The Martyrs and the Molcajete
FSSP Mexico Camp Frassati 2024
The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter operates two apostolates in Mexico: one in Mexico City and another in Guadalajara. The latter recently hosted its fourth annual boys’ camp, Campamento Beato Giorgio Frassati. Similar to the American St. John Bosco Camps, Camp Frassati offers boys a chance to grow in faith and virtue through a rigorous yet enjoyable week of outdoor activities, guided by priests and seminarians.
As a former Boy Scout, I can attest to the formative power of summer camps. While some may see them merely as opportunities for fun and roasting marshmallows, the truth is much deeper. The boys are tasked with responsibilities—setting up tents, for example—that teach diligence and the consequences of inaction, like lacking a place to sleep. They learn valuable life skills and the essence of responsibility.
Faith and Formation
The primary goal of Camp Frassati extends beyond life skills: it aims to make saints out of the boys. The camp’s motto, “Verso L’alto!” (To the heights!), borrowed from Bl. Pier Giorgio, reflects this mission. Daily activities such as Morning Prayers, Mass, Rosary, and Night Prayers, along with various talks, help turn the boys’ minds toward Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Saints.
Focus on Martyrs
This year’s camp emphasized Martyrs and their virtues, particularly fortitude. The schedule was filled with physical activities and competitions, like soccer, races, swimming, arm wrestling, and the boys’ favorite, capture the flag. From day one, boys were divided into teams and tasked with creating team flags. This fostered a sense of camaraderie and purpose among the 34 boys, who ranged in age from 8 to 17. Points were awarded not only for victories in games but also for virtuous behavior, including obedience and charity.
Seminarian and Cultural Integration
Three seminarians—one Mexican and two Americans—organized the camp alongside Fr. Joel Pinto, FSSP, an assistant pastor at Guadalajara’s Nuestra Señora de Pilar parish. Despite the language barrier, the Americans, trained through the Fraternity’s St. Junipero Serra Spanish Immersion Program, successfully communicated and bonded with the boys. Mr. Jacob Sievek, for example, became particularly popular after teaching the boys how to play “fútbol americano”.
Mexican Culture and Traditions
The camp director, Mr. Ricardo Ramón Ascencio, FSSP., ensured that the boys felt at home with traditional Mexican meals like chilaquiles and gorditas,
Molcajete
prepared by dedicated volunteer dads. Talks on the Cristero Martyrs and local legends added to the cultural immersion. The camp’s trophy, a coveted molcajete—a large stone bowl shaped like a pig—symbolized the spirit of competition and victory.
This unique trophy resides on a kitchen shelf at Casa Cristo Rey throughout the year, serving as a lasting memory and symbol for the boys. While its exact symbolism may be elusive, it represents a striking and memorable part of their spiritual journey, as St. Thomas Aquinas suggested, “the unusual strikes us more, and so makes a greater and stronger impression on the mind.”
