July 3, 2021

Members of local Catholic men’s group learn life lessons on arduous hike

REGIONAL
Staff report

 

HADLEY – Moments before starting the final ascent to the summit on the June 27 Young and Catholic Men’s Hike, Joseph Austin, newly appointed director of youth and young adult ministry for the Springfield Diocese, turned to Matthew Hegarty, a teacher at Pope Francis High School in Springfield, and joked, “What are the odds that you run up to the summit?”

As the group navigated the undulating trail, they shouted the rosary to each other through tired breaths. “By the end of the rosary, we’re shouting through the mountains, and some of us were even pumped enough to pick up the pace and start running. Gave me goose bumps. But sometimes you just gotta be a baller for God, and watch what happens,” Hegarty recalled. 

Members of the men’s group hosted a hike from the Notch in Amherst to Mount Holyoke in Hadley, where they celebrated Mass at the summit. Men young and old, from all walks of life, joined the large group as they made their way through the heat and the challenging six-mile hike to the end.

“It was a little hotter than we would have liked but ultimately we rose to the occasion,” said Father David Aufiero, the men’s group chaplain and pastor of Holy Name Parish in Springfield, who celebrated the Mass. “I felt blessed to be among many great men.”

Hiker François Venne, a recent graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, echoed Father Aufiero’s sentiments.

“It felt wonderful to be a part of a group of such grounded men,” Venne said “From the good conversation and positive atmosphere, to the slips and near-tumbles down the hills, each aspect of the hike was a positive and memorable way to be reminded both of our humanity and of God’s presence.”

Many men saw the hike as a fitting metaphor for the Christian life. With its rough and tumble journey of ups and downs, the men found support through fraternity and “the opportunity to meet other men from around the diocese who shared a common faith and a desire to serve the church.”

The day after the hike, many of the same men who had journeyed together gathered for a Zoom lecture by Sam Guzman, founder of Catholic Gentleman and author of a book of the same name. The talk was titled “Boots on the Ground: Evangelization in the Modern Era” and outlined the importance of connecting with others through the head, the heart, and good works.

“The lecture was an extraordinary virtual opportunity for us to gather as men after such an arduous, in-person event to speak about the importance of standing up for what we believe in and to work together to lead other men to an encounter with Christ,” Austin said.

The hike and talk were the culmination of a four-week “Evangelization Bootcamp” series and competition that the men’s group had been participating in. Each week featured an interactive workshop with guest speakers and group activities.

“A month ago, we had a several-hour conversation at men’s group about evangelization, so I knew we needed to dig deeper,” Austin said.

“Putting out into the deep and sharing my witness with others was awkward at first, but over time, it helped me to bring Jesus to so many people in ways I never could have imagined possible,” said Father Aufiero, who carried his team to win the four-week contest.