Colorado priest holds mass on the peak of every 14er in the state

DENVER ( KDVR ) — Closer to creation: That’s the goal of two Colorado priests. One has celebrated mass services atop of all Colorado’s 14ers.

When Father John Nepil was a college chaplain in Boulder, he noticed an issue. Some college students didn’t seem comfortable going to a traditional church mass service.

“They love the outdoors, and I love the outdoors,” said Nepil. “So, that was the meeting point.”

A meeting point in the mountains started a new adventure.

“I had climbed all the 14ers in my 20s and then when I was ordained to preach at 27, went back and wanted to do mass all of them,” said Nepil.

He has celebrated mass at the peak of every 14,000-foot mountain in the state — all 50-some peaks.

“I have never climbed a 14er by myself and I’ve done probably 120 to 130 of them,” said Nepil. “It’s about being in a relationship with God, being in a relationship with others and creation.”

Father Sean Conroy has been making the climb for three years now.

“It becomes this image, not just for physically scaling the heights, but also the heights of holiness,” he said.

Conroy has celebrated mass on 15 of the state’s highest peaks.

“To have creation, you have to have a creator,” said Conroy. “There’s just this strong connection when you’re out in creation. You can experience the nature and the glory. The natural question we begin to ask is who made this? Where did this come?”

Being so high up, the priestly pair believe there is nothing above you but God.

“When we’re able to bring ministry into the outdoors it opens up a whole new world for people,” said Conroy.

They are not trying to set a record or bag the 14ers.

“It’s actually as an act of thanksgiving,” said Nepil. “Giving praise to God that was the intentional part; to be in a community with friends.”

Typically the priests will have smaller groups ranging from three to four people. That depends on the size and the difficulty of climbing the mountains. They have also made the journey with groups as large as 20.

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