Going out to the deep
BELMONT — Nearly 60 young women gathered at Belmont Abbey College June 26-30 for discussions, prayer and fellowship – all aimed at helping them explore what vocation God may be calling them to: consecrated religious life, marriage and motherhood, or the single life.
“Duc In Altum” is part summer camp, part retreat and comes from the Latin phrase for “put out into the deep” – the words Jesus said to Peter in Luke’s Gospel on the shores of Galilee, prompting him to go into deep water and lower his nets for a catch.
The Diocese of Charlotte vocations camp was organized by the Daughters of the Virgin Mother, a Gastonia-based apostolate that supports vocations in the diocese.
This year’s theme “Once Upon A Time” gave speakers the opportunity to use the fairy tale as a tool for teaching about our Lord’s Providence and grace in each person’s life, along with various adventures and pitfalls in life, and the “happily ever after” that comes only through the pursuit of God and holiness.
“We delved into the distortion of the fairy tale that people fall into, such as expecting happily ever after from material, earthly goods and self determined plans that end up falling like a house of cards,” said Sister Mary Raphael, an organizer of the camp. “Ultimately, our desire was to leave these young women with a deep sense of God’s love for them and the knowledge that He has a beautiful plan for each of their lives.”
Campers attended talks and workshops as well as adoration and took part team-building games. Monsignor Patrick Winslow, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, offered the closing Mass for campers at Mary, Help of Christians Basilica.
— Spencer K.M. Brown and Troy Hull. Photos by Troy Hull and Bridget O'Boyle
