Prince William County Catholic July 2020 Issue 9

by Natalie Sutton and Kateri Foos

Editor’s note: We are very grateful for the previous Teen Corner articles written by Mackenzie Howard and Mary Marcell who recently graduated high school and will be moving on to college. Please welcome our new Teen Corner writers Kateri Foos and Natalie Sutton

Kateri Foos and I, Natalie Sutton, have been life-long friends and, to be fair, living 2-doors down from each other has made this very easy to be possible. Kateri comes from a beautiful family that has been blessed with 11 children including her. I am my parents’ only living child, (2 in heaven), yet Kateri and her 10 siblings have become like my siblings and I cherish them every day.

Kateri is 16 and I am 17 years old and we both have been parishioners of Our Lady of Angels (OLA) Catholic Church in Woodbridge since the day we were born. Both of us heard about Diocesan Work Camp long before we were even eligible to attend. When the time for Work Camp rolled around the teenagers that would be attending camp that year from OLA would line up in front of the altar after Mass for a special announcement promoting Work Camp. Kateri and I were exposed to this announcement every year, long before we could even attend. When both of us were finally eligible to attend Work Camp, it was an experience we both would never forget. It was a time like no other, with amazing guest speakers and music each night. Meeting new people has also been something the both of us loved doing and Work Camp was a perfect place to do that since the work crews each of us would be assigned to would be filled with people we had never met before. It was just one of those experiences that you wanted to keep enjoying.

I have participated in Work Camp for three years now, and Kateri has participated the past two years. We both love attending Work Camp because we each look forward to helping others in need. Work Camp is all about going out into communities in need, and we help them repair the homes there and care for the people who live in these communities. It gives us a sense of accomplishment when we help people who need it the most . The joy on these peoples’ faces means everything, and their gratitude is abundant. This is what keeps drawing us to Work Camp each year.

Work Camp is definitely one of the ways that someone can be involved with their parish. Kateri helps her family change the linens on the altar at OLA, helps decorate the church for

all Liturgical holidays, and changes out the misselettes in the pews. Kateri notes that being involved with your parish “makes you feel closer to God when you do things for the Church.” I am part of the Daughters of Veronica in Eucharistic Stewardship (D.O.V.E.S). ministry at OLA. We help prepare the chalices before Mass and assist with clean-up afterwards. I also am a Lector at late-afternoon Sunday Masses. I believe that when I am involved in my parish, that I am going that extra mile to serve the Lord and after I do my duty of serving in the parish, I feel extremely accomplished. I know that I did something good. Kateri and I both urge all teens who want to participate in their parishes to go for it! “Doing things for the Lord gives you such great joy!” says Kateri. Since participating in Work Camp is such a big way to be involved with our parish, Kateri and I had to return for yet another year. However, we knew this year was going to be much different. Covid-19 had hit and was in full swing. What would become of Work Camp? The Diocese of Arlington was quick on their feet with producing a new plan for this year’s Work Camp. They called it “Work Camp Reboot.” The plan would be for participants to help perform community service and work in regional areas local to each parish. While this was still a very fun, different program, there were many challenges presented. For one, Kateri and I were unable to meet new teens, our favorite part of Work Camp. We also would not be able to work on bigger projects, such as building a deck or working on the roof of a house. The nightly activities after each work day also would change.. Kateri and I always looked forward to hearing the talks they would have at the program and we would also enjoy singing with Steve Agrasano, who was a very famous attendee of Work Camp. While there were still talks and singing, it was all done virtually, which is not quite as fun as doing it in person. Technical difficulties were also a worry, and on the first night there was a technical problem. However, despite all these variances and adjustments, we both made the best of Work Camp. We were able to connect on a deeper level with the teens in our own parish. Another great thing that came out of this was we are now able to see the great work we all did because it was done locally, such as the new sign that was put up in front of the St. Vincent de Paul building at OLA. It is something that will always be there as a memory.

Kateri and I both hope your families stay safe during the ongoing pandemic, and we urge you all to pray for strength and perseverance and to remember that something good always comes out of a setback.