2025 Camp Badge #4 Option

Today’s post is for badge #4 option. This is the St. Therese and St. Francis Xavier Missionaries: Hope for the Church patron saint badge.

I had hoped to post this on Friday but the last of my 11 graduated from high school on Saturday (yippee, skippee, can’t believe I am actually done!) and it was a busy, wonderful weekend.

My week’s plan is to have MEAL IDEAS on Tuesday, CRAFT and T-SHIRT ideas on Wednesday and GAME ideas on Wednesday. Hopefully, what I provide will be a good foundation for you to be able to have your own camp in your own backyard or parish location.

But here’s our last badge:

Missionaries: Hope for the Church

St. Francis Xavier and St. Therese of Lisieux, are our double patron saints of missions (light blue with a ship). St. Francis Xavier led the first mission trip to Japan in 1549, while in the 1840’s, our Little Flower greatly desired to be a missionary but never left her Carmel. Rather she reached out through her prayers and letters to give support to those in the mission field. While, even to this day, they are both continuing to work to bring everyone to Jesus.

And they can inspire us to find how God wants us to be missionaries, both at home and abroad, even if we never leave our town.

How many missionaries are there? According to recent information there are over 440,000 lay missionaries working. Lay missionaries, while they may be working with a religious group have not professed vows. They are just ‘regular’ people giving their time in service of God’s Kingdom.

There are also over 70 religious orders that either are all missionary in charism or have a missionary aspect to their order! Wow! So many are answering the call to go out to the world! We have a goo deal to celebrate but, as in all things, we can be doing more.

It is a wonderful coincidence our recently elected Pope Leo XIV was also a missionary! He belongs to the order of St. Augustine, an Augustinian, and spent the majority of his time in Peru. As Father Robert Prevost, he was first a young missionary in Chulucanas and Trujillo, from 1985-1998. He then served as the Bishop of Chiclayo from 2019-2023. He became a naturalized citizen of Peru and many Peruvians will say that while he is the first American Pope, he is also the first Peruvian one as well!

Here is a celebratory letter from his confreres in Chicago: https://www.midwestaugustinians.org/pope-leo-xiv upon the time of this election.

St. Francis Xavier

Before beginning working on this badge, begin your time with a prayer. You could choose a prayer for St. Francis Xavier:

Francis Xavier

St. Therese:

https://www.littleflower.org/prayers/pearls-of-wisdom/st-thereses-wisdom-bold-confidence

Or from the Augustianians (as founded by St. Augustine of Hippo) we have this short prayer:

May the Lord bless you and strengthen all missionaries who have left their homeland to bring the good news of the Gospel to new lands. Bless them and give them the strength and encouragement they need to continue being everywhere a light and hope of salvation. May our prayers join with the Church to increase vocations to the missions and help all of us join with them to bring Jesus to all the ends of the world. Amen

Suggested Activites for Camp 2025: Pick Two

Activity One

1. Jesus said, “Go forth and make disciples of all nations.” Locate this specific verse in the Bible (hint – it is in New Testament) and read what happened just after this verse. What feast is it?

Think and talk about what it means to fulfill this “Great Commission”? Missionaries often lead lives of loneliness and difficulty. At the conclusion of your conversation, say a rosary together and offer it up for the work of missionaries.

Find a missionary order on-line and create a spiritual bouquet card of prayers, Masses or rosaries you will do for their success and mail it to them. Be sure to let them know it was a result of your hard work at camp. The image for this badge is a ship so perhaps you could include that on your card?

SPIRITUAL BOUQUET: https://thenationalshrineofmarymotherofthechurch.com/what-is-a-spiritual-bouquet/

WOMEN: https://cmswr.org/

MEN: https://www.cmsm.org/who-we-are/religious-communities/

Activity 2

2. Much like St. Therese’s experience, you don’t have to travel far to find, support or become a missionary. There are few missionary works here in the United States that work with young adults who give a year or more, as volunteers to college campuses, parish ministries and street missions.

Some you may not know include Christ in the City (https://christinthecity.org/) with a focus on the poor and homeless, FOCUS Ministries act as missionaries to college students (https://focus.org/) or NET Ministries who send missionaries to parishes and school to run retreats and more (https://www.netusa.org/).

Find out who each of these are and if you can find a way to support them. Plan a fundraiser, a simple one day act of service or over several weeks. A yard sale, bake sale, or similar.

Send them what you raise with a note about Little Flowers camp and your efforts to help their mission. Be sure to include a Spiritual Bouquet card letting them know they are in your prayers.

(If one of your camper’s families or parishes already support a mission field, organization or religious order feel free to choose them for this activity.)

Activity 3

3. Does your parish or diocese have any priests or religious from other countries? Many say that the United States is the new mission field. In years gone by, we used to send priests and nuns to other countries but now they come to us. Find out who they are and where they are from. Find out a few facts about their home countries.

If possible to invite one of them to camp for lunch or dinner and ask them to tell you their story. Hearing their vocation story of how they answered Jesus’ call to go forth is an encouragement to all of us. Create a spiritual bouquet as a thank you for their willingness to leave their own families to take care of yours.

Activity 4

4. Hope is a vital aspect of the work of missionaries. Missionaries know God has called them, as hope for the Church, to spread His gospel to areas of the world far from home. Without hope for His protection and guidance, along with hope for success they would face discouragement and failure.

Get a globe or a map of the world. Play a game where a camper spins the globe or turns around and points to the map. What country did they land on? Access the internet and find out what Catholic missionaries might be working there. What is their mission work consist of? Are they teachers, medical, pastors? Finish off your game with a rosary or prayer of support for all missionaries at the end of the game. Consider this one:

Praying for Missionaries: The Hope for the Church

Lord our God,
loving Father,
we humbly pray to you
for our beloved missionaries,
heralds of the Gospel.

 May our prayers
reach their hearts
that they may feel our love,
our strength,
our faith. Grant that our prayers
reach their hearts
, that they continue
 with your zeal the mission
 you entrust them with.

 May their presence
in their community
be a reminder
of your presence among us.

Please keep them safe from harm and hunger and may they encouraged by our prayers.
Through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, St. Francis Xavier and St. Therese, 

Amen.

St Isadore Patron Saint Badge: Computers & Technology

To have Hope in the Church is to see its future as God sees it. Each of us know how computers have made their way into our homes, and our pockets. With everyone having a smart phone, we all know the highs and lows of having so much information at our fingertips. Learning how to balance our time with it and make the best use of its benefits.

St. Isidore of Seville is the patron saint of computer programmers. He was given this patronage due to his hard work in compiling information. He is known for compiling a massive encyclopedia called “Etymologies,” which some consider a precursor to the internet and databases. From wikipedia: “His fame after his death was based on his Etymologiae, an etymological encyclopedia that assembled extracts of many books from classical antiquity that would otherwise have been lost. This work also helped to standardise the use of the full stop, comma and colon.”

Another source of information on our saint, https://aleteia.org/2018/10/06/why-is-st-isidore-of-seville-patron-saint-of-the-internet

Before starting the work on your badges remember to bring everyone together with prayer, especially bring our theme of hope for the Church to the center. Perhaps a prayer to St. Michael the Archangel for protection when using a computer.

Suggested activities for Camp 2025 – PICK TWO

Discover Carlos Acutis – A true beacon of Hope for the Church

Another famous saint who brought hope to the church through computers is Carlos Acutis. His canonization was interrupted by the death of Pope Francis on April 25, 2025 and the election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025.

He loved exploring the internet and playing video games much like any other young person but he knew how to to balance his love for computers and his responsibilities to his family and to God.

You can find and watch one of the many videos about him.

Throughout his young life he was devoted to his faith and committed to completing a website devoted to Eucharistic Miracles. Quite a feat for someone so young.

Check out the website he worked so hard on here:

https://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/liste/list.html

Have each camper choose one of the Eucharistic miracles he highlights and make your own poster illustrating the details of the miracle. By picking a different one each, you can create your own Eucharistic Miracle Exhibition. (Is there a parish where you could display their work after camp is over?)

Computer Safety

In Philippians, we are reminded: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8)

It is true that not everything on the computer fulfills this admonition it is also a source of real education as well as fun. Let the campers talk about where they like to go when they’re on the computer. What are their favorite sites, games? Having a good talk about what are the good things that computers can do is a great start to helping them choose that good first and foremost.

Talk to them about some of the pitfalls of the internet with attention to their age. There are some lesson plans based on age for computer safety here:

https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/23-great-lesson-plans-for-internet-safety

Other quality information:

Click to access INTERNET%20SAFETY%20CHECK%20LIST.pdf

https://www.purdue.edu/securepurdue/forms-and-resources/security-checklist.php

https://www.dhs.gov/know2protect

Buy enough Carlos Acutis saint cards or stickers for each of your campers. Tape/glue it to a large index card or piece of card stock. Either provide copies of prayer choices or have them pick one of the prayers below to either glue or copy. Ask them to attach it to their home computer as a reminder to be true, honorable, just, and pure as well as bringing hope to the Church.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

-Large Index Cards or Pieces of Cardstock
-Markers, crayons, etc.
-Carlos Acutis prayer cards or stickers

If many of the girls have their own personal computers, perhaps just give them a Carlos Acutis sticker.

Prayer suggestions for internet safety:

“Be the helper of my soul, O God, for I walk in the midst of many snares. Deliver me from them and save me, You are good and You love mankind.” This is part of the Great Compline from the Orthodox rite of the Church. 

OR

Jesus, pour Thy Precious Blood over me, my body, mind, soul, and spirit; my conscious and sub-conscious; my intellect and will; my feelings, thoughts, emotions and passions; my words and actions; my vocation, my relationships, family, friends and possessions. Protect with Thy Precious Blood all other activities of my life. Lord I dedicate all of these things to Thee, and I acknowledge Thee as Lord and Master of all. Through the intercession of the Blessed Mother. Amen.

From the Most Reverend Bishop Richard Sklba of Milwaukee we have this one:

Bless again this day the mysterious computer which awaits your power and my human effort.
Grant wisdom, knowledge and a clear memory to my mind as I sit before this new creature of your infinite power.
Bless my heart with endless patience whenever needed.
Guide my hands that I may be your faithful servant in every key I press. May it always bring hope to the Church. 
Enable my limited efforts to bring glory to your Name and blessings to your people everywhere.
Delete me not from your Kingdom and save me from all fear and from all error of sin and ignorance.
I whisper this prayer, mindful of the needs of all with whom and for whom I work,
through the power of your Word and the life-giving energy of your Spirit.
Amen

Design a New Computer Game Reflecting Hope for the Church

Either in teams or all together have the campers brainstorm a Catholic computer game they would like to see made if they could.

What makes a good computer game for them? Do they like racing games, or treasure hunts, interactive games.

-Would they make a treasure game to find the pearl of great price or treasure from Matthew 13?
-A trivia game teaching some aspect of their faith?
-Even a racing game with the ability to pick such characters as St. Michael the Archangel or St. Helen?
-If they are Minecraft fans, what “Catholic” buildings could they add to their games? Does their world have a church? A basilica? The Grotto of Lourdes? The Vatican? How would they add those.

Give them time to brainstorm, make a storyboard or create a few graphics and plot points. Secondly, what is it called? What would the cover art look like? How would this game bring Hope to the Church?

SUPPLIES:

-Poster Boards
-Markers/Pencils/Crayons

(Is there a parent or friend who actually makes computer games that could come to talk to the campers about the process? Perhaps someone to share their computer game idea with?)

Develop Computer Responsibility

Additionally, spending too much time on the internet is hard for everyone.

From catholic365.com, we learn,

“Carlo Acutis was fascinated with computer coding and taught himself some of the basic coding languages, including C and C++. he used his web-design technology skills to create an online resource demonstrating that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist by highlighting the many eucharistic miracles. 

Carlo loved playing video games. His mother recalls that he liked Nintendo Game Boy and GameCube as well as PlayStation and Xbox.Since he was a saint he was able to limit his video gaming to two hours per week. He used his time online and even while gaming to evangelize others.

Basically, with great virtue, he resisted technology or computer related addictions. He owned his computer and phone; his computer and phone did not own him! Instead, he used technology as a tool to advance the kingdom of God on earth.”

Talk with the campers about their family’s rules about computer use. Do they realize the importance of being responsible with their time. From Ecclesiastes 1, remind them that “God has made everything appropriate to its time,” (vs. 11)

Read Ecc. 1:1-11. At the end, ask them what other pairs they would add to the list. Try simple opposites such as ‘a time to walk and a time to run’. When would they walk? In a museum? At Church? In their house? When do they run? Outside and during games. On the beach.

How about ‘a time to read a good book’ and ‘a time to fall asleep’. ‘A time to do homework’ and ‘a time to do chores’?

It can be a fun way to teach them how things all have to happen at the proper time and knowing what to do and when to do it important.

Get stiff paper, wooden signs or small blackboards. Have the campers choose one of the following verses to illustrate on their chosen medium.

Attach string in necessary so they can hang it by their computers or in their bedrooms as a reminder to use their time wisely. Provide them with the paint, markers or crayons. You might want to provide stickers of computers or something similar.

-Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.”

-Proverbs 16:3-4 – “Entrust your works to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. The LORD has made everything for a purpose.”

-Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.”

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

-small blackboards, wooden signs, cardstock or similar that they can make into a sign

-paints, markers, crayons, colored pencils

By all means, close your time with this badge with a prayer asking through the intercession of St. Isidore of Seville and St. Carlos Acutis to help bring Hope to the Church through the computer and to balance our time with it. One of the prayers above would work.

This is badge choice #2 for Little Flowers Camp 2025 – Hope in the Church

American Catholic History

In honor of the very first American pope, Pope Leo XIV, we are going to explore saints in American Catholic History in the United States.

This is a less active badge for a camp setting allowing conversation sitting around a table or campfire. This badge works especially well if the weather doesn’t cooperate and if you have any concerns for campers with energy or health concerns

You might also decide to fashion the camp’s menu based on this badge. If the campers are part of the meal prep it could be included as meeting one of the requirements. Menu ideas, along with game ideas, will be coming later.

We can be proud of the fact that we have many saints who can call America as a part of their story. There are 20+ saints, blessed and venerable from North America!

List of American Catholics Whose Causes Have Been Opened

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Americans_venerated_in_the_Catholic_Church

It is actually amazing to see all their names, faces and stories of how they transformed our country through their witness.

Our country was founded on the hope of God’s providence and protection. Be sure to remind our campers and ourselves of that truth.

Before working on this badge, open your time together with a prayer for our country. Consider one of these:

Click to access english-immaculate-conception-religious-liberty-prayer.pdf

Below is a prayer ascribed to George Washington.

https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbpe.20803000/?st=text

Almighty God: We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow-citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Suggested activities for Camp 2025 – PICK TWO

American or Not?

Take the list of American saints and write 10-15 on an index card. Add a few facts of their lives. Then add 10-15 other saints from other countries, mix them up and see if your campers can guess which ones are a part of American Catholic history.

You can create teams or play as a group. Feel free to give the games points, with an additional point given if the campers know any facts about each saint. You might want to play this multiple times until all the saints are memorized.

Make a Map

Provide a United States map with states marked for each camper. An 8×11 black line map would work. A package of stars (gold or colored) or other stickers will be also needed.

https://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/blank-us-map.html

Oriental Trading has a pad of 50 sheets.

https://www.orientaltrading.com/creative-shapes-etc—-labeled-u-s—practice-maps-a2-14224940.fltr?keyword=creative+shapes+usa+maps

Your local Dollar store may also have them.

From your saint index cards make a list of 10-20 saints. Let the girls know where they were, where they began their ministry in the United States and where they died.

So, using your list of saints have the girls put a gold star for each saint. Talk with them about these saints, what they did, why are they being beatified? How far did they travel in their adventures for Christ?

Certainly, feel free to add additional first for Catholics in the United States. This is a good article with an interactive map of many of these firsts at www.catholicworldreport.com from May 12, 2014. I wasn’t able to make a good link.

Talk with the campers about where they may have traveled in the country. Is anyone in their family from another country. Our country and its history, along with our own stories, are always a testimony to God’s grace and miracles.

Make an American Catholic History Skit!

One of our more famous American saints was Venerable Fulton Sheen. At the height of his fame, his show, Life is Worth Living, was the most popular show on TV beating even Ed Sullivan’s show (he introduced the Beatles to America).

If the campers have access to the internet, you could show a short segment of his show as they are available on youtube.

Have the campers (in teams or as a group) create a skit about why life is worth living.

What makes life good? Answer what makes you laugh and smile? What do you thank God for? Older campers can expand to how can you use the blessings and the difficulties in your life to share the Gospel message.

Perhaps a skit about one of the saints’ lives, a family meal, a vacation trip or similar. Primarily, the goal is to help them see every day life is the best source of what makes our lives wonderful. It isn’t the huge, remarkable moments but these small acts of love for God and neighbor each day.

Provide some simple props, costumes as well as paper, markers, scissors, etc.

Perform their skits during the camp. If parents are coming to pick them up at the conclusion of the camp, you might do them at that time.

Make a Triptych – What does American Catholic History Look Like in Your Diocese

While this will require preliminary work on the leaders part, it will be worth it as the campers learn about where they worship.

Since most of your campers will be coming from the same area, are you able to do a dive into history about how Catholics came to your area? When was your diocese founded? Do you have anyone on their way to being a saint?

Campers can create their own diocese poster or triptych.

https://craftprojectideas.com/religious-triptych/

You will need to provide the following:

-copies of triptychs on card stock or similar stiff paper OR poster board
-scissors to cut it out
-markers, crayons, colored pencils
-stickers, washi tape or similar decorative items if desired

In the center section have them draw your diocesan patron saint(s) and motto if there is one. On one side, put diocesan seal with a few facts of its history. On the other one, have them draw their own parish and its patron saint.

Conclude your time with a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings we have as Catholics here in the United States. Do a litany of the saints using your list of American saints, blessed and venerables.

**(At its beginning this badge was created to be a companion the wonderful Catholic fiction written by Joan Stromberg. As such this badge has its own requirements as those books are read and discussed.

https://catalog.beholdpublications.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/AmericanHistBadge.pdf?v=b0b52a31f110

Generally feel free to incorporate the books and requirements as a part of your camp however you would like. Each book contains activities and information about the Catholic saint profiled.)

HOPE in THE CHURCH

As with every camp Little Flowers Camp that we have done, we give you choices of badges to earn. Depending on your location, time frame and interests, you can choose what works for you. We have four choices this year to choose from:

-Outdoor Adventure Badge
-American Catholic History Badge
-Computers – St. Isidore
-Missions – St. Francis Xavier

Over the next four days – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday – I will post more about each badge, its requirements. These post will be longer.

First Little Flowers Camp badge:

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE BADGE

Regardless of where your camp is being held, it is hoped you will be able to get outside to get this badge done. Either in a backyard, a trip to a local park or, if you are really fortunate, a state or federal park to visit.

Being outdoors allows us to celebrate and enjoy the creation that God gives us. There are scriptures galore that make this known to us. From the entire story of creation in Genesis to verses throughout the Bible:

Psalms 8 or 108

Job 38-40 – God appears to answer Job’s questions with the powerful, “Gird up your loins now, like a man; I will question you, and you tell me the answers! Where were you when I founded the earth. Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its size? Surely you know?” (vs. 1-5) You might decide to read these chapters beforehand to choose which ones to share.

“For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.” (1 Col. 1:16)

*************

Begin working on this badge with a quick (2-3 minutes) about the gift of God’s outdoors. You can ask campers about what they like, favorite animals, experiences.

Read one of the Scripture passages about creation listed above or another favorite you might have and then start!

CHOOSE TWO (2) OF THE FOLLOWING FOUR (4) CHOICES:

1. PACK A SURVIVAL KIT

Teach the Little Flowers camp kids what they need to head out to into the outdoors safely, adding to their enjoyment and helping ensure their return! You will teach them how to pack a basic outdoors survival kit that you can take with you when you hike and camp; and it can also be left in a car for emergencies.

Make sure it is small enough for you to carry it easily. Essentials would include:

-small flashlight, whistle, and first aid kit. A bottle of water and small snack make this kit a great idea for any hike or outdoor adventure. A compass can be included if instruction on how it works will be taught.

Going out longer or camping overnight? Make sure you have your parents‛ permission if you want to include such items as matches or a small knife. before touching any knives or matches. Out in nature, unexpected things happen and you need to learn to be prepared for that. Consult the listed resources to learn how to properly use and care for all the items in your survival kit. Take your kit with you whenever you go hiking or camping.

Materials for this are available at your local Walmart or Target. Dollar stories and similar can also be used but we know the quality isn’t always guaranteed.

Talk about each item as you place in the fanny bag or small backpack. Why is it being taken, what is it’s use, how to use each one.

Items Needed

-fanny pack or small backpack to hold everything
-flashlight – check for batteries
-whistle – easier than shouting/calling out if you get lost
-compass (if you are going to teach them how to use it. If you don’t have time, don’t worry about including it.)
-water bottle (added to bag, carried or hung from a belt or backpack)
-simple snack (nothing that melts or needs refrigeration)
-small first aid kit. Either purchased complete or ziploc bag with a few bandages, individual cleaning wipes or small pack, and antibiotic ointment.

Only with parent’s permission and instruction on use and safety:

-small box of matches
-small pocket knife or scissors

2. Nature Hike

Together with your leader, parent or friends make a plan to go on a hike at a regional park, wildlife area or even your own city or neighborhood.

-Plot out the route and make sure everyone knows it. Give out maps if necessary.

-Share your route, departure and expected return time with someone not going on the hike to act as an emergency contact. Let them know when you leave and when you get back. If you miss your return, they can check on you; informing authorities or parents if necessary.

-Make sure to bring plenty of water. Dress for the weather making use of layers.

-Take note of what you see (animals, plants, geological formations, bodies of water, etc.) Do you want to bring a nature log to list these as you see them? Draw what you see?

-After the hike, cool down with a snack and talk about whatever one saw, favorites and surprises. If the camp host is familiar with the hiking area, you can make a simple scavenger hunt list to give each camper to make observations easier. They can check off what they are able to see. Items to include might be a specific type of tree or plant. What animals might be seen such as squirrels, birds? Any other interesting things.

Remember to leave only footprints and take only pictures. Finish off the hike making sure you take out any trash and a prayer of thanksgiving to God for fun you had and the gifts He has given.

3. Outdoor Safety

Plan a talk on what outdoor safety looks like for both the camper and the environment. This will be done as for the larger Little Flower Camp group. Make it a discussion with the campers giving their own ideas, knowledge or experience with the leader filling in the necessary information. The leader should plan on creating either a checklist for each camper or a large poster board/display to make all the points clear.

Include the following

-Basic hiking rules and safety. Check out these sites:

https://www.nps.gov/articles/hiking-safety.htm

https://americanhiking.org/10essentials

-Basic Fire Safety

https://smokeybear.com/en/prevention-how-tos/campfire-safety

If your space allows, perhaps you can demonstrate fire safety by building a fire for making s’mores or even dinner. Fire safety can even be done within an outdoor grill or fire pit.

-Basic First Aid

Take advantage of those you know! Do you know a nurse, doctor, EMT or similar that could come and give a very simple course?

There is a good deal of information online but your goal would be to make sure they know the basics of cleaning wounds, applying bandages and ointment, dealing with simple burns. Always including the need to find an adult for help! Again, make a checklist for each camper or a large display board. We always want safety first at our Little Flowers Camp!

Check out this site:

Teaching Kids First Aid

4. LEARN BASIC KNOT TYING

Knowing how to tie knots is a lost art. Knots come in handy when setting up tents, hanging a hammock and clothes lines!

Basic knots would include the square, bowline, clove hitch, and half hitch. Knots are extremely useful in outdoors and survival situations. Throughout the camp the campers can practice them until they can tie them effortlessly.

Each camper at Little Flowers Camp would need 3 ft. length of rope. Laundry rope or nylon rope works well. Be sure to finish off ends (typically melted safely with lighter) to eliminate fraying.

Check out these sites for help:

Basic Knots

Click to access Simple%20Knots%20-%20Factsheet_0.pdf

Upon finishing up the badge requirements close with a prayer as a group. Find an online copy of the Canticle of Creation by St. Francis of Assisi to read/share. Here’s one link:

https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=3188

Additional information for Little Flowers Camp

Additional information for interested campers:

https://parktrust.org/blog/10-essential-items-for-outdoor-adventures

https://outschool.com/online-classes/popular/outdoor-survival?srsltid=AfmBOor1n1DYVX8yDd2tYheweigsExUKsWzzHi_KsvWh8bRBOtPFX6RP

(As I mentioned in previous post, our camp name changed. For we do have hope IN our Holy Mother the Church, IN her teachings and IN her Pope, Leo VIX.)

We recently announced our 2025 camp theme – HOPE FOR THE CHURCH**. We are taking our inspiration from Pope Francis’ declaration of the Year of Hope for 2025 as well as to honor our newly elected Pope Leo XIV. It seems a fitting theme of Hope for the Church that links our most recent pope with our newest.

As my family was watching for the smoke from conclave on EWTN, commentators said that within five minutes of knowing who the pope is, someone online is going to claim to be an expert on him; his past, present and future. And they were right. Already, our Pope has received criticism and comments from those both within and outside of the Church about what they perceive he is doing right and what he is doing wrong. We are so predictable!

Pope Francis and His Hope for the Church

Let us, however, lean into the hope Pope Francis asks for, knowing our merciful and generous God has given us, in Pope Leo XIV, a shepherd after His own loving heart.

With this in mind, I wanted to share a few pieces from Pope Francis’ call to have hope. He gave a series of 38 talks on hope during his general audiences from 7 December 2016 until 25 October 2017. He walked us through Advent, Christmas, Easter and ordinary time. He took us through Scripture highlighting such people of faith such as Jonah and Judith. He spoke of Mary and much more. Each of these audiences are two to three pages long and well worth reading but I know our time is limited. They all can be found here:

Click to access pope-francis-catechesis-on-hope.pdf

Two Suggestions for Pope Francis’ Hope for the Church

If you are able, might I suggest two?

No. 9 – The Helmet of Hope (1 Thes 5:4-11), General audience of 1 February 2017

No. 21 – Mother of Hope, General audience of 10 May 2017

The helmet of hope here is another take on the armor of God, “But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for salvation.” (vs. 8) Making sure we place this helmet of hope every day helps us wander through this valley of tears knowing God is in charge, not us.

He writes, “Christian hope is the expectation of something that has already been fulfilled and which will certainly be fulfilled for each one of us. Our resurrection too, and that of our departed loved ones, therefore, is not something that may or may not happen, but is a certain reality, because it is rooted in the event of Christ’s Resurrection. Thus, to hope means to learn how to live in expectation.”

With today’s today’s troubling headlines, it would be easy for us to be discouraged. But we are people of hope, that while our world seems upside down in so many ways, we are not people of this world but of the next. We are merely passengers on this earthen ship. As our own St. Therese reminds us, “The world’s thy ship and not thy home.”

It is a wonderful coincidence as we sail towards heaven that the anchor is a symbol of hope for the Church.

From Hebrews 9:14, “…it was impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil..”

Mary, Our Hope

The second audience I mention is one focusing on our Mother Mary and her witness to hope from the moment of the Annunciation. The entire talk speaks of the many examples Mary gives us towards hope and obedience to God’s plan, the last paragraph really spoke to me, as I do my own waiting.

“We are not orphans: we have a Mother in heaven who is the Holy Mother of God. Because she teaches us the virtue of waiting, even when everything seems to lack meaning: she is ever confident in the mystery of God, even when he seems to have eclipsed himself due to the evil of the world. In the most difficult moments, may Mary, the Mother that Jesus gave to all of us, always support our steps, may she always say to our hearts: “Arise! Look forward, look to the horizon”, because she is the Mother of Hope.”

If you are considering having a camp of your own, perhaps you can find time to read these. They will help you get into a spirit of hope to share with your campers. Let us help even our children know that no matter what may happen our Lord has risen, His Church remains our ship and guide and heaven is our home.

**I am wondering if our theme should rather be Hope IN the Church, and not FOR – Any thoughts? Don’t be surprised if we change it 🙂

Time to plan for Little Flower camp 2025!

My camp experience growing up, for the most part, was done with my family. I am the second youngest of 10, and grew up in the middle of the Finger Lakes area of New York State. My Dad loved camping though I’m not quite sure of my mother’s opinion. She went along and had fun but I’m not sure she loved it as my Dad did.

Most often, our camping would take place at Stony Brook, the New York State Park just few miles outside town. My father could drive into town for work during the day while my Mom held down the campsite. My siblings and I roamed, hiked and swam throughout both the upper and lower park. We read books, built dams in the rivers and found summer friends. My Dad returned each evening, we had dinner around the campfire and ended every evening singing our favorite camp songs. It was truly idyllic.

Other summers, we would pack up the station wagon, tie all of our gear to the top, and head out to explore the Adirondack Mountains. We would settle into one of the lakes for a few days and then pull up stakes and head out to another. Little Tupper Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, and Lake George come to mind.

I also have fond memories in elementary school of single day camps run either by 4H or the Girl Scouts when we piled into school buses for trips out of town to one of the many campgrounds. We made sit-upons, and plastic lanyard keychains, we learned new games and songs and ate around a daytime campfire. I also always got bad case of poison ivy but had a lot of fun with my friends.

In high school, I became a camp counselor for a sleep away camp run by 4H off Canandaigua Lake. Those were summers during college are full of memories that still make me laugh out loud.

More recently, I have really enjoyed our very own Little Flowers Camps! These have taken place in Maryland, Virginia, and Minnesota but most frequently in Kentucky. We have had themes focusing on our Blessed Mother, celebrating the Year for St. Joseph, the 100th anniversary of Fatima, Feminine Genius, God’s Little Artists and more.

Each of these camps have always given you the option to have a camp right in your back yard or parish. We have materials available including the badges, craft ideas, food suggestions and on and on.

This year? Well, there will be no sleep away camp this summer but we are still planning a camp for you!

Over the next few days, I will be posting blogs about our plans for this year’s camp theme. We hope you might consider this for your family, maybe with some friends or even with your club.

Our theme? We went back and forth. We are in the midst of the Year of Hope as announced by Pope Francis. And then, Pope Francis, who had been ill unexpectedly passed away. After his funeral, within a conclave watched by the world a new pope was announced. History was made as we now have Pope Leo XIV; our first American born Pope! Wow!

It became clear we would weave these wonderful moments in time together – a year of hope and a new pope. So, our theme this year?

LITTLE FLOWERS CAMP 2025!

HOPE FOR THE CHURCH!

We have four badge suggestions (you pick three) for Little Flower Camp 2025 to have the girls work on during the camp you plan. They can be woven into a camp experience as well as the Year of Hope and a celebration of our new Pope.

-Outdoor Adventure Badge
-American Catholic History Badge
-Computers – St. Isidore
-Missions – St. Francis Xavier.

The camp specifics will be decided on by you, your space, time and campers. Our Camp Manual will be provided giving you the information you need to plan a single day camp or a sleepover one.

We hope you will consider giving yourself and your children their own camp memories for Little Flower Camp 2025! We HOPE you give it a go!

Today is the 100th Anniversary of St. Therese’s canonization! Happy 100th Anniversary St. Therese!

https://www.ncregister.com/cna/st-therese-s-little-way-still-guides-hearts-to-god

Welcome to May! What a full month of feasts, holidays and celebrations. In my own home, we have 3 birthdays as well as have both a college graduation and my very last homeschool graduation! My #11 is turning 18 and graduating which means my retirement from over 30 years of homeschooling!

As always May is dedicated to Our Blessed Mother and today is the the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. We have both the Feast of the Ascension and Mother’s Day celebrated on May 12th. These great days are then followed by Our Lady of Fatima on May 13th.

Then we have May 17th. What is so special about that day? While it is feast of St. Paschal Baylon (patron of Eucharistic Congresses, d. 1592) it is also the 100th Anniversary of the Canonization of our dear St. Therese of Lisieux!

Her societies, especially Lisieux, have been celebrating all year. Now, perhaps you might be able to plan something extra for your family if not for your club. Maybe a movie night of Therese from St. Luke Productions, 2004? Perhaps a stroll through a local garden in your city either starting or ending with Mass and a small celebration? Would your parish welcome a donation of a rose bush? Or merely a dozen given to decorate the statue you or another local church might have?

If you want to begin a novena for her to end on the 17th begin on May 9th. Whatever you decide it is a true joy to be able to celebrate her century in heaven showering us with her love and roses.

(Lily of the Valley – May’s flower. Photo – alicja from pixabay)

Happy Feast Day! Today is familiar to all of us as we honor when the Blessed Virgin Mary gave her Fiat to the Lord. She said Yes! to whatever God had in store for her, and because of her yes, we are the adopted children of God, freed from sin and working towards Heaven.

There is so much to contemplate with this. During Daily Mass, I thought about all the times I have yes to God. Some of my yes’s were eager and happily done – marrying Matt comes to mind. Many of my yeses are more half-hearted such as the yes attached to the cooking and cleaning for necessary for my family. A few yeses are very grudgingly given such as to my MS every morning I get out of bed having prayed (again) to be healed.

But one yes I have given has had more surprises than I could never have imagined. It was saying yes to God when I was inspired to write the Little Flowers program over 30 years ago. I had no expectation of what God would do with my little ‘yes’. An avalanche of good friends, wonderful experiences, meeting so many of you and on and on and on just because I said ‘yes’.

In no way does my little yes compare to our Blessed Mother’s fiat or the yes of so many saints before me, but I hope to encourage you to consider saying yes to whatever God is asking of you. No matter how insignificant it may seem, how outlandish, how impossible it may be! If you know it is coming from God and you have the full support of your husband and family saying Yes to His will always come with unexpected blessings.

My pastor, Fr. Rich Jasper, is doing a quick 5 minute reflection on the Gospel for Lent. He is much more eloquent than I am in talking about the power of a Yes! to God. I hope you enjoy this and know I am praying for you and the yeses in your life.