A nonprofit group of private donors in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has signed a purchase agreement to buy a property on 700 acres in northwestern Wisconsin to be used for a Catholic summer camp for middle schoolers and for conferences, retreats and faith and science camps used by parishes and schools in fall, winter and spring.

The nonprofit Minnesota Catholic Youth Partnership (MCYP) has been evaluating properties to host summer camps and weekend retreats. MCYP will be partnering with Extreme Faith Camp (EFC), founded in the archdiocese more than 20 years ago, to facilitate a deeper encounter with Jesus for young people as they grow in fellowship with other Catholic youth in summer camps.

Part of EFC’s strength is its parish-based approach, with parish leadership teams of high school teens and adults that encourage relational ministry before, during and after camp.

The property chosen by MCYP has operated as Heartwood Resort near Trego, Wisconsin, which is about a two-hour drive from the Twin Cities. Closing on the property is expected in January, said Tim Healy, who with his wife, Helen, leads the partnership.

The property includes a grand lodge, large meeting space, a full-service kitchen, housing options from two-bedroom cottages to a variety of houses, plus three large dormitory-style buildings. The property has access to two lakes and the Namekagon River, and more than 12 miles of hiking trails. It also has athletic fields, a sand volleyball court and tennis, basketball and pickleball courts. Every cabin has a lake view, Healy said.

Starting next summer, EFC will use the property as its home base. John O’Sullivan, director of youth ministry at St. Michael in St. Michael, founded EFC 23 years ago as a week-long summer camp experience for Catholic middle school students run by the parish in collaboration with other parishes from the archdiocese.

Healy said that with a permanent camp site, “our hope is that summer camp participation will increase.” EFC’s parish model promotes involvement from the whole parish, including campers, high school students, young adults and adults. “You are encouraging a culture of discipleship,” he said.

O’Sullivan said he “and all the parishes involved in EFC are excited for this amazing opportunity to have a permanent camp to host EFC.”

“I am grateful and humbled that Minnesota Catholic Youth Partnership chose a ministry that I helped start and have seen amazing fruit not only in my parish, but many parishes throughout the archdiocese,” O’Sullivan said.

The partnership estimates that buying and renovating the property would more than double capacity for EFC participants, enabling more than 2,500 young people to experience camp each summer, as well as hundreds of adults at retreats and other events throughout the year. In addition to EFC, Healy expects other parishes and ministries will use the facility.

Reflecting on the journey to find a suitable property, including a recent effort to purchase one in Washington County, Healy said “God’s faithfulness does not disappoint.” The Trego site’s quality of buildings and “housing options in such great quantity and variety afford us a lot of options and possibilities,” he said.

In consultation with the archdiocese, MCYP’s board recently determined that the diocese can only support one summer camp ministry — and chose EFC.

The Office of Marriage, Family and Youth issued a statement Oct. 12 thanking both EFC and Ohio-based Damascus, whose missionaries served some parishes in the archdiocese with camp experiences the past several years. “We appreciate the commitment of the faithful, parish staff and clergy to providing the opportunity for … youth to encounter Christ at camp through both groups, and we are confident Extreme Faith Camp will provide a positive Catholic camp experience for years to come,” the statement said.