This past weekend, about thirty Saint Anselm students made their way to Mount Kearsarge in Warner, NH. This is the second time Outer Limits and Campus Ministry has hosted this event at Mount Kearsarge. Mount Kearsarge is located in Wilmot and Warner, New Hampshire. Two State Parks are located at the bases of the mountain, Winslow and Rollins State Park. The mountain is 2,937 feet in elevation, and on a very clear day, skyscrapers in the city of Boston (80 miles away) are visible from the fire tower on the summit.
Fr. Celestine Hettrick, who recently celebrated his ordination to the Priesthood, celebrated Mass at the top of the mountain. The responsorial Psalm for the Mass was “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him.” Many students felt closer to God when they saw the beautiful landscape with trees extending to the horizon. One such student, Isabelle Gross ’26, expressed that participating in Mass surrounded by God’s creation was worth the challenging hike. Sophia Faria ’26 also expressed that being able to enjoy the beauty of nature in the presence of fellow Anselmians helped her build a stronger sense of community.
When asked about his experience on the hike, Father Celestine said, “I have always felt very close to God in nature. I am an avid hiker. Celebrating Mass for Saint Anselm students at the top of Mount Kearsarge left me immensely grateful and joyful.”
Historically, the name Kearsarge came from a 1652 rendering of the native Pennacock tribal name for the mountain, Carasarga, which is believed to mean a notch-pointed mountain of pines. Kearsarge is considered a monadnock (an isolated hill or ridge), and although it is only of moderate elevation, it still is of substantial height, separating it from the higher mountains farther north. That makes Kearsarge one of twelve mountains in New Hampshire with a prominence of over 2,000 ft.
The students took the shorter path up to the mountain, which was a steeper incline and more challenging. On the way down, they took the longer trail. Rylee Bradshaw, ’25, stated, “The hike wasn’t easy, especially on the way up, but the views from the top were worth it all.” Another student, Madeleine Ellis, ’26, stated, “Being able to experience solitude in the mountains brought a sense of peace to her.” The students returned to the college late in the afternoon, tired but with a sense of accomplishment and truly enlightened by the experience.