Comments on: Catholicism, the Sacred Mystery and Nature

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 18:48:47 +0000

Thanks for your thoughts, Paul! I started seminary in Washington, DC this past fall. Growing up next to Shenandoah National Park with God’s beauty present in a very tangible way definitely had a big influence on my relationship with God and my discernment. Every free weekend we have I try to make it back to the mountains (often with some brother seminarians in tow!) to escape the hustle and bustle of DC and experience the simplicity of backpacking that helps focus the mind and prayer so well. I would say that Catholicism, and lent in particular, has definitely helped me appreciate the minimalism and doing-without that backpacking offers.

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:32:07 +0000

While I knew JPII was an avid outdoors person, I never knew about the blessing of the climbing equipmemt. Something I definitely dI’d not see as an altar boy so many years ago in RI for sure. Thanks for sharing!

By: Another Kevin

Another Kevin — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 16:01:23 +0000

Pope John Paul II agreeed with you about the mountains. https://faithandenvironment.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/the-spirituality-of-mountain-climbing/

And the church has an official blessing for climbing gear: https://faithandenvironment.wordpress.com/tag/blessing-of-tools-for-scaling-mountains/ When I got my ice axe and crampons, I racked my gear and asked my parish priest to bless it, knowing that there was a blessing in the book. He was tickled – offering a blessing that neither he nor any of his seminary classmates had given before. (They kind of play collect ’em trade ’em with such things…)

But you already know that I’m the sort of person who can make a hike into a pilgrimage. http://dftscript.blogspot.com/2014/11/2014-11-02-north-dome-pilgrimage-or.html