A Reflection on St. Eugene’s Camp 2026

St. Eugene’s Camp is amazing. I’ve had the privilege of being a counselor for the past 2 years, and I am in awe of the program. St. Eugene’s is a week of spiritual tranquility masquerading as a volunteer opportunity. I ended the week physically tired but emotionally and mentally refreshed and spiritually energized. To be fair, I had the oldest boys, which requires much less wrangling than other age groups. But having spoken with the counselors of other age groups, including the youngest boys, all of them are excited to come back next year.

To say that the campers enjoyed the camp would be an understatement. Throughout the week I saw a lot of tired kids but lots of joy and very few tears – a testament to how fun this program is and how compassionate the volunteers are. This is a week in the mountains, with no digital devices, new food, long days, and sometimes no friends from home. And yet every kid is sad when it’s time to leave. These kids are engaging with their peers, meeting priests, and even talking with their bishop. They’re praying every day, both with the camp as a whole and with their cabin mates before bed. Every day they’re learning about the Lord and about what it…