Veronica Skuban and fellow campers process in during the opening ceremonies for the Festival of Maidens.

October 31, 2011. Captivenia, which means “captivating grace,” was inspired by another Catholic medieval camp named Arcātheos (formerly known as Camp Rivendell). The boys’ camp had been running for eight years in Turner Valley, Alberta, under the leadership of Dr. Brian Doran. This apostolate inspired many, and served as a place for boys and their fathers to grow in virtue in a rustic Catholic setting. Continuously, Arcātheos grew in numbers and people imploring for a similar opportunity for their daughters.

In the Spring of 2011, Valerie Doran (wife of Brian) gathered 20 women who came together to make this dream a reality: to design an adventure camp for girls. Their goal was to develop this with an element of mystery that would touch the core of their feminine being: the need to know they are beautiful for who they are, and that they are loved. Captivenia therefore became the

	Campers enjoy a special dinner night during the camp.

sister camp to Arcātheos. Mothers were invited to attend, as an extension of the back-up team which helped create an unforgettable experience for their daughters. In their inaugural year, there were 100 girls and 26 Mothers who attended.

Upon arrival, the Maidens (ages 9-12) and Bellesera (leadership ages 13-16) discovered they were entering a mysterious kingdom, and were to take part in the Festival of Maidens. They were thrilled and honored to be invited to such an occasion! The days were filled with activities and theatrics, including: archery, horse-back riding, water-balloon ballistae, storytelling, the Royal Spa, crafting leather-work, and much more! Through the adventure the participants explored the richness of the Catholic faith, and were led deeper in their understanding of God’s love for them.

The team was grateful to see the Bellesera (counselors) grow in their leadership by helping the Maidens during the week. They also saw hope kindled in the hearts of the girls as they entered into the storyline with Christ, encountering and defeating the evil that plagued the forest. In the end they experienced the tremendous generosity and

	Horsebackriding at a nearby ranch was a tremendous success.

security afforded by the King through the beautiful medieval banquet.

One Bellesera shared, “It was an amazing experience - it’s literally indescribable!! We learned about Christ and once the week was over we didn’t want to leave the boundaries of our week-long home. We gained life-long friends and had life-changing experiences. I can’t wait till next year!”

Please visit the official website at www.captivenia.com for more details.