This summer, St James’ Parish came alive with the joy and energy of nearly 60 young people who took part in our 2025 Parish Camp – two incredible weeks filled with prayer, learning, adventure and friendship.
We began on 23rd July with a powerful opening day. Br André led us in prayer, inviting everyone to reflect on the Parable of the Good Samaritan – a reminder of the call to show love and compassion to those around us. Fr Jacob deepened our understanding of the Eucharist in a catechism session, before we joined the parish for Mass on the feast of St Bridget of Sweden. In the afternoon, the group headed off for an action-packed session at Ninja Warrior, where teamwork, laughter, and a few sore muscles set the tone for the days to come!
The first week included two lively Competition Days, with plenty of games, prizes and healthy rivalry – congratulations to Bobby, who won the first round! We also enjoyed delicious Domino’s pizza and beautiful weather as the parish gardens became a playground of joy.
25th July marked the Feast of St James, our parish’s patron. We gathered for Mass early in the morning before heading to Alton Towers for a full day of rollercoasters, courage and laughter – a real highlight of the camp!
The week concluded on 27th July with Sunday Mass and a trip to Southport for bowling and laser tag, before saying goodbye to the first group of campers.
After a short pause, week two kicked off on 30th July, welcoming a new group made up of altar servers, Brownies, members of our choir and students from The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco. We were also blessed to be joined by the Salesian Sisters GBR, who brought fresh energy and joy to the camp.
Once again, the days were full of faith and fun – mornings began with prayer, catechism and Mass, and afternoons brought new adventures. The group returned to Ninja Warrior, enjoyed more competition days (well done to Divine and Sara, our winners!), and spent another unforgettable day at Alton Towers.
On 3rd August, the camp came to a close. As we gathered for the final Mass and said our goodbyes, there was a real sense of gratitude – for new friendships made, for time spent together, and for the chance to grow closer to Christ.
A heartfelt thank you goes to our Youth Active Team, the Salesian Brothers and the Salesian Sisters, whose dedication and joy made this camp possible. And of course, thank you to the young people and their families – your enthusiasm and faith brought life to every moment of the two weeks.
As we look back on St James’ Parish Camp 2025, we give thanks to God for all the blessings we received. May the memories made continue to inspire our young people to live with the joy of the Gospel – and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back for next year’s adventure!
