by John Horvat II
The camp manager said it best in the beginning.
“In my 13 years as a camp manager, I’ve
never seen a program like this one. It is going to be hard but
I think you are all going to benefit from it.”
The TFP’s 2nd Annual Call to Chivalry Summer
Camp for boys in Louisiana really was quite different. The focus
was not on computers or basketball like other camps but on Catholic
heroism
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| Instructor
Byron Whitcraft talks about the most important Revolutions
in the West to an attentive audience. |
The July 1-10 camp in rural Norwood near the Mississippi
border put together the right mix of prayer, study, outings
and games making it an unforgettable experience for the 12-18
year-old participants. It was equally memorable for some accompanying
dads who provided plenty of support and Cajun cooking. This
year’s boys came from Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and even
faraway Scotland.
Heroes Past and Present
TFP speakers also put together a series of lectures that called
to mind the Catholic heroes of times past. However, it was very
clear that these age-old values of the Faith are not to remain
in the past but be applied to the modern world.
The program’s lectures and talks were based
on many of the principles developed in Revolution and Counter-Revolution
by Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira. Participants studied
the four most important Revolutions in the West: the Protestant
Revolution, the French Revolution, the Russian Communist Revolution
and the “hippy” revolution of the Sixties.
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A knight on horseback rallied his side during the
"medieval games."
|
They also discussed inspiring examples of Catholic
heroism and chivalry such as the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.
Honorary Albanian Consul Bret Clesi spoke on the Catholic hero
Skanderbeg. Theatrical presentations helped illustrate the points
and the boys were encouraged to discuss and debate revolutionary
trends in culture they might confront in their daily lives.
“We sought to instill in the boys the idea
that they must be heroes today in a world very hostile to the
Faith,” said Thomas Drake, head of the TFP’s Louisiana
office. “I was surprised at how readily they accepted
the challenge.”
Body and Soul
There can be no real heroism without prayer. Thus, there was
a spiritual dimension to the camp. From the raising of the papal,
American and TFP flags in the morning to the torch-lit rosary
procession at night, the role of prayer was emphasized before
and after every meal, event or game.
Msgr. Robert Berggreen of St. Agnes parish in
Baton Rouge delivered talks on examination of conscience and
Confirmation, which he termed the sacrament of courage.
There was even a night “vigil of arms”
where potential young knights prayed a half hour in the middle
of the night asking for the graces to confront the very different
peaceful and legal moral battles of today.
“I was impressed by how seriously they took
their prayer,” said TFP camp instructor Michael Whitcraft.
“They proved that you can be manly and prayerful at the
same time.”
Plenty of physical activity was worked into the
program which included swimming, canoeing, horseback riding,
field games and hiking. Field trips to the Vicksburg National
Military Park, the Port Hudson State Historical Site and historic
Natchez, Miss., gave an historical American perspective to the
course.
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| Msgr.
Berggreen present souvenirs at the final banquet. |
A Festive End
The high point of the summer course was the closing medieval
games and banquet. Parents joined their sons to watch the activities.
Knights on horseback rallied two teams who tested their courage
and knightly qualities in “medieval games” which
ended with a grueling yet satisfying obstacle course race.
The closing banquet began with a Rosary procession
leading into the woods where a picnic pavilion was almost magically
transformed into a medieval banquet hall. The Cajun cuisine
was indeed a royal treat as parents, sons and TFP supporters
feasted and the final speeches given. Msgr. Berggreen presented
souvenirs to the boys and prayed as the exciting week ended.
Ended? Yes, but it also began another phase in
the lives of the participants. They were invited to put the
lessons learned to good use. They were asked to prove that chivalry
is not dead. Catholic heroism lives on precisely where it is
needed -- in the souls of Catholic youth who will face so many
obstacles to live their Faith.
