A nonprofit group of private donors in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has been looking for a permanent site near the Twin Cities to hold summer camps for middle schoolers and fall, winter and spring retreats for parishes and schools — and leaders believe they have found the spot. 

Minnesota Catholic Youth Partnership plans to purchase 600 acres north of Stillwater in Washington County from the St. Paul-based Wilder Foundation. The group had been hoping to find more than 300 acres within 90 minutes of the Twin Cities’ downtown areas that provided “a good water experience,” said Tim Healy, a parishioner of Holy Name of Jesus in Medina, who, with his wife, Helen, leads the group. The targeted site includes three lakes.  

Tim Healy

The group intends to keep the property in its natural state and bring out the beauty of nature to young people who are struggling, Tim Healy said. The needs are great, he said. 

“We feel strongly that as people get closer to nature, there’s a natural progression to get closer to God,” Healy said. 

“We feel there’s such a great need to offer a faith-based camp experience for the young people of our diocese,” especially those in urban areas who have not been able to experience summer camp, Healy said. At the same time, the facility will be open to parishes and schools across the state, he said.  

The group’s planned use for the property is consistent with its original purpose and function, Healy said. “It was a summer camp and retreat center for 40 years, and we’re just taking it back to its original (function).” Most recently, the land has been the site of the River Grove charter school. 

The Minnesota Catholic Youth Partnership plans to own and run the camp, with an operating agreement with Ohio-based Damascus Catholic Mission Campus to lead programming, Healy said. Other groups will be able to rent the facility as well, he said.  

Healy expects the sale to be finalized in mid- to late winter.