By Father Kenneth Borowiak
for the Register
Located a half mile south of McCool Junction in southern York County, Camp Kateri Tekakwitha provides an idyllic setting in which young people can experience the splendor of God’s nature and creation, in the context of fun and exploration.
The brainchild of four couples who met at the Newman Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln 50 years ago continues to mature into a multifaceted setting in which young people can experience and live their Catholic faith in an outdoor setting. In 1998, the Diocese of Lincoln purchased a farm with the goal of having a permanent location for Sky Camps and having a place where further outdoor Catholic camps could be developed that allow children to experience pursuits such as archery, gaga ball, obstacle courses, water fights and a variety of other activities that allow various aspects of competition, adventure, faith and outdoor skills.
New planned activities for 2025 include high school camps, two 150-foot zip lines, slip-and-slide kickball, a new challenge course, rosary-making and many other events. The camp also has an outdoor altar in “Holy Spirit Hollow” for Masses, as well as a bonfire pit.
The concept of a three-day summer camp began in 1987 when Mike and Chere Kane, Craig and Marge Buescher, John and Pat Miller and John and Debi Crotty were inspired to organize a Catholic summer camp (SKY Camp – Summer Kamp for Youth) in an empty school building near St. Stephen Church south of Lawrence.
“We wanted to share the love of Jesus in the teachings of His Church,” said Chere Kane, one of the camp cofounders. “The goal was to give young people an experience of camping in a fun, outdoor, camp setting, within a Catholic context,” she said.
Two years later, the camp moved to Manna Resort, a rented campground near Deweese, and then eventually to its present site.
Located on a short 80 acres, Camp Kateri used to be a tree farm. The former farm has a barn with a hay loft large enough to play basketball in. In addition, there is a 1920s bungalow house on the property, an old corn crib, a Quonset and several other buildings. Since 2001, the camp added cabins and a concrete washhouse. The west fork of the Big Blue River runs through the west end of the camp.
Volunteers from across southern Nebraska came – and still come every summer – to prepare meals, facilitate daily activities and help campers get acclimated to the setting.
The beginning and central focus of Camp Kateri is its Catholic and spiritual identity.
“Jesus does not desire a life of monotony, noise and sadness like we are so often presented with in the world today,” said Jacob Brouillette, the new program director for Camp Kateri. “He provides us a life full of joy, freedom and adventure!
“The camp’s activities and teachings reflect how the Lord made all things good and beautiful, and He made all things simply for us to admire and to realize His pursuit for us in the beauty of creation,” he added.
Father Harlan Waskowiak is the spiritual advisor and executive director of Camp Kateri. He also serves as the pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Geneva and St. Mary Parish in Shickley.
“In a world in which the average young person spends hours every day in the digital world, students find that they can easily live without screen time,” he said.
Father Waskowiak pointed out that being Camp Kateri, centrally located in the state, allows young people to meet other students from across Nebraska.
“Here, young people meet others from across Nebraska,” he said. “It allows them to broaden their horizons and perspective especially in their Catholic faith. Camp Kateri is a place for the youth to disconnect from technology and connect with God in His ‘First Book,’ that of nature.”
He said some campers arrive a little fearful and with some trepidation, simply not knowing what the camp will include. However, by the time that they leave, he said, they are singing and all smiles.
Brouillette said learning about the outdoors and to be independent are critical life skills.
“The greatest aspect of the camp is experiencing the splendor and beauty of the presence of God and His creation,” he said.
“This allows one to break down the walls of technology, and to truly be yourself and connect with people the way we were made to, face-to-face,” he added. “Adventure is a necessity.”
Sky camps range from two to four days, depending on the camper’s age. Camps are available for students entering grades 3-12.
As the camps developed in the last 25 years, many lay and spiritual directors were added. In addition, seminarians and religious volunteer to bring the Catholic identity to fruition by devotions such as the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Each camp includes the celebration of Mass and the opportunity for the sacrament of confession daily.
Courtesy photos
Leadership Camp
A popular summer experience at Camp Kateri is Leadership Camp. Leadership Camp is a weeklong camp for altar servers entering grades 6-9. Boys from all over Nebraska come together to worship, have fun through exhilarating activities, challenging and engaging talks, interactive sports and life-changing prayer experiences. The camps are designed to help boys become self-disciplined and confident. Several priests have said a vocation to the priesthood was identified in the discernment process begun in the experience of leadership camp.
Father Jonah Brox, assistant pastor of St. Mary Parish in Nebraska City, attributes a good part of his discernment to the priesthood to Leadership Camp. He attended Leadership Camp while in grade school and later served as a counselor while in high school.
“Leadership Camp played a major role in my discernment to be a priest,” Father Brox said. “The camp helped me to fall in love with the faith: it helped me to fall in love with Jesus Christ and fall in love with being His disciple. I began to love the Mass, studying Scripture, and praying the rosary. It was while I was at this camp, in the silence of Eucharistic Adoration, that I felt and heard the Lord’s call to the priesthood, as He placed it on my heart in a deep way.”
Marian Camp
Leading junior high girls to encounter the love of God is the mission of Marian Camp, led by the Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln. Throughout the four days of Marian Camp, participants are encouraged to encounter the love of God through rotating themes based on the Marian Sisters’ charism: “to do God’s will joyfully in imitation of Mary and St. Francis.” Prayer is intertwined with activities including archery, crafts, water games, a water obstacle course, and skits. High school and college women lead the cabin groups to carry this out.
“Songs and giggles ring in the air as the scents of incense and cobbler come together,” Sister Kateri Toler described. Each day at Marian Camp, participants join the Marian Sisters in their life of prayer. The evenings hold an hour of adoration in the peace of God’s creation. Two of the nights conclude with a bonfire, ending in a procession to the cabins.
“These moments are beautiful opportunities to step back and enjoy the wonderful way the Church is fully alive,” she said.
Celebrating 25 years
In the last 25 years, much love, toil and sweat equity has gone into the planning and expanding the buildout of the camp and plans for future activities. A bevy of carpenters, spiritual and lay directors, cooks and counselors, camp managers, EMTs, physicians, nurses, neighboring farmers, friends and patrons have contributed to the development of Camp Kateri.
Founders and supporters of Camp Kateri met at the camp in early November to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the camp at the “Starlit Lily Gala.” The inaugural fundraiser included the celebration of Mass, hayrack rides, a cocktail hour, dinner and talks. The event raised nearly $8,000 for camp operations.
Looking forward
Brouillette, who has a degree in construction management and business, has a vision to create a clear path for the future of Camp Kateri. His desire is to continue to build upon the great work that has already been done, and to give the camp direction, purpose and the community to make it even better.
“I want Camp Kateri to be a place where people go to and return home feeling fulfilled and freed from the stresses of the world,” he said. “Most importantly,” he added, “I want them to encounter our Lord in His majestic creation.”
Plans include building a common area between the American Saints Cabins (former portable classrooms), for greater fall and spring events; building a large indoor gathering space connected to the kitchen for larger groups in all seasons; and the possibility of building a pond for fishing and canoeing.
