About Us

Christian Family Camp was founded by a small group of families and initially staffed by Franciscan brothers, starting in 1962.  Over the years, directorship has been passed on to lay families and then from family to family among the camp, and CFC continues today as strong as ever!

For 60 years Catholic families from all over the Midwest have gathered in the summer for a week of spiritual renewal and family togetherness.  This wonderful experience in Christian community is called Christian Family Camp (CFC).  CFC is held for a weeks each summer and serves approximately 20-25 families.  It is a program for the whole family and campers have ranged in age from one month to 70 years.

CFC has been traditionally held at Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton, Illinois.  Currently, CFC is being held at Sherwood Forest Group Camp within Cuiver River State Park located near Troy, MO.  It is a lovely wooded area.  Living accommodations are in simple, camping-style cabins.  Each unit/village does have a building with indoor flush toilets, sinks and showers. 

In an effort to provide large families with the opportunity for an inexpensive vacation, the cost has always been kept at a break-even level.  Cabin lodging and all meals (3/day) are included in the minimal cost of attendance.

Camp begins with the arrival of families on Sunday afternoon.  Sunday is a leisurely day with the only structured activities being Sunday Mass at 5 p.m., dinner, campfire, and a get-acquainted session.  The weekday schedule begins with breakfast at 8:30 a.m., followed by a spiritually enriching hour class for all ages. These sessions include a short presentation and group discussion.   The camp directors pick the overall theme and daily topics related to the theme are the subject of these presentations.  The adult session are led by a mix of priests and lay members of the CFC community.  Classes for children are given by lay staff (usually college or young adult volunteers) and are geared to the specific age group.

After class, is a great time for more discussion, visiting, relaxing, reading, hike or bike ride in the state park, etc.  After lunch, the afternoon is free. During warm weather campers visit a swim lake or the creek area within the state park. Campers of all ages also organize other recreational activities like playing cards, participate in a craft activity, help plan the liturgy or campfire skit.

There are a couple "special" days at Camp.  There is an all camp BBQ picnic on Wednesday.  Traditionally, we host a sunset mass on Thursday.  The preteens and teens help out with baby-sitting and dishes.  They are rewarded with special events just for them.  Friday evening is a special liturgy for adults that marks the close of Camp.  Families leave after breakfast on Saturday.

This brief description cannot do justice to the CFC experience. We have families that have been coming for over 50 years.  Some, who have been coming since they were very young, are now bringing their children, and even grandchildren.  We are on the 4th generation of CFC.  Perhaps this is an experience that you and your family would also enjoy.