Denver Catholic

4 JANUARY 9-22, 2016 | DENVER CATHOLIC In-Depth Cover C amp St. Malo in Allenspark is one of Colorado's most famous and beautiful retreat sites. Until 2011, the site boasted three main structures: the St. Catherine of Siena Chapel, com- pleted in 1953 and aª ectionately referred to as the Chapel on the Rock, the St. Wil- liams Lodge, constructed as the fi rst building on the site in 1921, and the Malo Conference and Retreat Center, devel- oped in the mid-1980s. Camp St. Malo is the third most photographed place in Colorado, and Michael Six, the director of St. Malo, says it's the beauty of the site which draws people there. "They stop because it's beautiful," he said. "Beauty has drawn them there. Beauty is one of the names of God, so he's drawn them there. Just by stopping, they've responded to his call through beauty." However, a fi re in 2011 destroyed most of the Malo Conference and Retreat Center, leaving only the Chapel and the lodge standing. Plans to rebuild the Retreat Center on the same site were initiated shortly after the fi re, but these plans were thwarted when a treacher- ous fl ood in 2013 devastated much of the land and the infrastructure needed to rebuild it. The unpredictable conditions of the land and the possibility of future sediment fl ows and mudslides led to a decision by the Archdiocese of Denver not to build on the original site and to tear down the remnants of the retreat center that remained standing. While plans to build a new Catho- lic retreat center at another location are still in the preliminary stages, the Denver Catholic is pleased to announce that plans to renovate the still-standing St. Williams Lodge at Camp St. Malo and transform it into a visitor and heritage center are well underway, as are other site improvements. These renovations are currently slated to begin this winter. Additional plans include cosmetic and functional addi- tions to the chapel, adding more spaces for parking, installation of handicapped-ac- cessible access ramps and transforming St. William's Lodge into a visitor and her- itage center, complete with bathrooms, a gift shop and a museum highlighting the history of Camp St. Malo. "We want to to tell the story of Camp St. Malo," Six said. There are also plans to add a new memo- rial walk that's meant to pay homage to the path Pope Saint John Paul II hiked during his visit to Camp St. Malo in 1993. Much of the original path he walked on was destroyed during the fl oods in 2013. John Paul II's visit to Camp St. Malo is but a snippet of the camp's rich history. Originally intended as a boy's camp, the site was founded by Monsignor Joseph Bosetti in 1916 and it blossomed into the location it is today. This is merely the next chapter for this renowned mountain haven, and Six hopes the renovations will draw people closer to Christ, or at least begin to spark more conversation. "Everybody needs to draw closer to Christ, so no matter where you are, this is an opportunity to start asking some deep questions that in daily life, you tend to gloss over," Six said. "The idea is this is where the New Evangelization happens." New Malo Heritage Center to be built BY AARON LAMBERT 303-715-3138 aaron.lambert@archden.org www.twitter.com/AaronLmbrt A HISTORY OF CAMP ST. MALO 1916 Msgr. Joseph Bosetti begins taking boys from the cathedral choir on camping trips to a friend's land near Estes Park. 1920s William McPhee, a wealthy Denver landowner and lumberman, builds St. William's Lodge for Bosetti's campers. 1930s Edith and Oscar Malo purchase land from the McPhee Estate and build St. John's Hall and St. Catherine of Siena Chapel (Chapel on the Rock) and St. John's Hall. Ultimately, they donate the property to the archdiocese as a boys' camp led by priests and seminarians. 1970s Camp St. Malo goes coed when girls join the camper ranks. 1984 Camp St. Malo closes to evaluate the facilities and consider expanding ministry opportunities. 1987 New St. Malo Religious Retreat and Conference Center opens, with new use restrictions added during a Special Use Review process through Boulder County. 1993 Pope St. John Paul II visits Camp St. Malo and blesses the Chapel on the Rock. 2011 Fire destroys the conference center Nov. 14. 2013 100-year rains in September cause fl ooding and mudslides that signifi cantly damage the natural terrain and beauty of the property. 2014 Final report issued by environmental fi rm in April sets cost for remediation and cleanup work at $4.4 million. In June, St. Malo management recommends not pursuing reconstruction on the property. 2016 Renovations to St. Catherine of Sienna Chapel, St. William's Lodge and the surrounding land begin. St. William's will be transformed into a Visitor & Heritage Center. 1993 Pope St. John Paul II visits Camp St. Malo and blesses the Chapel on the Rock. 2011 Fire destroys the conference center Nov. 14. CAMP ST. MALO To make a donation to the renovation e¡ orts, or for more information on Camp St. Malo, visit http:// campstmalo.org. Plans to renovate St. Williams Lodge at Camp St. Malo and transform it into a Heritage and Visitor Center are well underway. Once complete, the Heritage and Visitor Center will have a gift shop, a museum highlighting the rich history of Camp St. Malo and much more. PHOTO BY MICHAEL SIX

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