From January 13^th to 18^th, I had the privilege of travelling with 43 high school students from our diocese to Mapleton in the Sunshine Coast hinterland for Ignite Summer Camp. As our group had a long drive to get to the campsite, we decided to travel down by bus a day early and spend an extra night at the campsite as a Diocesan group. This gave us a great opportunity to get to know each other as a group first and start the camp rested and refreshed the next morning before being joined by almost 200 other young people.

After a year of cancelled events and isolation, it was such a blessing for our young people to be able to travel to an event like this and to meet heaps of new friends. There were plenty of opportunities for fun and friendship, with live music, large outdoor activities, swimming, art and drama. All the young people were also put in a small group with other people their own age and gender. These small groups met throughout the camp and provided a place to share and discuss with other Catholics their age. 

One of the great things about the camp is that all the young people hand in their phones on the first day and have them returned to them at the end. With so much going on, the young people don’t have time to miss their phones, and many of them expressed that it was enjoyable and freeing to be without their phones for a few days. Nevertheless, it was still a joyful reunion when the phones were finally returned. 

There were opportunities to encounter God throughout the camp, including Mass, adoration, worship music, reconciliation, inspiring speakers, and the opportunity to be prayed with by some of the leaders. While some of these experiences were new for many of our group, they entered into these spiritual moments with openness and positivity. Some students from our group who had never been to adoration before commented that it was the highlight of the whole event for them.

It was a joyful and close-knit group that travelled home in the buses, with many young people already talking about wanting to return in 2022. Thanks must go to all the parents who supported their children in attending the camp. Also, the trip would not have been possible without the efforts of our volunteer leaders and bus drivers and the generosity of The Cathedral College and Chanel College for allowing us to use their buses.

If you’re interested in knowing about youth events that are happening in our Diocese, get in touch with me at youth@rok.catholic.net.au

Michael Otto