The quintessential caneoing trip.

Celebrating our “One Life” as a gift received from God was the theme of several ECYD camps for French-speaking and English-speaking girls this summer in Eastern Canada.

Quebec

Le Petit Bonheur, a campsite located in Quebec, Canada, hosted girls ages 10-16 at their annual Camp Alizé from July 10-16, 2011.

Waking up in the morning to the song “Chacaron Macaron,” the girls danced their way out of bed to start their day of fun, friends and faith formation.  With an atmosphere of joy centered on Christ, the camping day was filled with activities including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, practicing archery, and wall climbing.  The girls also participated in daily prayer and Mass.

Montreal

Beginning July 18, 2011 St. Stanislas Parish in Montreal hosted a week-long day camp for children aged 5-10. 

The participants’ day began with 4 ECYD Missionaries presenting a skit on a certain virtue, and continued with arts and crafts, games

	Campers experience an atmosphere of joy centered on Christ.

and two cultural visits to an “insectarium” and the house where St Marguerite Bourgeois lived with her students and nuns.

Highlights for the children included serving at the daily Mass in the afternoon. Every camper participated in some way, as an altar server, a reader, or in the presentation of the gifts during the offertory.

“God’s precious angels surrounded his table in their little white robes serving and adoring Him as He offered Himself for them,” said Veronica Canales, a Regnum Christi consecrated woman who helped with the camps.

On July 25-38, 2011, girls aged 10-15 participated in another French-speaking day-camp, based at Sainte Collette Parish in Montreal Nord.  They also shared the theme “One Life.” These girls had conferences, made crafts, visited Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament daily, played games, and enjoyed the activities the ECYD Missionaries prepared for them.  On one of the days, campers focused on “friendship” and made friendship bracelets and discussed the qualities they want in a friend. Through the discussion, they found Jesus is the perfect friend.

Ontario

An English-speaking camp Alize took place in Lanark, Ontario

	Being among like-minded peers, forming deep and lasting friendships.

during the week of July 31 through August 5, 2011.  This camp followed the same theme, with similar activities and dynamics as the French camp. Activities included scavenger hunts and a “live Clue game” to find out which “vice” killed “happiness.”  The girls enjoyed investigating each “suspect” and avoiding getting caught by the “police” to solve the mystery.

On the last night after the bonfire, the girls shared their experiences. Many, having come to the camp for the first time, particularly enjoyed the fun and faith-filled atmosphere and the fruits of being among like-minded peers, forming deep and lasting friendships.