Father Augustine, a Swiss monk from the Catholic Bethlehem Mission, arrived in Taiwan on August 28 fifty years ago, crossing the ocean to make Taitung his home. Passionate about mountain climbing, he met fellow enthusiasts from across Taiwan. To celebrate his 50th anniversary in Taiwan, he and his hiking friends scaled Xiangyang Mountain, which stands 3,602 meters above sea level, and cut a cake together yesterday.
The 78-year-old Father Augustine is currently the longest-serving foreign clergy member in Taiwan. For the past 50 years, he has worked in general affairs and administration for the Catholic Bethlehem Mission. A lover of mountaineering, he founded the Xiangyang Mountaineering Team, which is also the oldest hiking group in Taitung.
This year marks both the 60th anniversary of the Bethlehem Mission’s presence in Taiwan and Father Augustine’s 50th year in the country. Hiking friends planned a two-day, one-night trek up Xiangyang Mountain, his favorite peak. The day before yesterday, hikers from all over Taiwan stayed overnight at the Xiangyang Mountain Hut. Yesterday at around 1 a.m., they set off fully equipped to reach the summit of Xiangyang Mountain. They formed a "50" shape with apples and one hiker even carried a cake up the mountain to celebrate Father Augustine’s 50 years in Taiwan amidst the highland scenery.
Father Augustine said that climbing makes him feel very happy and helps him leave many worries behind. He also enjoys all kinds of plants, and feels refreshed when seeing different vegetation at various altitudes while walking through the mountains. Xiangyang Mountain is the second highest peak in Taitung, offering a vast view from the summit. He has climbed it more than 30 times and plans to keep doing so in the future.