WelCom March 2023
Life Teen Summer Camp 2023
Kaisa Beech
Around 50 teenagers from Wellington joined other teenagers from around New Zealand at the 2023 five-day Life Teen Summer camp held at St Peter’s School in Cambridge in January. The camp was held for the first time since 2020.
The Wellington contingent included LifeTeen parish groups from Wellington South, Te Awakairangi, St Joseph’s Levin and Our Lady of Kāpiti. Fifteen Summer Missionaries from Wellington accompanying the teenagers, coordinated activities and they supported parishes in the lead up to and throughout the camp.
At camp, activities included faith-based formation sessions, the Sacraments, daily Mass with reconciliation, Adoration, and fun events that included nights of worship, dance parties, messy games and other team building activities.
Archdiocese of Wellington Young Church coordinator, Louise Lloyd, chaperoned the LifeTeen Wellington group. The highlight she said, was watching her group members come out of their shells throughout the camp. ‘It was amazing to see them supporting each other in their faith, going to reconciliation, journeying together and bringing our parish group together. When they returned home they created group chats and set up beach catch ups and bible study groups.’
Louise said there was great value in the camp activities and flow-on events starting up again after Covid had paused so many events. ‘One teenager from my group was so enlivened by the experience she wants to start her own small group with her friends and run some of Youth Group nights.’
Young Catholic Leaders Camp
The Archdiocese of Wellington Young Catholic Leaders’ Camp was held at Forests Lakes camp near Levin last December. Eighty student leaders from Catholic colleges from across the archdiocese attended. The archdiocese’s Church Mission team led the camp with sessions about leadership and activities to practice the skills learnt. ‘It was cool to see the students mingling with other schools, and bonds between students from their own school growing throughout the camp,’ said Louise Lloyd Young Church coordinator. ‘I’m excited to see what the students achieve in the new year.’