In 2004 Monsignor Schmitz had the inspiration to ask Abbé Kevin and Canon Meney to start a youth group which would meet all year, and would include a camp during the summer months. That is the origin of the St. Michael's Patrol. The first camp met north of Green Bay at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Kerscher (parents of Abbé Kevin). A little more than 20 boys attended this first Father-Son event.  Two years later, the Company of the Immaculate—the parallel youth group for girls—started. The youth groups in Wisconsin, under the subsequent influences of Canons Fragelli and Huberfeld, continue today and gather each year more than 100 participants. 

The team of Abbé Kevin and Canon Meney was reunited in California just before Easter 2013. It was logical to export the idea of the youth camp to these parts, although some changes needed to be made because state law forbids collecting firewood in California!

We found a great location at the Trilby Horse Farm in San Jose CA, private property owned by our octogenarian host. Twenty two were in attendance. Liturgy, camp-fire and games were in the program, just as when it started in Wisconsin... Same team. Same formula. A different location...

Here is a testimony of Mr. Garton-Zavesky, chaperone at the camp and father of three participants:

From morning calisthenics to curfew, the boys breathed Catholic air. At the final Mass, which as it happened fell on the Feast of St. Lawrence, patron of comedians, Canon Meney summed up the purpose of the camp when he quoted St. Francis de Sales, "In the spiritual life, we are like  chickens, but we should be like eagles." I hope the boys took away from the camp an enriched sense of what it means to be Catholic, and I look forward to coming again.