Sunday Snippet: Faith Life At WeHaKee
ALL are welcome at WeHaKee… and have been since 1923! WeHaKee Camp for Girls is the only all-girls camp in the nation created and sponsored by Catholic Sisters, the Dominicans of Sinsinawa. We are proud of our Catholic faith heritage and it is deeply rooted in who we are. But it is equally important to note that these Sisters have been refreshingly intentional in making sure WeHaKee is truly open to ALL GIRLS!
At WeHaKee, it has been our tradition to be welcoming toward and accepting of all girls no matter where they may be on their spiritual journey. We treat each girl respectfully and never advocate one religious approach over another. At any given time, girls who celebrate being Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, and other Christian faiths interact respectfully and joyfully with those who celebrate being Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Unitarian, and others along with those who may not identify a faith tradition. We focus on our commonalities while seeking to learn more about our differences in an accepting environment throughout camp.
The WeHaKee experience is about embracing the universal values of Community, Compassion, Justice, Truth, and Peace. Upon those values, we build a camp experience that cherishes what each girl brings. At WeHaKee it is about LIVING these values within our own spiritual beliefs in all we do on a daily basis to build stronger, more positive relationships while embracing the unique differences within each of us.
As a Catholic girls camp, we offer Sunday Mass where the entire camp community comes together. We present Mass in such a way that those campers and staff who may identify another faith tradition, feel welcome and accepted and they can participate at a level that is comfortable for them. Other than being present, no other expectations are placed on each person attending Mass.
We also conclude each day with Evening Prayer, where each cabin group has a chance (with staff guidance and support) to lead the camp community in short prayers, songs, and skits. This 10 to 15-minute gathering in our beautiful lakeside chapel provides each of us a chance to reflect on all that we have received and encourages us to embrace a sense of gratitude.
Our campers and staff consistently share that they have felt accepted without judgment at WeHaKee regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey. All are truly welcome on the shores of Hunter Lake!
