St. Pope Paolo VI. Alpinismo

Berkeley, Thursday, May 21, 2026 1:26 am

A few days ago, someone was sharing a experience and picture of her great grand uncle: Pope Paul VI. There are sharp moments and there are concussions. I thought she meant Pope John Paul I, who died a month after his election. Then, I realized it was Pope Paul VI, who is a Saint, whose feast is coming up. I do not know much about Pope Paul VI, despite I have read one of his great encyclical letters some years ago.

But I will take the opportunity to quote him, through Padre Suco Ribas’ book, about mountaineering (alpinismo):

“Vuestra vida de alpinisitas revela los hombres de temple que sois: hombres audaces, no solo hombres buenos y prudentes, no solo hombres habituados a todas las fatigas y a todos los peligros sino también diremos más todavía, y parece que lo adivináis, hombres que creen en Dios, que le ofrecen el tributo de una vida intachable, que quieren servile con la ayuda generosa y olvidados de sí mismos, que prestan a los hermanos que se confían en vosotros y esperan vuestra asistenciaI” [1, and probably 2]

References

[1] As cited in book from Suco Ribas: Por los Caminos del Sol y del Viento by Jose F. Ribas de Reyna S.J.

[2] This might have been part of Pope Paul VI General Audience on July 22, 1970 https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/it/audiences/1970/documents/hf_p-vi_aud_19700722.html