Heart-to-Heart: Living Jesus in Camden

The Visitation Salesian Network of Schools  held VISTORY 2026 (Visitation In Service To Others Through Responsive Youth), an annual summer gathering with “VISters” from Georgetown, St. Louis, and Mendota Heights Visitation Schools, which concluded last Friday, June 12 in Camden, NJ. 

This year's theme, Heart-to-Heart: Living Jesus in Camden, brought together 19 students and 6 chaperones from the three Visitation schools for a week of service, sisterhood, and Salesian Spirituality at DeSales Service Works under the generous hospitality of DSW Spiritual Director, Fr. Mike McCue, OSFS. 

During one of the hottest weeks of the summer, the students and adults remained remarkably joyful, generous, and engaged!

Providentially, VISTORY took place during the week of the Feast of the Sacred Heart and Fr. Mike centered the week around the theme of encounter. He reminded the group that they had not come to Camden to "save" it, but to learn—to pay attention to where God was already present and to enter into authentic encounter. That they were not bringing Jesus into Camden but were recognizing Him already there. 

During the week, Fr. Mike challenged the group to choose presence over performance and relationship over simply "doing service." Through prayer, reflection, conversation, and encounters with neighbors and community partners, students were invited to ask: Where did you live Jesus today? In whom did you receive Him? 

Students and chaperones alike discovered that one of the greatest gifts of the week was not what they brought to Camden, but what they received there. They felt blessed to be welcomed by so many partners in the Camden community. 

Some highlights reported included hearing from Dr. Jane Deren, a co-author of the VSN guiding document, Justice Shall Flourish: The Salesian Tradition and Catholic Social Teaching; meeting Jeff DeCristofaro, Director of the Camden Center for Law and Social Justice; and visiting with Pilar Hogan Closkey (GV '85), Director of St. Joseph's Carpenter Society. Students served meals and offered hospitality at Joseph’s House, visited Guadalupe Family Services and the Sisters of Saint Joseph Neighborhood Center, attended Mass at Visitation Parish and Sacred Heart Parish, visited the St. John Neumann Shrine, and were privileged to hear the witness of courageous men and women in recovery at AA/NA meetings. 

They also participated in an Emmaus walk, morning and evening prayer, small-group conversations with journaling, Salesian Pub Trivia, visited neighborhood bodegas to shop for a home-cooked dinner, enjoyed Philadelphia soft pretzels and cheesesteaks, hosted a visit by Padua Academy students - ‘cousins’ in the Salesian family - and lots of loving on Leo the resident dog, No one left Camden unchanged—or hungry!

Among the many gifts of the week was time with Bro. Mickey McGrath, OSFS. From a tour of his studio and a presentation on the Visitation to a Sacred Heart art project and the opportunity to restore murals at Joseph’s House, he invited the VSN to encounter God, beauty, and community heart-to-heart.

VISTORY 2026 was a beautiful reminder of the enduring strength of our Salesian heritage and the importance of continuing to form young people through experiences of faith, friendship, service, and encounter.

*Adapted from VSN Ministry Coordinator Ms. Olivia Wills Kane’s “Heart-to-Heart ~ Living Jesus in Camden VISTORY 2026.”