WelCom March 2018: A group of around 250 campers, chaperones and staff gathered at Forest Lakes, Ōtaki, from 16–20 January 2018 for the fourth annual Life Teen Summer Camp Aotearoa. Parish groups travelled from the Archdiocese of Wellington and Diocese of Palmerston North, and others came from Hamilton and Christchurch.
‘I LOVED camp. I’ll definitely come next year. It had a very big impact on my faith journey and made me realise God is the most important thing.’
Life Teen Summer Camp January 2018. Photo: Supplied/Life Teen
The week’s theme was ‘Heart of God’, featured in sessions, Mass and times of prayer.
Dom Quaglia, a Catholic speaker based in Nashville, USA, and his wife Sarah Kroger, a musician, led the week together with 50 young-adult staff from around New Zealand. Priests and sisters visited during the week.
Cardinal John Dew celebrated the opening Mass and Bishop Charles Drennan the closing Mass. Highlights were ‘Messy Games’, an outdoor Mass after hiking to the other side of the lake, the vocations panel, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Dom’s inspirational speaking and Sarah’s music leadership.
‘Opened my heart to God which was previously completely closed off.’