Saint Viator High School students got the chance “to realize how small and yet how connected we all are in the vastness of God’s Creation,” as one student put it.
Above, the first group took to the trails on April 23 with Mr. Paolelli and Fr. John; below, the second group headed on their hike on April 30 with Mrs. Perez, Tony, and Fr. John.
SVHS Chaplain Fr. John Eustice, CSV, teamed with colleagues to lead two spiritual outings for students to Starved Rock State Park in Lasalle County, Illinois. SVHS English teacher Chris Paolelli helped him lead the first trip, and Vice President for Mission Associate Ann Perez and Pre-Novice Tony Davies teamed with Fr. John for the second trip.
“An experience like this spiritual hike is important for teens. It helps them disconnect from the technology they use on a daily basis and reconnect with the world God created around them in nature,” Ann said. “The trip to Starved Rock allowed them time to seek beauty in God’s Creation, from the flowers and trees to the waterfalls and rock formations.”
Ann and Fr. John, working with campus ministers Associate Cathy Abrahamian and Fr. Jhobany Orduz, CSV, have been incorporating more diverse prayer and service experiences into student life, and this trip to Starved Rock is becoming a fixture among these student offerings. Students gear up for a moderate hike in a beautiful natural area, walking with thoughtful spiritual leaders and participating in a special outdoor Mass celebrated by Fr. John in the state park.
“I love to help young people, who often feel alone and disconnected, to engage with the beauty of the natural world around us. I hope that they can feel more fully that they are part of what God created,” Fr. John said. “The Book of Nature is easy to read and understand at a core level, and the students read what was presented to them excellently.”
The unique opportunity for students also makes space for adult companions to reset, not least by engaging in Mass anew, via the natural, outdoor setting. “The time hiking at Starved Rock reminded me that I need to make time to appreciate the beauty of God’s creation away from the busy-ness of work on a more regular basis,” Ann said.
One choice spot for outdoor Mass offers a stone ledge for Fr. John to utilize as an altar table (left) and a waterfall as a natural sanctuary (right).
Fr. John’s love of the outdoors goes back to childhood, when his parents regularly took John and his siblings out for similar activities. It all began in Lasalle County, where John was born, and continued in Nevada through his teen and young adult years after his family moved west.
“My outdoor spirituality was born on the trails of this magnificent state park, starting when I was an infant strapped to my dad’s chest as our family connected with God’s creation on a regular basis,” Fr. John said. “Through the sights, sounds, and exertion that took them up and down the canyons and bluffs along the Illinois River, I think students have an opportunity for God to speak to their souls.”