On Sunday the priest set off seven miles to Long Lake, where he met up with — and offered Mass for — the six backpackers, who had just descended from the 14,000-foot peak of Mt. Langley. “The weather was dipping into the teens (17-19 degrees) at night, with daytime highs between 30-40 degrees,” recalls senior Greg Jackson. “We narrowly missed a snowstorm that came through only hours after our departure.”
The difficult conditions, however, only made their accomplishment all the sweeter. “In his homily, Fr. Paul reminded us that God calls us to do what is above and beyond our own capabilities, but that He gives us His grace so that we can accomplish what we strive for,” says Greg. “This was clearly demonstrated by the cheerful and persevering hearts of my companions in this excursion. We could not have reached the summit were it not for our unwavering determination — and the blessing of clear skies.”
