Revived Camp Abbey builds on decades of tradition

   
    Anyone who has the pleasure of stepping into the enchanted backwoods of Camp Abbey will know from the chant that “Camp Abbey loves God.”
    Parents will see from the joy of the campers that they, too, love God – and, of course, their favorite summer camp.
    After Hurricane Katrina forced its closing in 2006, Camp Abbey – resting at the northern end of the property owned by the Benedictine monks of St. Joseph Abbey – was reopened and rededicated on Nov. 30, 2011, by Archbishop Gregory Aymond.
    The 25 acres – complete with a swimming pool, chapel and private lake –  became a home away from home for campers and counselors alike during June (for boys) and July (for girls).
    “We’re building a place where we want kids to come and feel like they’re home,” said Chris Gross, camp director for the boys’ camp and a seminarian at Notre Dame Seminary. “For a lot of our kids, we don’t know what kind of family environments they come from. So, if every summer camp is a safe, positive and faithful place, the kids can at least have that to look forward to.”
Drawing from near and far
    Camp Abbey is not just home to students from the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Campers came from far and wide this summer – even France and South America – to experience the community nestled in the piney woods by the Bogue Falaya River.
    “We looked up cool camps, and this was by far the coolest,” said Colin Whiteford, who lives in North Carolina.
    Boys’ Camp in June and Girls’ Camp in July was open to students who have completed the second grade up to eighth grade. However, opportunities to participate at Camp Abbey do not end at eighth grade. High school students who have completed at least their freshman year of high school are eligible to apply for junior counselor (JC) staff positions, and graduating high school seniors and older may apply for senior counselor (SC) positions.
    While the focus is always on the campers and their experience, Gross said, the counselors also are learning valuable lessons from their time spent working at Camp Abbey.
    “We have our JCs, and we’re teaching them how to be better men and more responsible,” Gross said.  “And we have our SCs, and we’re teaching them how to be better men, better fathers one day, better husbands and brothers. We’re all here for our campers, but the JCs and SCs are here learning valuable skills that they can take with them to future jobs and college.”
    Each applicant is individually interviewed to ensure they will be a responsible counselor and one who will make a positive impact on the campers’ faith lives.
    “The camp in its essence is a simple place,” explained summer program coordinator Billy O’Regan. “What makes camp special is the relationships the campers form with their counselors. The high return rate that we see is all about the mentors they’ve met.”
    “I really like the brotherhood of camp,” explained past camper and current senior counselor Nick Cobb. “As a counselor, you’re not the camper’s parent and you’re not their friend. It’s more that you’re their older brother, and they look up to you and respect you.”
    Between hiking to St. Joseph’s for a tour of the abbey, the famous treat of “Snickers on a Stick,” and arts and crafts, there is never a dull moment at Camp Abbey.
Meeting God, making friends
    “My favorite part is all the nice people, and while we’re here, we learn about following God’s path,” 10-year-old Katherine Lorusso said.
    O’Regan explained that the basic structure of boys’ and girls’ camp isn’t different, but the camp atmosphere is unique to each group. The girls’ camp is always filled with chanting and singing, while the boys never seem to want to leave the field.
    “And both skit nights are just hilarious,” O’Regan said. “The boys’ skits are all things that little boys think are hilarious, if you can imagine.”
    Skit night is one of the traditions that the new Camp Abbey has kept from the former camp, along with many of the chants, hikes and activities.
    “We’re trying to save traditions that we had at the old camp but also recognize that this is a new camp,” Gross said. Focusing on and developing faith is emphasized more than ever at Camp Abbey.
    Adoration is held in the camp field, each cabin attends a Mass during the week and life lessons are taught on the soccer field through one-on-one interactions between campers and counselors.
    “Getting to come to camp is great because (the campers) get to work on their relationship with God independently,” explained senior counselor Maddie LaForge. “They really get the chance to own their faith, make it their own. And they get to do that in the beauty of God’s creation, surrounded by faith-filled peers and counselors who are young, strong women of faith. As a counselor, setting an example of a Christian woman is such a wonderful responsibility.”
    “The archbishop has a vision that he wants for the Catholic youth in this archdiocese,” Gross said. “We, as a camp, are trying to increase our Catholic identity.”
    For details on Camp Abbey, visit www.campabbey.org. The 2014 camp information will be posted at a future date.
    Lindsey Frechou can be reached at [email protected].