Palmerston North
Clare Sarten
8 May 2012
We all know bible stories which feature mountains and, given the significance – both physically and spiritually – of the mountain in our lives in Taranaki we thought it would be a great place for our young people to celebrate Mass.
After a week of rain, Sunday December 18 dawned fine and sunny.
A group of adventurous, young people from various North Taranaki parishes headed to the Egmont Visitors Centre on Mt Taranaki for an afternoon of fun.
Alan had found a large grassy area, ideal for a few initiative games to challenge the 15 teens. They played Stepping Stones, losing a few of the ‘stones’ along the way and the Gutter Ball proved a challenge. Alistair walked the tightrope with the help of some impressive teamwork and most of the group got a bit wet trying to retrieve Lizzie’s car keys from a water pipe with holes in it.
After a hot drink, we settled on tarpaulins on the grass to prepare for Mass. Andreas shared a Joy Cowley reflection, ‘Beauty’, from her book Psalms for the Road – to bring to mind all the beauty that surrounded us.
Fr Craig presided, Ashleigh organised the music, David did the reading and we all enjoyed a lovely Mass in our own mountain cathedral.
Afterwards we boiled the billy to make hot drinks and shared the food we had all brought for afternoon tea in the late afternoon sunshine. Altogether a great afternoon of fun, fellowship and food!