SOS Missionary program

Are you a young adult who:

  • Needs some dedicated time to figure out what God is calling you to?
  • Have a desire to serve youth and help guide them to Jesus?
  • Desires a faith-filled community?
  • Longs to grow deeper in your prayer life?
  • Wants to learn practical leadership skills?
  • Enjoys spending time in God's natural creation?
  • Is looking for a year of adventure and blessed fun?


If so, this missionary program might be for you!


Continue scrolling for more information.

"He will provide the way and the means, such as you could never have imagined. 

leave it to him, let go of yourself.

Lose yourself on the cross and you will find your self entirely."

-St. Catherine of Siena

Prayer

Inspire a relationship with God through Prayer and Discernment


"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)


Missionaries are exposed to many different forms of prayer, drawing nearer to Christ and growing in closer relationship with Him. Missionaries will establish a base of prayer while growing as missionary disciples and being guided through the process of vocational discernment.


Mass Circle Spiritual Direction Circle  Community Prayer Circle Group Bible Study Circle  Individual Prayer

community

Foster a joy-filled community of faith


"Two are greater than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help." 

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)


Missionaries will live in community with 3-5 other missionaries and will learn to serve with and for one another. They will have the opportunity for teambuilding, conflict resolution and good old fashioned Camp fun on the shores of Loon Lake!


Community Living Skills Circle  Virtue Formation Circle  Community Service Circle  Team Bonding

leadership

Grow in personal development, leadership, and team building skills


"But whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant." 

(Matthew 20:26)


Throughout the course of the year, missionaries will explore servant leadership. Reflecting on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the will learn how to lead both their peers and young people into deeper relationships with God, each other, and the world around them.


Catechism Formation Circle  Mens/Womens Groups Circle  Peer Lead Prayer Circle  Holy Hour

stewardship

Promote stewardship for all God's gifts


"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." (1 Peter 4:10)


Through charism discernment and practical application, our missionaries will explore different ways to use their gifts both to help Camp grow and improve and to contribute to their wider community.


Charism Discernment Circle  Care for Creation Circle  Maintenance

Requirements

  • 18 years of age with a high school diploma
  • Confirmed in the Catholic Church
  • Desire to grow in prayer, community, leadership, and stewardship
  • Enjoy being in God's Creation
  • Commitment to one missionary year

benefits

  • Housing, food, and monthly stipend
  • Discipleship formation
  • Spiritual Direction
  • Retreats, team bonding trips, and access to the Sacraments
  • Growth in relationship with God, missionary team, and Camp community

FAQ

Below are some of our Frequently Asked Questions. Have questions that aren't answered here? Contact us here - we would love to chat!

  • Due to the generosity of local donors and the Catholic Foundation, our missionaries DO NOT have to fundraise anything for their year of mission work.

  • COME BACK IN SPRING OF 2025 TO...

    1. Complete the Application form.

    2. Contact two references to complete a letter of recommendation. These letters should be sent to camptekakwitha@gbdioc.org. One should be from a priest/youth or campus minister/Spiritual mentor. The other should be from a work supervisor or a personal reference. None of these should be from family members.

    3. We will reach out and set up an interview time with you once we have received both the application and the letters of recommendation. 

  • SUNDAY - Retreats

    MONDAY - Off Day

    TUESDAY - Prayer (Mass, spiritual direction, community prayer, group Bible study, individual prayer)

    WEDNESDAY - Community (community living skills, virtue formation, community service, team bonding)

    THURSDAY - Leadership (catechism formation, mens & womens groups, peer lead prayer, holy hour)

    FRIDAY - Stewardship (charism and gift discernment, environmental stewardship, maintenance)

    SATURDAY - Retreats

  • SOS has a double meaning. Camp Tekakwitha is named after St. Kateri Tekakwitha, so it was fitting to name the Missionary Program after St. Kateri's namesake, St. Catherine of Siena. Our missionaries (the Servants of Siena) follow St. Catherine and St. Kateri's example in their dedication to prayer, service of others and finding Truth. 


    SOS, a distress signal, is also a representation of the necessity of calling on God and those around us for help. Missionaries explore the tension between freedom and the necessity of asking help. 

    • Grow in holiness, vocational discernment, and missionary discipleship
    • Provide "encounter" experiences for those who come on retreat (and anyone who walks onto our grounds)
    • Accompany youth on their path to discipleship
    • Facilitate Camp Tekakwitha retreats and rentals
    • Extend hospitality to all those who visit
    • Engage in a variety of prayer experiences and share those experiences with their peers and visitors at Camp
    • Serve fellow missionaries and the greater Diocesan community
    • Maintain beauty across Camp
  • Our missionaries get to stay on site at Camp all year long! They will stay in the Staff Quarters which has one male bedroom/bathroom and one female bedroom/bathroom with a shared kitchen area.