Catholic Heart Workcamp coming to Temple this summer
In the summer of 2021, I had the opportunity to be a chaperone for 20 high school students from my parish on a mission trip to St. Croix. Not only was it the first mission trip for our parish youth, it was also the first mission trip I had ever experienced myself.
In the summer of 2021, I had the opportunity to be a chaperone for 20 high school students from my parish on a mission trip to St. Croix. Not only was it the first mission trip for our parish youth, it was also the first mission trip I had ever experienced myself.
We stayed at a local Catholic school for a week, along with 100 other students from cities across the country. The accommodations were far from luxurious — we slept in small school classrooms, and for showers, we used pop-up tents set up along a walking path, with water hoses draped through the tops of the tents to serve as makeshift showers.
We were not there for luxury, we were there to help the less fortunate, and it was a privilege to have the opportunity. The trip renewed my faith and energized me, and I could not wait to plan the next summer’s trip. We took more students on mission trips in the summers of 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
During these years, a strong desire began to grow in me: to bring this same kind of mission experience to Temple. So I began working with Catholic Heart Workcamp to make this dream a reality.
Thanks to the support of Father Will Rooney, the pastor of St. Mary Parish and School in Temple, St. Mary’s Catholic School will host Catholic Heart Workcamp this June. High schoolers and their chaperones from all over the country and particularly from the Diocese of Austin are invited to come together June 28-July 4 in Temple to serve God and the community.
During the week, the campers will deepen their relationships with Christ not only by helping God’s people but also by making sacrifices, participating in the sacraments, and encountering their brothers and sisters in Christ.
Catholic Heart Workcamp is celebrating 33 years of serving communities and growing in faith, as they offer service opportunities each summer all around the country. The mission of these camps is to empower Catholics of all ages to surrender to God’s will by stepping out of their comfort zones and serving people in need.
Catholic Heart Workcamp’s mission is to help the campers see the needs of the world and to grow their faith as disciples of Christ. From personal experience, I know they will carry these experiences with them for the rest of their lives. Teens return home ready to serve as they are energized and motivated to do more after having seen the fruits of their service during the camp.
I invite parish youth groups to consider coming to Catholic Heart Workcamp in Temple this summer. It will be a week of love, service and connection for all.
For more information call (254) 760-3330 or visit heartworkcamp.com/temple-tx.
Paula Orf is a parishioner of St. Luke Parish in Temple. She and her husband have been married for 26 years and recently became empty nesters. When they are not volunteering at their parish or local Catholic school — whether by preparing meals or coordinating events — they enjoy spending time with their two dogs and traveling.
