Mass Atop Mt. Gargas in the French Alps

 Asher Kaufman, age 18, set out on June 28 for a yearlong trip to help spread the Children's Rosary in Europe and Africa. He has been spending the month of July at La Salette Shrine in the Alps. He grew up helping the Children's Rosary and participating in it. He now is helping to spread the Children's Rosary to more parishes and schools. He is also discerning a vocation to the priesthood. He has been sharing dispatches from the trip. 

On Friday, July 18, at 4:45 am, I and a few other volunteers and many La Salette seminarians climbed up Mount Gargas for early morning Mass. The seminarians are here preparing for their perpetual vows on Sunday, July 27. Much like the last time we climbed Gargas, it was cold when we left, but it had warmed up by the time we got to the top of the mountain, so it was not all that cold for the Mass. The circular table that stands at the top of Gargas was the altar, and thankfully there was not so much wind, so there was less danger of the vessels blowing away. We were able to witness a very beautiful sunrise, which you can see photographed. It seems to me that after both of these hikes, each time one wakes up early and treks to the top of a mountain with a group, one feels a kind of special bond with the rest of group, as though collectively we had conquered some great beast. 

If you are not familiar with La Salette Shrine where Asher is staying, Asher provides a nice post with the full background of the apparition (Click HERE to learn more). 

To see all of Asher's dispatches from his journey click HERE