You will work, serve tirelessly, think deeply, celebrate Mass and build relationships. You will dance, laugh until your side hurts, pray, change on the inside and be a part of transforming lives and communities for Christ. You will never be the same! The heart of CHWC is to gather and celebrate our Catholic faith. Each camper will receive a renewed faith through the Eucharist, youth-friendly liturgies, reconciliation and community building.
The CHWC Mission
To share the love of Christ as we serve the neglected, brokenhearted and the marginalized in any way needed. Equally, to inspire participant to live as disciples of Christ through serving others as a way fo life; and to foster the Catholic faith of each pariticpant through the sacraments prayer and involvement in social service. Our volunteers work with many agencies, parishes and Catholic Schools in the Paterson, Newark and Elizabeth areas. We also branch out into less urban areas of North Jersey. The worksites include homeless shelters, food pantries, low-income preschools, a friary, group homes for individuals with disabilities, Senior daycare, a nursing home and a convent, just to highlight a few.
Want More Info?
Below are some links that may assist you in your decision making:
Photo Albums
from Previous years!
PHOTO ALBUM • 2023 PHOTO ALBUM • 2022
PHOTO ALBUM • 2021
PHOTO ALBUM • 2019
PHOTO ALBUM • 2018
PHOTO ALBUM • 2017
2023 Theme: MADE FOR MORE
July 16-21, 2023 in North Haledon, New Jersey
On Sunday, July 16, 11 teens and 5 chaperones—including Fr. Fernando—left for North Haledon, NJ to serve the less fortunate in the name of Jesus, while deepening their connection to Christ through daily Mass, Adoration, and Christ-centered fun! They spent just under a week serving the members of that local community alongside their peers from our Collaborative and beyond...
Jesus came so we could have life to the fullest. Life with Him offers MORE. Because of Jesus, we can have a life of abundance. Of greatness. A life MORE fulfilling, satisfying, and remarkable than we can imagine.
A life with Christ is what we were made for.
We are God’s masterpiece, created for a purpose and destiny. Scripture is filled with Him telling us of the great works we are capable of. We were created to be more than bystanders. Christ invites us into a beautiful existence of being loved by Him and calls us to share that love with others through the unique gifts He has given each of us. He fills us up so we can overflow into the lives of others.
Join us this summer and discover MORE ways to use your gifts, experience MORE self-love, & embrace MORE of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
2022 Theme: UPSIDE DOWN
July 17-23, 2022 in North Haledon, New Jersey
Jesus takes the world’s view and turns it upside down.
Worldly authorities seek
power, prestige, beauty and winning at all cost.
Jesus’ counter-cultural message however, is a call to turn the social ladder upside-down.
Scripture is filled with upside-down paradoxical statements.
“In order to gain life you must lose it” or “God’s power is made perfect in weakness”.
Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be first will be last and the servant of all in the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:43 states whoever wants to become great must be a servant.
Jesus demonstrated radical opposition to the dominant culture by serving and making friends with those in need. He was a servant who triumphed by losing.
He traded victory and power for hanging out with the poor and forgiving his enemies.
His approach is not measured by what people have but on what they give.
Gods’ ways are not our ways, they are better.
Join us this summer
to further discover what Gods’ upside down approach to life looks like.
2021 Theme: I AM
July 18-23, 2021 in North Haledon, New Jersey
On Sunday, July 18th, 10 youth, 5 adult volunteers and a Pastor travelled to North Haledon, NJ where they spent just under a week serving the members of that local community alongside their peers from Chelmsford, Lowell and beyond!
“I AM”
These words can be found in the Bible hundreds of times.
They refer to God, who is the Great I AM.
Through all space and time,
God continues to declare “I AM who I AM”.
God is not dead;
He is not only the God of long ago.
He is the God who will always live forever and ever,
who is alive today and beckons us into relationship
by reassuring us, “I AM who I AM.”
He is the God we meet in the Eucharist,
in prayer, and in our service to His kingdom.
We are pulled in an overwhelming
number of directions when trying to discover our identity.
We seek belonging and purpose in so many places.
Still, the fullness of our worth can only be found in one place.
Our truest identity is being children of the Great I AM.
This summer, CHWC invites you
to ask yourself the question: “Who am I?”
Join us as we discover the answer to this question
by encountering the great I AM
through love, service, and connection to His people.
2019 Theme: RADIANT
July 21-26, 2019 in North Haledon, New Jersey
15 of our youth, alongside 6 adult volunteers, traveled to North Haledon, New Jersey to live out the call to be radiant followers of Christ. They were called to illuminate their Catholic faith in their lives and in the lives of those they served through their words and deeds.
We are called to illuminate our Catholic faith in our lives and the lives of others through our words and deeds. Each of us can be a source of light to a darkened world when we lead with love and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, for He assured us in John 8:12 when He said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
2018 Theme: ECHO
July 22-28, 2018 in Oil City, Pennsylvania
20 of our youth, alongside 5 adult volunteers traveled to Oil City, Pennsylvania as they answered the call to imitate the very acts of love and kindness that He demonstrated throughout His life on earth. We are called to ECHO the heart of Jesus in our world today by serving the neglected, brokenhearted, and marginalized members of society. Join us for a week this summer to ECHO Christ’s love in communities across the country as we form friendships, grow in Spirit, and make memories that will last a lifetime.
2017 Theme: ROOTED
July 23rd - 28th, 2017 in Allentown, Pennsylvania
24 of our youth, alongside 8 adult volunteers traveled to Allentown Pennsylvania to share the hope of being ROOTED in the truth that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! In this world of constant and uncertain change, we are called to find hope in being ROOTED in the truth that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) We all know this journey is not a simple one, but when we are ROOTED in the choice to join together, we can lead others to walk with His purpose in mind. Through service to others we are challenged to walk in someone else’s shoes and to open our eyes to the needs of people. This deep and important connection is at the heart of, and is ROOTED in, the social mission of the Church.
2016 Theme: BESIEGE
July 17th - 22nd, 2016 in Morgantown, North Carolina
30 of our youth, alongside 7 adult volunteers, traveled to Morgantown, North Carolina to spend a week 'besieging' and encircling the community with the love of Christ. In their 'off-time,' our youth were fuled by the CHWC team with a vast array of srpiritual activities meant to bring them closer to the Lord, that they may share Him with those they serve.
2015 Theme: AMPLIFY
July 26th - August 1st, 2015 in Arlington, New Jersey
38 of our youth, alongside 12 adult volunteers, traveled to Arlington, New Jersey to spend a week increasing, boosting and magnifying love and kindness and generosity to those in need.