Catholics gather on the mountain for snow and Mass

Intermountain Catholic

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Our Lady of the Snows Center is located in the mountains of Alta at 8560 feet. A community center, it offers Mass every Sunday during the ski season at 5 p.m.
IC photo/Laura V. Sausedo

ALTA — When you are at 8560 feet of altitude, you may feel the proximity to heaven and even more if you have a place in which you can attend Mass.

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Center, in Alta, is just such a place. For the past 32 ski seasons Father John Norman has celebrated Mass there each Sunday at 5 p.m.; some of those who attend Mass arrive on skis.

Before every Mass, parishioner Paul Lippert shovels the snow from the sidewalk so people who walk in can enter the center safely.

"I do it for my own personal demons," said Lippert, who has been volunteering for more than 30 years. In addition to clearing sidewalks, he sets up chairs in the center for those attending Mass and also prepares the altar.

Usually 20 to 30 people attend Sunday Mass at Our Lady of the Snows; at Christmas and Easter that number can jump to hundreds.

"The community here is a very strong and present community, even though they change a lot," said Fr. Norman, pastor of Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Center. "Some people come to Mass every Sunday, some people work and live here, so they come;" others are skiers who regularly return to Alta. "We look forward to seeing each other."

The current center was dedicated in 1993; a previous building was destroyed by an avalanche. "We used to meet in the library for many years until we raised the money to build this center," Fr. Norman said. The center is used for many community functions and by many different groups.

Alta’s population was listed as 370 at the 2000 census, but the ski resort brings in 500,000 visitors a year. Having a Catholic center in the middle of a mountain is fundamental, Fr. Norman said. "That’s the important part of this spot. Many of these people come to Alta to ski (because) they are able to get to go to Mass."

That’s the case of the Zini family, who were married at the Our Lady of the Snows Center and have three children who were baptized at the center. Fr. Norman also celebrated the First Communion for the Zini’s oldest daughter.

"My parents lived here in Alta, but we are originally from New York," said Heather Zini. "We love Father John and that’s why we come here."

Christmas Mass at Our Lady of the Snows will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Dec. 25.