Jerry and Gwen Coniker and the Apostolate for Family Consecration have created a place for you and your family to vacation in a wholesome – God-centered – fun-filled environment – this place is known as Catholic Familyland!
For those not familiar with their names, the Conikers are the founders of the Apostolate for Family Consecration, an international association seeking to sanctify family and parish life in the spirit of Pope John Paul II.
Their own life story is one of following where the Spirit leads. As a young married couple, they became concerned about the erosion of Christian values in society and its effect on their family. In 1971, after consecrating their lives to Jesus through Mary through a spiritual retreat, they moved with their growing family, then numbering
seven children with one on the way, to Fatima, Portugal, where they lived for two years and made the decision to devote themselves full time to combating atheistic influences in the world, especially as they affect the family.
In 1975, they founded the Apostolate for Family Consecration, and it received approval by the Church that same year.
The Conikers are now the parents of 13 children and have 58 grandchildren, though the latter number tends to rise quickly and may no longer be accurate.
The reason I bring them up now is that the Apostolate's home base in the United States is Catholic Familyland, a 950-acre site in Bloomingdale, Ohio, that hosts, among other things, weeklong, faith-filled vacation experiences called Holy Family Fests.
2005 events are: the Holy Family Fests, June 25-July 1, July 9-15, July 23-29, August 6-12; and the Totus Tuus “Consecrate Them in Truth” Family Conference, October 14-16. The week of July 23-29 will feature Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
Coniker said Catholic Familyland was designed “for families who want to vacation, to get away, but not leave God behind.” Opened in 1990, it can accommodate some 200 to 300 families (up to 1,000 people) in cabins and tents spread over its grounds.
While there, family members participate in Mass and a Family Rosary each day and have a daily opportunity for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and reception of the sacrament of reconciliation.
Youths are divided into age groups (4 to 9, 10 to 12 and 13 to 18). The younger set enjoys making crafts, playing games and learning about the Catholic faith in a simple and fun way. The teens participate in discussions, skits and multimedia presentations culminating in a Eucharistic prayer service.
“The best way to evangelize the parents is through their kids,” Coniker said.
There are many outdoor activities such as pony rides and horseback-riding, hiking, sports, swimming, and a refreshing 275-foot water slide.
Sing-alongs around the campfire, complete with toasted marshmallows, are another favorite draw.
“It's amazing what happens within a week,” Coniker told me. A dinner plan provides a hot buffet for supper. To keep costs down, families can bring their own food and grills. A store on the property can fill in the rest of the necessities.
For additional information about 2005 events, or information about Catholic Familyland, just a 50-minute drive from the Pittsburgh Airport, and 15-minute drive from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, call 1-800-773-2645 or visit their website.
