Altar Boy Camp Day 1

My first born is at sleep away camp.

John and his dad leaving in the dark hours of the morning

And on the eve of John's first sleep away camp, is it really any wonder to anyone who knows me to find out that I had insomnia and slept only from midnight to four because I was worrying about everything terrible that might befall him?

Even though his dad is with him?!

Yes, really.

A parish run by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter is running an Altar Boy Camp for its local boys. We caught wind of it and were allowed to participate because the pastor is the priest who married us and we've kept in friendly touch for these eight years.

So, today at five, John woke up on his own, having slept in his daytime clothes "just to be ready", and woke up his dad--didn't need to wake up his insomnia mother--ready to load the car and hit the road for their four-hour drive.

Home away from home

The parish has a large grassy area and sports field, so the boys are camping right there, using the parish, the kitchen, and its many classrooms for various needs. Young boys like John have their fathers staying with them, but the older boys may be there on their own. There are about thirty boys, eleven dads, and three clergy.

John is on Red Team, obviously

The boys are divided into four teams by color, our boy being on 'Red Team.' The teams range in age, so John's has two experienced altar servers, one who is a Master of Ceremonies and one who has almost achieved that rank, down to some boys with no experience at all. The boys are learning about hierarchy through these teams, going to their Team Leaders first, priests second.

Catechism class taught by a priest

Playing kickball

They are running these boys ragged, which is what I hear is the secret recipe for keeping teenaged boys out of trouble. Works for boys of all ages, I hazard to guess! The boys were given a (fabulous, might I say) list of behavioral expectations ahead of time which they had to sign and return to the priests.

Playing dodgeball

In the early evening, the boys got to serve their first traditional Latin Mass. John has served two private Masses in a home, but this was his first in a church.

John waiting before Mass beneath the St. John Bosco stained glass window: how appropriate!

John sitting still

The first duty of an altar boy is to learn how to SIT STILL. I hear report from Daddy that John did a good job sitting very still for more than an hour, only fidgeting his hands a bit. (Of course, who had much energy left to fidget after doing sports most of the time for the prior five hours? Can we parents, mothers especially, learn some lessons here?)

Mama is overjoyed and the obvious only occurred to me after receiving these photos: I would not be witnessing my firstborn son serve his first Mass, which I've dreamed of for so many years. I always assumed I'd be there!

John's feet don't reach the floor

Chris called home at 8:30 p.m. to check in and I answered, thinking that everyone was settling in for bedtime. Actually, they were done with the Mass and the boys were changing back into their sports clothes to play soccer.

"They're starting a soccer game at eight thirty at night?! When are they going to bed?"

"After the bonfire."

"They're playing soccer and having a bonfire before going to bed!" (Yes, the bonfire where the Army sergeant-turned-priest will give a pocket knife usage and safety lesson: boy heaven!)

And, of course, Mama's soft heart is all worried about her boy not getting enough sleep because what? he might die? Because he might have so much fun, play so many sports, have so much great character formation, and learn so much about the Mass for three whole days before he gets back to his regular routine that what exactly bad might happen to him?

Right. Nothing. These will probably be the best three days of his young life thus far.