By Josh Berkovsky
Special to The Texas Catholic
A few days into a six-day backpacking trip through Wyoming’s mountain terrain, Father Raphael Schaner, O. Cist., noticed something unusual … silence.
Several of the boys from the Class of 2029 had carried their chairs to a nearby ravine just to gaze upon the beauty of the creation in front of them. They were simply sitting in silence, gazing out at the valley below, watching the sun without their phones; no conversation; no goofing off. It was just a group of high schoolers taking in the view.
“They were content just sitting there,” Father Schaner said. “That was a moment for me that really stood out.”
The silence that accompanied the Cistercian class was the intention behind the whole trip. This summer marks the fifth annual hiking trip for rising sophomores at Cistercian Preparatory School. Along with seven fathers of students, 19 boys, all 15 years old, embarked on the six-day hike guided by the staff from Wyoming Catholic College’s COR (Catholic Outdoor Renewal) Expeditions program. The group split in two as they hiked the same trail from opposite ends. The boys hiked and cooked during the day then gathered each evening for prayer and conversation.
This trip has become a Cistercian tradition. Rising sophomores have specifically been chosen to participate due to lighter schedules. Sophomore year, Father Schaner said, is when the boys have found their footing but have not yet been pulled away by college visits. The boys’ phones were collected the second they boarded the vans in Denver; and although that may seem difficult for teens in this day and age, these Cistercian students were used to such adjustments since their phones are surrendered every day for school.
Each day of the hiking trip consisted of waking at 7 a.m., followed immediately by morning Mass, self-cooked breakfast, hours of hiking, an afternoon of making camp, then designated time set aside for God. The nightly campfires were especially enjoyable, as each one consisted of the boys sharing vulnerable moments from their lives that ultimately bonded the entire group.
Being uncomfortable was part of the framework of the trip. Cold nights, snowmelt water that tasted like iodine, long and rigorous hikes, and tasks that required using their hands were designed to give the boys a break from society and to instead offer a glimpse into the realm of self-sufficiency. The guides introduced concepts of breaking free from comfort zones, specifically encouraging them to stay within their “challenge zone,” which pushed the boys to learn to be comfortable within the uncomfortable. It reminded Father Schaner of a line commonly attributed to Pope Benedict XVI, “The world offers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.”
By the final Mass, Father Schaner noticed a visible transformation in the boys as he distributed communion to the hikers with worn hands who had not showered in six days.
“These are men of strength,” he observed, “and they are going to be great fathers someday.”
The parents noticed a similar shift when the boys returned home. Parents commented to Father Schaner that they saw dramatic change in their boys, who now looked like young men. They had a newfound appreciation for a home-cooked meal and a soft bed, and they had a deeper intentionality in conversations.
Father Schaner, who is also the class’s formator, received an unexpected gift on the trip: a break from organizing logistics himself and the ability to be present with his class. That gift, he said, shows that “every gift has a purpose.” Away from electricity and technology, the boys learned to no longer overlook their luxuries and take them for granted. More importantly, they learned to be more present with the people in their lives without distraction. The guides framed this mentality as stewardship. Creation is God’s first gift to humanity, Father Schaner said, and the boys were taught to treat it that way by packing up every scrap of trash and leaving no trace behind.
He closed with an open invitation: COR’s programs welcome high schoolers, college students, and adults of any age; Father Schaner strongly encouraged others to consider coordinating such a trip for growth.
Cutline for featured image: Cistercian Preparatory School students hike through Wyoming’s mountain terrain during a six-day backpacking trip designed to foster faith, fellowship, and self-reliance. (Cistercian Preparatory School photo)
