As the summer break continues creep around the corner, the Moscow Frassati Fellowship sprung up last month and is dedicated to hiking the best trails around the Moscow area as a down-to-earth way to get closer to the Catholic faith.
The fellowship was created by Joseph Coffey, a University of Idaho student and member of St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, and has already been on one group hike.
He said there are several more to come for those who would like to join the adventures. Access to the group is free and they can be found on Facebook as the Moscow Frassati Fellowship.
“Moscow Frassati is a Catholic young adult hiking and outdoors group that aims at bringing us closer to the Creator through His creation,” Coffey stated in the description of the group on their Facebook page.
There are currently 19 members of the group and he said all someone needs to do to join is send a message. After reaching out, Coffey will help newcomers join the group officially and work with them to get more involved.
Coffey had the idea to create this club based on a similar group in Philadelphia, which is where he used to live. He started the Fellowship on April 7 and immediately set out to organize the first hike. He also worked to spread the word about the group around campus in order to get some other people involved.
The first hike took place on April 28, when the group traveled to the eastern side of Moscow Mountain. Eight of the 19 total members went. Coffey said the hike was a great first success for the club, it went smoothly and all involved had a good time.
“(Hiking) is a good opportunity because all you can do is talk,” Coffey said. “And it forces everyone to put their phones and work away, spend time with others and get closer to God.”
Coffey’s motivation toward the newly sprouted Fellowship lies in his faith.
The Fellowship is a cell of a larger organization called the Frassati Society of Young Adult Catholics who are dedicated to imitating the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati, a vehement force for social justice issues who lived from 1901 to 1925. Frassati himself wasn’t dedicated only to social justice work, but was also an avid mountaineer.
Coffey said some benefits of joining a social hiking group like the Moscow Frassati Fellowship include the mental health benefits of going outside to do something for a half hour every day, the connection between hikers and the grace of experiencing the scenery while in Moscow.
“People are missing out on beautiful scenery,” Coffey said. “So the reason to join the club is really evident based on where you’re living, (which is Moscow).”
The next hike is scheduled to take place Palouse Falls, and the group will meet at the St. Augustine Center on campus at 9 a.m. on Saturday, according to the Facebook page.
Dylan Shepler can be reached at [email protected]