was not old enough to attend, but helped his mom. “This year I was fully involved in everything.”

Layton Ezugha of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bettendorf didn’t know anyone when she arrived for the camp. “But I made 15 new friends,” she said. “It was a really neat experience and I had a lot of fun.”