When Fun and Spirituality Intersect: The Spiritual and Fraternal Impact of Youth Camps on the Life of Notre-Dame de l’Alliance Parish
In the woods of the Monastery of Sainte Marie Reine des Cœurs in Chertsey, under the guidance of the Monastic Family of Bethlehem of the Assumption of the Virgin and of Saint Bruno, in a restful silence, in a magnificent chalet located far from the screens and the hustle and bustle of Montreal, two groups of young people experienced the 2026 summer camps.
From Friday, July 10 to Sunday, July 12, 2026, 20 young adults from Notre-Dame de l’Alliance Parish, along with one child accompanying his mother, enjoyed a unique experience in this simple setting in order to break free from the urban routine for spiritual and fraternal renewal. Fun, fraternity, and spirituality were all present. Friendships among young Christians in the light of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body was the central theme around which the various discussions were structured. The testimony of the engagement of Mrs. Michelle Sepkap and Mr. Aristide, as well as the experience of six years of sacramental marriage shared by Mr. Bertin and Mrs. Darline, were among the many relevant testimonies that helped the young people understand how it is still possible to live our sexuality with respect for the body and the human dignity of our partners—or better still, to live our friendships in evangelical chastity. Beyond these enriching discussions, the fraternal atmosphere was marked by the following activities: cooking, board games, BBQ, campfire, hiking, fishing, soccer, and more.
After this experience for the young adults came the turn of the adolescents from the parishes of Saint Bonaventure, Saint Paul de la Croix, and Notre-Dame-de-l’Alliance who, from Monday, July 13 to Friday, July 17, 2026, enjoyed themselves in the same grounds of the Monastery of Sainte Marie Reine des Cœurs. As with the previous group, fun and spirituality went hand in hand under the inspiration of the holiness of Carlo Acutis. Personal and communal prayer, Mass, and confession were among the spiritual activities that characterized the camps of both groups.
From these two camps, it is clear that there were not only new encounters but also a significant strengthening of fraternal bonds among the participants. The family warmth and fraternal love openly shared by the young people and those accompanying them made our camps a true micro-Church on the journey toward holiness. Praying together, doing the dishes together, keeping watch together around the fire, playing together, walking together, serving one another… taught us that faith is not lived alone, but in family. And what is wonderful is that both groups expressed their immense joy at having laid the foundations of this parish experience and did not hide their deep desire to repeat it next summer. Such enthusiasm remains a valid reason to hope that this seed we have sown will very likely have an impact on both the spiritual and fraternal life of our parish, especially among the youngest. Many thanks to Father François Charrette who came to help us with confessions, a big thank you to the leadership of the youth group of our parish, and a thousand thanks to our parishioners who financially supported the young people’s initiatives that generated the revenue to fund this project. Divine blessings!
Father Ushindi Kambale Sahani, SCJ
