“To know Christ and to make Him known,” Camp Gray’s mission statement, was especially present this year, as the diocesan summer camp entered its 71st year of operation.
It was the 1,400 campers — the most ever attending Camp Gray — who made the summer especially meaningful.
Camp Gray, located in Reedsburg, is owned by the Diocese of Madison and maintains 225 beautiful acres which are used for co-ed overnight summer camps, retreats, and rental opportunities.
Changes at Camp
Executive Director Tim Chaptman, appointed a year ago, reflected on how Camp Gray has rebounded after the global pandemic in 2020 and how, now, Camp Gray is celebrating multiple successes.
Chaptman explained that, because there was no programming in 2020, when Camp Gray opened again in 2021 only about 750 campers attended, roughly half of 2024’s attendees.
In 2022 and 2023, “We got back to our pre-COVID numbers,” Chaptman said, and “then this year, I think we’re finally seeing the slingshot jump,” he continued.
Chaptman offered suggestions that might explain the jump in numbers, one being the camp’s success in completing a series of long-anticipated upgrades to the grounds.
Updates to Camp took place over the past decade and were completed this summer, with the addition of a new sandlot, but other new features include new cabins which expanded housing capacity to 1,600 campers per summer, the renovation of St. Francis of Assisi Chapel, a brand-new dining hall, and the new gymnasium.
Together, these projects have been a massive face-lift for Camp Gray, improving the campers’ experience so much that it’s difficult to imagine what Camp would have been like before.
Another success after COVID was that in 2021 Camp Gray celebrated their goofy competition for campers, the Cassidy Games, for the 100th time. They embody the childlike joy of competition and are a special tradition for Camp Gray.
But more than anything, what Chaptman highlighted was a larger spiritual transformation at the camp.
Through its programming, Camp Gray seeks to form campers, ages seven through 18, both generally, as good youth, and spiritually, as good Catholics.
And that formation takes place through what Chaptman describes as “living in the midst of a Catholic culture” where “the faith here is more oftentimes caught, than taught”.
Chaptman emphasized the camp’s daily catechesis that is scheduled alongside “canoeing, archery, and all the traditional fun camp activities”.
Through morning and evening catechesis, where camp counselors “dive into a saint story or their own testimony or talk about what it means to be a son or daughter of God,” and the upbeat fun of the outdoors, Chaptman has witnessed campers experience “a really integrated life” of authentic Catholicism mixed with authentic fun.
Going on, Chaptman said, “We try not to make this a retreat high, we try not to do things that are overly emotional, because I want this to look as close to regular life as possible, show them that we can live this way all the time.
“We do that with our campers just through having a lot of fun, entering into that Catholic culture, getting catechesis, and seeing the joyful witness of our staff,” Chaptman said.
Fr. Luke Powers, a parochial vicar for St. John Paul II Pastorate and Camp Gray chaplain, also spoke about spiritual formation changes at Camp, since he worked on summer staff in 2014.
“Things at Camp have gotten a lot better,” he said, talking about the ability for campers and staff to encounter the Sacraments, and “The quality has really increased.
“Before, it was encouraged to pray, but now it is a part of the staff’s day,” he said.
“I offer Confession for the staff and campers, and that didn’t happen 10 years ago. And I think the greatest aspect about Camp is the staff’s priority of prayer,” continued Father Powers.
Each day, Father Powers offers Mass for campers and staff. As chaplain, Father Powers’ primary role at Camp is to offer the Sacraments, but he considers being present and visible just as important.
He said, “It’s a rare thing for people to live in the same place as a priest. And to just be present and around people is huge, and the same is true for the Religious Sisters that come during Camp.”
Over the course of each summer, Camp Gray invites several groups of Religious Sisters to join campers.
With Father Powers, the Sisters give campers a chance to experience a variety of vocations and how they are lived.
Mary Gernetzke, who was a camper and is now serving her first year on summer staff, agreed with Father Powers on the presence of Religious, even for staff.
She said, “It’s really cool to see a priest or a Sister playing basketball and being like, ‘That’s right, they’re human, too,’ and just being able to see their witness.”
And Alyssa Tess, a mom, volunteer Camp nurse, and parishioner of St. Joseph Church in Fort Atkinson — part of St. Teresa of Calcutta Pastorate — added that “As a parent, I love that my children get to have fun in a wholesome, beautiful environment, physically and spiritually.”
She said she has been “impressed with the counselors, how they carry themselves” through her many years at Camp because her “kids get to see them living out their faith and having fun”.
The rest of the year
Camp Gray is opening its grounds to more people this year.
Chaptman explained that “We’re partnering with parishes and schools in a deeper way, so that the [summer] experience here isn’t siloed.
“I think the danger exists that the kids are like, ‘Oh, I had a cool Catholic experience at camp,’ but then they go home, and their relationships aren’t any deeper and they don’t bring it back with them,” said Chaptman.
By inviting diocesan parishes and schools, “We want to focus on forming both our counselors and then also chaperones, teachers, and parish leaders, so they can experience more fruit, too. We have 16 out of the 44 diocesan schools coming this year, which we’re really excited about,” said Chaptman.
Additionally, Camp Gray is excited to host four open retreats for teens in the fall and spring.
Retreats in October and March are for middle school students, and retreats in November and April are for high school students.
To register a camper for an open retreat, visit campgray.com/weekend-retreats.
To learn more about Camp Gray, call 608-356-8200 or email them at [email protected].