By Ryan Garcia
Special to the Herald
My name is Ryan Garcia and I am a Boy Scout of Troop 311, chartered at St. John Vianney Parish in Kailua. My sister Marianne and I have been asked by the diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting to promote the 2017 St. George Trek in Philmont, New Mexico, July 5-20. Hawaii has been underrepresented at the Trek. I have been the only scout from Hawaii to participate in the past 20 years.
St. George Trek is a backpacking trip for Catholic youth at Philmont Scout Ranch, in Northern New Mexico. Located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, young men and women bond together to hike and enjoy the outdoors while discerning their vocations. Each “crew” is comprised of 10 boys led by a priest and a seminarian. One will be an all-girls Trek led by nuns.
As a participant in the 2015 St. George Trek, I had the honor to hike the outdoors with scouts from all around the country and made some of the best long-lasting friendships I have experienced. We went shotgun shooting, sparring, rock climbing, and even mule racing. We bonded, sharing the joys and the difficulties of the rugged landscapes.
One of the most memorable moments at the Trek was when we woke at 2 in the morning to celebrate a sunrise Mass on the top of the Tooth of Time, a geological feature on the ranch. After three hours of scrambling up the mountainside, we were rewarded an extraordinary view and a beautiful backdrop to celebrate Mass. I will always cherish this memory and many other memories I have made with my fellow scouts.
Along with taking in the sights of the backcountry, St. George Trek has a special emphasis on the religious development of the scouts. With a seminarian and a priest in each trek, we were always eager to talk about the matters and practice of faith in our ever-changing world.
We celebrated Mass everyday; sometimes making a makeshift altar with our packs. Halfway through our Trek, we spent a day in a form of a mini-retreat where we focused on our vocation and wrote out resolutions on how we would give back to the church upon our return home. We also had the opportunity to go to Adoration and Confession. Six months later, the National Catholic Committee on Scouting sent our resolutions to us, reminding us of our commitments.
In conclusion, I am pleased to have the opportunity of fulfilling my duty to promote this trek to other scouts in Hawaii. It is an amazing experience, uplifting, and valuable in exploring God’s will for us in our lives.
For more information, go to http://www.nccs-bsa.org/index.php/sgt
