Camp Cana to offer summer camps, site for retreats in Ste. Genevieve County
A new Life Teen campground opening on the grounds of a former winery in Ste. Genevieve will become a place to transform youths’ lives through faith, formation and friendship.
Life Teen Camp Cana, which will open in 2026 as a Catholic summer camp and year-round retreat center for teenagers and parish groups, draws its inspiration from the wedding feast at Cana, where Jesus performed His first public miracle of turning water into wine.
Similarly, Life Teen camp is where young people often have one of their first life-changing experiences with faith, Life Teen chief advancement officer Steve Allgeyer said.
“When they get away from the chaos of life and Jesus meets them for the first time in a personal way, it’s often the first miracle that happens,” Allgeyer said. “And Cana was where the first miracle happened for Jesus.”
Life Teen International closed on the sale of Chaumette Vineyards and Winery in Ste. Genevieve on Aug. 15, the feast of the Assumption. Renovations and site preparations are expected to begin in the fall, with Camp Cana opening for its first pilot season in summer 2026.
Life Teen purchased Chaumette Vineyards and Winery in Ste. Genevieve on Aug. 15, with plans to use the property as a Catholic summer camp and year-round retreat center. The former winery property includes existing villas and lodges, as well as dining and gathering spaces that will be renovated to serve campers. Additional site development will include outdoor worship areas and recreational and high-adventure features.
“For over 20 years, this land brought people together in celebration,” Life Teen president and CEO Randy Raus said in a press release. “We believe God is now calling it to an even greater purpose — helping young people encounter Christ and fall more deeply in love with their Catholic faith.”
Chaumette owners Hank and Jackie Johnson sold about 139 acres of the 250-acre property, which is located about an hour from St. Louis. The property includes existing villas and lodges, as well as dining and gathering spaces that will be renovated to serve campers. Additional site development will include outdoor worship areas and recreational and high-adventure features.
Life Teen is an independent Catholic organization that primarily offers youth ministry programming for middle- and high school-aged youths. There are 31 parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis that have Life Teen programs. It also partners with Franciscan University for some Steubenville Catholic Youth Conferences, hosts a teen leadership conference and offers other youth ministry events and resources.
Allgeyer said that the remaining grapevines from the winery will stay on the property as a reminder of the connection between Jesus and His followers. “They’ll walk on campus and they’ll see … how many Scriptures refer to the vine and the branches; I am the vine and you are the branches,” he said.
Life Teen had been actively looking for property in the St. Louis area for the past five years in order to expand its camp and retreat offerings, Allgeyer said. Life Teen currently has two camp sites, Hidden Lake and Covecrest in Georgia, as well as summer camp programs in Texas and California.
Life Teen had to turn away about 2,000 teens from its summer camp programs this year because they were at capacity, Allgeyer said. Having a centrally located campground in the Midwest also will give teens in other cities an opportunity to attend, he added.
Life Teen has full-time and summer missionaries who assist with camps and retreats. Missionaries are responsible for raising their own salaries through fundraising. “They’re waking up with enthusiasm and excitement to go, that this is my mission field,” he said. “They’re going through formation from our mission directors. And then during the times when retreats come, they serve in the kitchen, or they’ll serve as hospitality … it’s all done out of a mission mindset.”
Outside of summer camps, Life Teen will be open to Catholic parishes and schools for retreats throughout the year. Camp Cana also plans to offer parent/teen retreats and camp experiences and trainings and retreats for youth ministers and other adult volunteers.
The Johnsons established Chaumette Winery in 1990. The couple originally listed the property for sale in 2023 for $7.3 million, but a listing on LandHub showed that the listing had been reduced to $4.9 million.
Chaumette has events planned at the winery through mid-August, and Life Teen said it will honor all weddings that Chaumette has booked through November.
