‘God goes with us’: Mass celebrated on Wachusett Mountain

By Bill Doyle | CFP Correspondent

Jonah Kattau enjoys hiking up mountains to be closer to God.

“My wife and I love to hike and mountains are just an absolutely beautiful place,” he said. “There have been a couple of times when I’ve had a rough day and I’d go walk up a mountain on my own and pray a rosary up there. It’s a beautiful place to be and you do feel closer.”

Last Saturday, Mr. Kattau hiked up Wachusett Mountain, but he wasn’t alone. He hiked with his wife, Lisa, as well as members of the Greater Gardner Area Catholic Young Adult Group, that he founded, as well as members of the Knights of Columbus Council 396 young men’s ministry in Gardner, and others, including families with children. About 30 people ranging in age from about 6 to 60 took part.

They had originally planned to celebrate Mass at the top of the mountain, but Father Luke A. Johnson, associate pastor of the Annunciation Parish in Gardner, found a better spot off the Semuhenna Trail about halfway up that wasn’t as crowded and busy as the top, but still provided a great view of the valley.

“The Mass is always beautiful,” Father Johnson said. “Typically, we celebrate in the church on a fixed altar, but this is also a reminder that God goes with us. Normally, we’re fed at the altar and then we take those graces with us. This was a moment where we got to experience Mass where we were and kind of took it with us. It was beautiful.”

Father Johnson, who also hiked, brought candles and a crucifix and he celebrated Mass from a picnic table that he covered with linens.

“It was really nice,” Mr. Kattau said, “and the spot that Father picked was away from the hustle and bustle of the mountain.”

In his homily, Father Johnson talked about how Jesus would pray by himself on a mountain and to listen to the voice of God.

“In a way we kind of emulated that,” Father Johnson said.

Mr. Kattau said hiking up the mountain with others allowed everyone to joke about the difficulty of the climb.

“It took on more of a pilgrimage aspect to it,” he said. “It helped to build some comradery and it was nice to meet some of the new people.”

After Mass, everyone hiked to the summit. Father Johnson then gathered everyone together and said a blessing before heading back down the mountain. The hikes and Mass took about 2 and a half hours.

The young adult group, composed mostly of men and women aged 18-35, has held outings before, including canoeing and kayaking down the Connecticut River, but this one stood out.
“We’ve done hikes, but had never thought to ask a priest to do a Mass for us up there,” Mr. Kattau said.

Mr. Kattau came up with the idea along with Father Johnson and John Medlar to hold a hike and a mountain Mass. All three enjoy hiking.

“Doing it for a holy purpose, that definitely makes it more meaningful than just your everyday stroll,” Mr. Medlar said.

Mr. Kattau planned the hike and Mass with Mr. Medlar, who assists him with the young adult group and who formed the Knights of Columbus’ young men’s ministry. Mr. Kattau and Mr. Medlar belong to the council.

“It’s the start of trying to get the young adult group more active outwardly,” Father Johnson said. “They meet a lot, they do a lot of great things, they have prayer devotions, but we’re trying to get a little more visible and get a few more people involved.”

Mr. Kattau, 29, grew up in Gardner and lives with Lisa in Winchendon, where they attend Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.

Mr. Medlar, 31, used to live in Gardner, but now resides in Leominster, with his wife, Megan. They attend Mass at the St. Benedict Center in Still River and are registered at Annunciation Parish in Gardner.

Many of the hikers came from the Gardner area, but a number of them were parishioners at North American Martyrs in Auburn. Others came from Charlton and Connecticut.

Mr. Kattau formed the Greater Gardner Area Catholic Young Adult Group that meets at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church parish center in  Gardner on the second and fourth Thursday nights of each month.

“For the young adult group,” Mr. Kattau said, “ ... We want to get folks together, get physical activity, get young Catholics to meet each other. I’ve got a huge thing that the Holy Spirit put in my heart for community and I just want community to grow and map those good, solid friendships that we can rely on through life. It’s just another event to help us all get to know each other and meet.”

“If we could have a Mass up where it’s beautiful,” he said, “it can help draw our hearts and minds up to God more easily.”

Mr. Medlar said he thought a lot during the hike about Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, who was known for his love of mountaineering and will be canonized on Sept. 7 with Blessed Carlo Acutis.

“This isn’t a huge mountain,” Mr. Medlar said, “and for those of us who were beginners, it was achievable. We didn’t bite off more than we could chew. Especially during the steep portions, you definitely humbled yourself if you tried to go too fast.”

“Adding a little bit of a physical challenge to it,” Mr. Medlar said, “I think appeals to people’s adventurous sensibilities. The community aspect of doing something together definitely is something that has gotten us very much excited and one of the reasons why we wanted to collaborate with the Knights.”

Mr. Medlar has been a Knight for several years and has tried to recruit more younger members. He hoped the hike and Mass would help.

To let others know who they were, the hikers carried the Knights of Columbus Council 396 banner up the mountain and Mr. Kattau tied a Vatican flag to his backpack.

“Doing this successfully was a big step for us,” Mr. Medlar said, “and, frankly, I was very happy with the turnout. It exceeded my own expectations.”