Local Catholic Parish Gearing up to Reach New Summit

St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Parish in Chestermere is preparing to hold their 5th Annual Angels on High fundraiser on September 9. Funds raised from this initiative will go toward the church’s building fund.
Angels on High is a mountain climbing adventure with the theme “Climb – Celebrate – Create” and began in 2013 with 12 brave souls climbing Mount Temple. Each year since then, the group of participants has steadily increased while ascending Centennial Trail, Castle Mountain, and Mount Chester.
This year, the committee has selected Sulphur Mountain in Banff. “Although it is a slightly less daunting hike than those in years past, it is still a challenging hike,” says Kevin Papke, who has been involved in the fundraiser since its inception in 2013.
“Our hope is that by choosing Sulphur Mountain, which is a family friendly hike for people of all ages, more individuals in the community will feel comfortable to participate,” adds Papke.
Sulphur Mountain Trail is a 5.5km moderate trail that follows a series of switchbacks to the summit ridge, which provides stunning views of the Bow Valley.
Organizers estimate hikers will take between 3 and 4 hours to reach the top, depending on pace.
“An increasing number of people are sharing their experience of a fundamental change of life which was the result of the previous climbs. I’m not surprised,” says Fr. Marius Sztuk, who has been the pastor at St. Gabriel Parish since 2016.
“When everything hurts and screams “Go back to bed!”, “Why are you doing it to yourself?”, you can say “I don’t want comfort, I want real life,” adds Fr. Marius.
He continues, “If you pray and feel ok, that means you’re not really praying. You’re just feeling ok. It is only when you transcend yourself that you can start a real dialogue with God. You’re no longer focused on yourself, but on meeting God. In this dialogue, God says, “You know who you are, but you don’t know who you can become.”
Marius encourages everybody to “Open up to a new life. Leave the old life behind. Find out what it may be like.”
Angels on High also consists of two raffle draws including a “Date Night for Year” and “Beer Mountain” package.
St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish comes under the Catholic Diocese of Calgary and has been meeting to celebrate mass every weekend for over ten years in the gymnasium of St. Gabriel the Archangel Jr./Sr. High School.
Along with the growth of Chestermere’s population, St Gabriel’s Parish also has grown, reflective in weekly Mass attendance, the participation of young people in the Sacraments of Initiation, and the formation of groupings such as the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Women’s League, and the parish’s youth group.
For more details, contact the rectory 403-455-0196 or visit the website at www.saintgabrielparish.ca.