WELLINGTON | Embracing the theme “Let’s Make Some Waves,” summer made quite a splash during vacation Bible school July 11-15 at St. Rita Parish in Wellington. Students in prekindergarten through fifth grade learned about Bible verses and scientific principles, along with songs and dances, crafts and helping the less fortunate.
Donna Roselli, vacation Bible school coordinator, bulletin editor and upper elementary youth leader at the parish, said the theme was chosen to teach the children about how their actions affect the world.
Each day focused on a Bible story to illustrate a virtue, including the wedding at Cana (obedience), Jesus curing the paralyzed man who was lifted down through a hole in the roof (helping others), the feeding of 5,000 (faith), and Jesus and Peter walking on water (trust). The final day was centered on the Eucharist (one body in Christ), with Mass celebrated by Father Daniel Daza-Jaller.
She said 125 to 130 young people participated in the program. Normally, they have more counselors/student leaders in middle and high school than young campers because many parents want to get their teens out of the house for a few hours during the summer, Roselli said. But this year, they had at least 75 campers.
“The counselors come in at 8 (a.m.) so we can get set up. Each grade level has at least four counselors,” she said.
One of the five breakout activities the children enjoyed will benefit local agencies that serve homeless people. Parishioners had been asked to donate small items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant and candy that would be given to the agencies. The children decorated paper bags to contain the items given to the homeless.
Something distinct to St. Rita’s program is that its adult leaders decide on a theme and design and build their own materials, Roselli said.
“Most of the VBS camps buy a kit and follow that, but we build our own. We come up with a theme. We come up with different Bible verses that relate to it and develop it from there. So, we’ve done the Olympics. We’ve done superheroes. Last year was ‘Fueled by Faith’ and we had to do rockets,” she said.
Another week of VBS is set for July 25-29 at St. Rita. To register, visit www.saintrita.com. For information, call 561-795-4321. To learn about other vacation Bible schools or events in the diocese, visit https://www.diocesepb.org/news/.
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