“I never really knew who I was on my own,” he says. “I was always looking for validation and belonging to something in a real way.”

Bilodeau joined a youth group in middle school and attended events at his parish — Immaculate Heart of Mary in Lansing — multiple nights a week. 

“I fell in love with youth group and the Church,” he says. “That’s where I felt I belonged, even though I didn’t have a deep relationship with the Lord at the time — it was more of a social thing. I was getting bits and pieces of the faith, but they weren’t sticking.”

When Bilodeau was in high school, a youth minister suggested he attend the DYLC. There, he says, the faith truly took hold in him, though it wasn’t until the end of his college years that he decided to attend seminary and, eventually, become a priest.

“I am grateful to go to the DYLC because that helped cement my faith more,” he says.

Founded in 1986, the Diocesan Youth Leadership Camp is unique in that it provides both spiritual enrichment and practical training to help the youth of the diocese grow in their faith and learn how to be effective missionary disciples. 

In 2007, Bilodeau attended as a camper. Several years later, he was part of the leadership team running the camp. Now, as a priest, he often attends to provide sacraments for the teens present. He attributes the dual aspects of the camp for his blossoming in faith and leadership as a teen. 

“It ties the practical with the theoretical,” he says. “You learn how to communicate, to listen, to run a small group, to plan for an event at a parish, but also at the heart of it is asking: What does the Lord want you to do? You get those moments you typically get at a retreat — adoration, confession, Mass, times of prayer — but also the aspects of a conference, which helps get students out of their comfort zones, talking, building relationships, and helping them know they’re not alone.”

DYLC campers are placed in small groups in which they learn how to help their churches grow disciples. Bilodeau said he grew close to the students in his group when he first attended.

“They were from all over the diocese,” he says. “They were people I had never talked to, from towns I had never heard of. I got to see how the Catholic community, especially in our diocese, comes together and how different components of our diocese fill out the body of Christ.”

The DYLC is partly sponsored by the annual Diocesan Services Appeal, which Bilodeau said he and others who attend the camp are grateful for. 

“I love that parishes support it, and that the diocese sees it as important,” he says. “We want to give our youth access to this, especially if they need financial help to make it happen.”

Each day of the retreat begins with prayer, and the students attend daily Mass. Then, the students participate in sessions and activities that help them both deepen their faith and improve their interpersonal skills. 

“They learn how to communicate, talk and listen, make eye contact, not interrupt, all those kinds of skills,” he says. “They also have sessions on trust and what that entails.”

Toward the end of the retreat, campers meet with representatives from their home parishes and work with them to plan an event for the parish. 

“It lets you take all those things you learned and actually do something at your parish,” Bilodeau says. 

Catholic youth are often overlooked by parishes in our day and age, Bilodeau argues, adding that churches should capitalize on the energy and drive of young people to help their parishes thrive.

“Some people say the youth are the future of the church, but they're also the church now.”