By Karen Mahoney, Special to your Catholic Herald

Each summer, there are an abundance of youth camps. Interested in computers, horseback riding or weight loss? No problem.

There’s a great variety of music camps, too, from upscale ones like Interlochen and Tanglewood to state college-sponsored groups. Unique among these is “Songs for the Journey” at St. Bruno Church in Dousman. It’s an ecumenical, but Catholic-focused music camp for Christian youth which incorporates prayer, Bible study, crafts and Christian fellowship along with musical activities.

Far from the ordinary vacation Bible camp, or secular summer camp, this camp, now in its sixth year, goes beyond the simplistic campfire songs to the professional subject matter worthy of Interlochen.

For college-bound Eric Jones, the camp is an opportunity to worship and perform with top-notch director, Mark Gould.

“I plan to major in theater and music at Macalister College in St. Paul, and I am definitely going into the music because of Mark,” he said. “I’ve been involved in this camp since the beginning and it has allowed me to explore music while pursuing other interests.”

“Songs for the Journey” attracted approximately 85 students from first grade through college age within the Dousman, Oconomowoc, Genesee Depot and Waukesha areas. Held at St. Bruno Aug. 21-27, the camp ran afternoons each day with performances in St. Joseph’s Chapel at the School Sisters of St. Francis, a weekend Mass and concert at St. John’s Chapel and a Mass at St. Bruno.

A mid-week feast brought students, leaders and counselors together for camaraderie and a relaxed beginning to the packed afternoon of activities.

The luncheon also offered students and leaders to become acquainted with Fr. Ralph Gross, recently assigned to St. Bruno and a newcomer to the music camp concept.

“This is really something,” he said. “Young people are listening to music all the time, phones are on their ears and they are singing. Why not sing in praise of God? He gave the voice and the ability to us; we should give praise and thanks to him.”

Each year, the goal is to strengthen children’s faith lives through music while allowing them to have fun and achieve a high level of musical accomplishment, raising them up to become part of their faith community — not as the ones receiving, but as ones who have something to give.

“It is a catechetical opportunity that this music and this camp represent,” said Gould. “It is affective and emotional and the power of the music brings home God’s message in a more memorable way.”

This year’s themes focused upon baptismal rites and renunciation of the forces of evil. Students integrated sign language with the themed songs, which included “Holy Spirit,” “There is One Lord,” and “I Shall Walk in the Presence of God.” Gould added the sign language not because there were hearing impaired students at the camp, but rather, as an inclusion of the whole body in worship and prayer.

“We want to teach them about shutting out the devil while teaching them about their baptismal identity as children of God,” Gould said. “And we want them to bring the light of Christ to the world.”

Students learn four-part harmony, hand bells, hand chimes, integrating their voices with strings and wind instruments while reaffirming their baptismal identity.

“Part of the reason I think it works is that I work with four or five other musicians, and my main associate is Peggy Kolanko at St. Paul in Genesee Depot, some from St. Catherine and some from the area who are school musicians,” Gould said. “This year the youngest kids work on some kind of physical recreation as well, because after three and a half hours of camp, they melt like butter.”

Jones, who participates as a camp leader, appreciates the integration of his Christian faith with music and enjoys working with Gould.

“Mark is marvelously great with the kids,” he said. “I have worked with him professionally and then personally with the kids in teaching music; he explains the faith and music so well to them. What is amazing to me is that he has worked with many five star musicians and yet he still finds time to work with the kids with so much compassion and understanding.”

Gould’s devotion and love for faith-filled musical expression is so strong, that he leads a small, Catholic choir of homeschoolers from St. Bruno Parish.

According to 14-year-old Colleen Segers, Gould works well with the group of inexperienced vocalists.

“Oh, he’s really great,” she said, “He got us from not being able to sing a note, to sounding pretty good and now we sing for Masses, holy days of obligation, sometimes with the adult choir, and we even sang at Festa Italiana.”

From the standpoint of the youngest camp members, the opportunity to learn about God and sing has a bigger draw than simply attending VBS or regular day camp. Nine-year-old Madelyn Boland, a member of St. Bruno who attends the parish school, completed her second year at the camp and hopes to attend through high school.

“I like to sing and play the hand chimes,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun; we have practice in church, have snack time, gym time and sing songs, too. When I am in school, we get to sing at school Masses because I know how. When I go to regular camp, we just sing funny songs, and here we sing Catholic songs and I like them much better.”

That is music to the ears of Fr. Gross, who will benefit from the youths’ enthusiasm and willingness to practice their faith.

“This is just a fantastic thing,” he said. “And this will encourage them to follow through as a voice in whatever church they attend. Singing is a great gift in the greatest thing — the Mass.”

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