History of Catholic Youth Camp
In 1945, Archbishop of St. Paul, John Gregory Murray assigned a young priest, Father Jack Sweeney, to direct the Catholic Youth Center of St. Paul. The Catholic Youth Center ran a variety of youth programs for Catholic children and teens. Father Sweeney wanted to expand programming and suggested a camping program in 1946. That summer, he took 65 boys to Itasca State Park in Northern Minnesota. From that experience, Fr. Sweeney proposed the idea of founding a camp.
In 1947, changes to the property tax laws meant that John Kessler, a local funeral home director, was going to be paying much higher taxes for his hunting lodge in Aitkin County. He offered the property to Fr. Sweeney and the CYC Boys Camp found a home on Big Sandy Lake in McGregor, Minnesota. Contrary to popular belief, Catholic Youth Camp has never been part of the Archdiocese. Catholic Youth Camp began as an independent organization with its first summer of camp programming in 1947.
Father Jack was a great salesman. He ran camp on a shoestring, but found support from all over.
Ted Collins, original CYC staffer
Fr. Sweeney worked hard to raise money, seeking donations from individuals in the community and local organizations like the Catholic Parents Club and Knights of Columbus, and received food donations from local grocery stores.
Catholic Youth Camp was incorporated as a nonprofit organization July 15, 1949. The first meeting of the Board of Directors was held December 1, 1949, when Father Jack Sweeney was appointed president of the board.
In the late 1960s the organization expanded programming to include female campers. By the end of the 1970s, participation had nearly doubled in a ten year period.
From the late 1980s through the late 1990s, Catholic Youth Camp saw tremendous growth in program registrations, facility developments, donations, and community involvement. Platform tents were replaced with cabins, an 8 bedroom building was constructed, and two pieces of adjoining land were purchased (including a house that was remodeled for staff housing), enabling the construction of a maintenance facility. In 1996, program registration reached an all-time record of 1,530 participants for the summer. In 1997, the organization completed Sweeney Lodge, an $800,000 facility with a new kitchen, dining hall and bathroom facilities.
Since the 2000s, CYC has established itself as a premier resident camp as well as Minnesota’s only Catholic resident camp. CYC offers programming for youth 8–17 years old and continues the work Father Jack Sweeney began in 1947.
CYC’s Mission
Catholic Youth Camp exists as a quality Catholic camping experience so kids can unplug, connect with God and make friends in an atmosphere of faith, community & prayer.
The CYC Vision
- Catholic Youth Camp allows kids to unplug so they can make authentic connections with peers and with Christ.
- CYC’s intentional program teaches life and social skills in a traditional, rustic camp setting, so campers go home more confident in themselves and their faith.
- CYC’s purpose is to inspire a lifelong relationship with Christ, thereby strengthening the greater Catholic community.
The Catholic Youth Camp Identity
Leading with Love & Intentionality
Staff, volunteers & board members are joyfully grounded, present & attentive, eager to make all feel seen, heard & valued.
Shepherding with Grace
CYC celebrates the good, moving forward with hope, clear vision and aligned with the Catholic faith, offering age appropriate faith experiences to all campers.
Serving Faithfully, Reflecting Christ
Leadership is faith forward, hands on & humble, honoring the responsibilities, duties, and expectations of their roles.
The Goals of CYC
At CYC each child should experience:
- A deeper relationship with God through the Catholic faith, prayer & worship
- A connection with counselors as positive role models of faith
- An appreciation of God’s gift in nature
- Overnight camp in a traditional, rustic and authentic camp setting
CYC in the Community
Catholic Youth Camp is building relationships with Catholic dioceses and parishes across Minnesota, and locally with the community in McGregor, MN where the camp is located. If you would like to partner with CYC, invite CYC to share at your church, school or community, or simply hear more, please contact erika@cycamp.org.
We are grateful to Monsignor John Sweeney (Father Jack)
In 1947, Father Jack founded Catholic Youth Camp to help young people achieve a healthy respect for and love of Catholic values. He encouraged an appreciation for God’s great outdoors and embraced the theme of the North American Martyrs with a focus on the virtues of Courage, Community, Cooperation, Charity and Christ.