Faith, fun... and future cardinals? Young men attending Kenrick-Glennon Days get glimpse of seminary life at annual summer camp.
As is customary each summer, scores of young men got the chance to explore their Catholic faith during Kenrick-Glennon Days at the seminary in Shrewsbury.
Kenrick-Glennon Days consisted of two three-day camps the week of June 9.
On June 10 during the first camp, there were various sessions such as Catholic Jeopardy and a pilgrimage around the grounds of the seminary.
“There was one (session) about the conclave to celebrate our new pope, Pope Leo XIV,” said camp director Ben Eusterbrock, a seminarian at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary. “We try to incorporate some fun activities that let the kids explore some new areas of the faith.”
Campers played the role of cardinals donning red vestments to cast ballots and choose a fictional pontiff.
After dinner came the Water Olympics where campers competed in games with their eyes on claiming the Archbishop’s Cup for their respective team.
Father Tony Ritter, director of vocations for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, said the purpose of the Kenrick-Glennon Days is to promote vocations.
“It’s great in helping young people see, young men see, that following Jesus doesn’t need to be a stuffy thing. That it’s not as if those who are holy kneel and pray all day long,” Father Ritter said. “People who are holy live their vocations well. And does that mean prayer? Absolutely! Spending intentional time with Jesus Christ, but also means play and fun and building each other up and having deep conversations and listening to each other and being good brothers. And at Kenrick-Glennon Days, you get to experience all of that.”
The annual camp got its start in 1999.
