YOUNG Christians in south-east Queensland are increasingly exploring their spirituality in the mountains.
They are combining spirituality and adventure – and finding God.
Joining a Christian climbing community called Petros, they head off for weekend retreats in the Glasshouse Mountains, north of Brisbane.
Mountain climbing devotee, Fr Morgan Batt, who is chaplain at Australian Catholic University’s Brisbane campus, instigated the group, plugging in to what young people are searching for today.
‘Young people are looking for experiential spirituality – praying with the mind but also the body,’ he said.
He said young people were also in search of adventure activities such as mountaineering, rock climbing and white water rafting.
On the Petros weekend retreats in eco-spirituality, Fr Batt leads a group of young people in climbing three mountains and in reflecting on the spiritual dimension of their experiences and their everyday lives.
He describes Petros as a non-geographical Christian community that gathers solely to go climbing.
It involves 43 young adults aged 18 to 30, and it has four retreats a year.
Fr Batt said the concept was based on ‘praise of our God through nature’.
‘(The Petros weekends) are time to get out and reflect on God, self and others.’
Among those with high praise for the Petros weekends are campus ministers Stefana Vella and David Jorna. David said his first Petros weekend was ‘a fantastic experience’.
‘When we’re climbing our focus is being with the mountain, not actually on reaching the top.
‘It’s a time to find God in God’s natural creation. I use it as a time to relax and be spiritual and make the connection.’
David was so hooked on the Petros experience that he offered to help Fr Batt run the weekends.
‘I’ve seen others benefit. I spoke to someone who had done her first eco-retreat with Petros, and a year later she was still feeling the effect of it.’
David enjoyed seeing others achieve.
‘Some get there and say ÔThere’s no way I can climb that’. It’s quite a challenge. Some people are absolutely petrified but they overcome that.
‘Their courage and determination I find inspirational.’
Stefana enjoyed mountain climbing before she was introduced to Petros but there was a time that fear would have held her back.
‘I made a New Year’s resolution two years ago to start mountainclimbing to overcome a fear of heights.
‘I’d already started (climbing mountains) before Petros.
‘With Petros, I got to the top of (Mt) Beerwah for the first time. That was a significant achievement for me.’
Curiosity about the spiritual dimension enticed her to give Petros a go.
‘I’m a spiritual person but I approach spirituality from the point of view of being honest on where I am with my relationship with God. If I’m upset with God I’ll tell him.
‘Mountain climbing is a very real, very honest, physical activity.
‘You’ve got to be careful where you put your hands and feet when you’re climbing; and you’ve got to watch out for your fellow climbers.
‘I thought (Petros) would marry in with my faith very well, and it did.’
Stefana has been on one Petros weekend and is keen to go again.
‘It’s a blessing to share the experience of climbing a mountain with a group of people who also share a belief in the Creator God. It gives it an extra dimension.’
Stefana said people who had not climbed mountains should not be deterred because they are guided in a very watchful, caring way.
‘The fact it’s done by a priest who successfully gets you up the mountain, you’re more willing to listen to what he has to say about faith issues.’
For more details on Petros, phone Fr Morgan Batt on (07) 3332 6042. The next Petros weekend on May 30-June 1 is booked out. Others planned for this year are on August 22-24 and November 28-30.
