A Camp Tradition: Bishop DiMarzio Celebrates Mass for Boy Scout Campers

Tags: Currents Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, Boy Scouts, Brooklyn, NY, Catholic Education, Faith, Family, Girl Scouts, Inspiration, Media, Queens, NY

By Emily Drooby       

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, a former Boy Scout and scout leader before he entered the seminary, traveled 120 miles to Ten Mile Island Boy Scout Camp on Aug. 3.

 The scout’s motto is be prepared – and they sure were. They welcomed their guests with the perfect camp meal: sloppy joes, tater tots and chocolate pudding.

Boys and girls at Ten Mile River Scout Camps are enjoying a classic wilderness lunch and a visit from the bishop of Brooklyn.

“I’m really grateful for that, because he traveled all the way over here to see us and to be with us,” said Girl Scout Victoria Pena. “So it’s just amazing.”

This is Victoria’s second year here. She first came in 2019 – the first year girls were invited.

The bishop celebrates Mass at the campsite every summer. Except last year, when the pandemic kept them closed. He calls it a great program.

“It’s a leadership training program for the most part,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “It teaches young people how to lead and how to find ways to improve their lives.”

When he was a scout, the bishop earned the rank of “Life,” the second-highest honor.

The highest is Eagle Scout–– that’s camper Cory Van Huele’s dream–– and this week-long camp gets him one step closer.

“It’s been very fantastic for the past two or three days, so far I have been getting my merit badges up to date,” Cory said.

Cory also came all the way from Queens, New York.

Typically, this camp receives roughly two thousand kids. That number will be lower this year because of COVID. But, it’s still the place to be for Boy and Girl Scouts all over New York city.

 If you are interested in joining the scouts or enrolling your child, you’ll need to find a meeting near you. Just go to BEASCOUT.SCOUTING.ORG