About
St. Thomas Aquinas Summer Camp was established in 1981, by Father William Jenkins, in Ridgefield, Connecticut on seminary grounds. Over the years, multiple locations were rented for the boys and girls camp, before the current site was purchased in 2007. Situated on 58 acres of beautiful countryside, the campground has 16 acres of fields, while the rest remains forested. Hundreds of children and dozens of counselors from nearly twenty states attend each year.
St. Thomas Aquinas Summer Camp's Mission
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Summer Camp is centered around religion and sports. Sports, properly directed, develops character, makes a man courageous, a loser generous, and a victor gracious. With these ideals, sports help to glorify God. Sports can never be an end in itself, but must help boys and girls to save their souls. Softness is dispelled and manly virtues are instilled in youth by sports.
There is a tremendous amount of good done at camp each year by the counselors, staff, Sisters, and Priests. I never had camp as a child, but I want to see no child deprived of this privilege; of this chance to have fun; of the opportunity to be fortified in the Catholic Faith.
-Fr. Joseph Greenwell
Values
With the Catholic example provided by the various Priests, Seminarians, Brothers, Sisters and Christian laypeople, your children will grow in virtue. They will have ample opportunity to practice these virtues alongside other Catholic children.
Faith
The daily routine of the camp is a testament to the Catholic Faith. Daily activities include morning and evening prayers, Mass, Benediction and rosary. Processions to the Fatima shrine and other statued areas also takes place. The wonderful examples set by the priests and religious, as well as the fine Catholic volunteers, provides an atmosphere of true faith and devotion.
Sleeping & Eating
The lodges consist of a counselor quarters with two bunk beds. There are two camper sections per building, each having six bunk beds for a total of 24 campers per building. A staff building provides additional lodging for the religious.
Three homemade hearty meals a day, plus a canteen time in the evening, are all served in the dining hall located in the pavilion and the covered outside dining area.
Amenities
The campground is a 58 acre mix of fields and forest. It includes a chapel; pavilion (dining hall); bathhouse; five lodges; staff building; two sand volleyball courts; basketball court/hockey arena; soccer field; softball field; bombardment field; airsoft field; gun range; clay shooting field; fishing/canoeing pond; 78k gallon, 30x60 pool; orchard with bee hives; forest trail Stations of the Cross and bonfire area.
"My child has had the opportunity to participate in and enjoy things I loved as a child."
"That was the highlight of my summer; of my whole year!"
"Our Lord is present there, in the Blessed Sacrament, day and night throughout the camps."