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Campout brings together one big happy Scouting family

Zoey Maraist | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

Scouts and their families prepare for Mass with Bishop Michael F. Burbidge during the Catholic Campout April 6. Zoey Maraist | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Michael F. Burbidge blesses the gift bearers during Mass April 6. Zoey Maraist | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop Michael F. Burbidge chats with Girl Scouts after Mass April 6. Zoey Maraist | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Scouts scale the rock-climbing wall during the Catholic Campout at Camp Snyder in Haymarket April 5-7. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Scouts take aim at targets during archery practice during the Catholic Campout at Camp Snyder in Haymarket April 5-7. ZOEY MARAIST | CATHOLIC HERALD

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The last time Nathan Rook tried to go
camping, he didn’t last very long. “I have camped for like five minutes (out in
my backyard),” the 6-year-old happily admitted. “But then I got so scared.” This
time, his father, Michael, believes will be different. Nathan was with his
family, his Trail Life Troop and hundreds of other Scouts attending the diocesan
Catholic Campout at Camp Snyder in Haymarket April 5-7. 

Eric Buschelman (left) helps James Feeley, a Cub Scout
from a pack based at Holy Spirit Church in Annandale, launch a model rocket. ZOEY MARAIST  |  CATHOLIC HERALD

ROCK POWER

About 465 participants came to the
event, sponsored by the Office of Youth, Campus, and Young Adult Ministries.  “Usually what we did in the past, we’d just
come to the (annual Mass for Scouts), which is fantastic. This ends up making
it more of a 48-hour extravaganza,” said Mark Kramer, chair of the diocesan
committee on Scouting and a leader of the Cub Scout Pack at the Basilica of St.
Mary in Alexandria. “(We took) the different youth groupings and brought them
all together in this big campsite. It’s been phenomenal.”

“The Catholic Committee on Scouting for
the diocese exists to help all Catholic youth, no matter which adventure
organization they belong to, with opportunities like this one to gather and
learn more about their faith,” said Kevin Bohli, executive director of the
youth office. 

Scouts and their families spent Saturday
soaking up the spring sunshine with a host of outdoor activities — rock
climbing, archery, fishing, model rocket launching and gaga ball, a tamer form
of dodgeball. There also were saint-themed crafts and scavenger hunt, an
outdoor rosary and confession. Several Boy Scouts led Stations of the Cross
Friday. Of all the activities, Esther Cameron, a fifth-grader and American Heritage
Girl from St. Leo the Great Church in Fairfax, most enjoyed tie-dying a shirt
teal and spotting a bunch of baby frogs with her dad. 

 

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge celebrated a
vigil Mass for the campout. While preaching on Jesus and the woman caught in
adultery, Bishop Burbidge said, “(The woman) was treated by others as an
outcast, one who did not belong in the inner circle of God’s family because she
failed. But that’s not the way Jesus responded to her. Jesus did not judge her
— he showed compassion. Jesus did not give up on her — he showed confidence in
her and her potential. Jesus did not allow her to stay where she was. Out of
love, he challenged her.

rock climb

Abigail Smith, 7, an American Heritage Girl from Sacred Heart Church in Manassas, triumphantly returns to the ground after scaling the rock-climbing wall. ZOEY MARAIST  |  CATHOLIC HERALD

“All that God asks is that we go forth
and treat each other the same way,” he said. At the close of the Mass, Bishop
Burbidge blessed the religious emblems many Scouts had earned throughout the
year. 

Phil Coady, a parent and leader in
Nathan’s Trail Life troop, hopes the campout is here to stay. (The boys) have been
talking about it for weeks now. Wonderful activities, great time, beautiful
weather, and having confession in the middle of it was a nice bonus,” said
Coady. 

He loves being able to integrate faith
into the troop’s activities. “I’ve got four boys. I grew up spending time
outside and I always found God in nature. I love the ability to show that to my
boys, and they clue onto that so quickly.”

 

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