Father John Nepil
Video Description:
Winner-Young Adult Category! Eventually the burnout in America was too much for this cradle Catholic. Enough was enough, so Fr. John and his friends ‘medicated’ by going outdoors as one option in high school. God’s blessings upon the state of Colorado are often reaped by its locals in the high country as we natives call the sacred tundra and crisp treeline (where Deer turn to Elk for all you non-natives). It was here, in mountains similar to the Italian Alps, where Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati ventured, and where Fr. John began to find answers to this life’s wild journey on the front line. By the end of this story from Fr. John Nepil, the essence of adventure is clear, resolute, and addicting, as proven by the crowd on top of Quandary Peak; a Colorado 14er that rises 14,265 feet above sea level.
Why would a group of college students follow a man of faith to the top of a mountain–and a group of CU-Boulder students none the less! A collection of youth eager for life, fun, adventure…and purpose, yes! The images from the video above shed light to that purpose-driven college experience that most students miss out on, but which Fr. John is quickly sharing with the JPII Generation, and beyond. Watch, listen, and soak in the beauty of creation with Aquinas Alpine!
Contest: 2013 Goodness Reigns “Share the Story”
Created By: Seth DeMoor
Location: Englewood, Colorado, USA
Experience Level: Moderate
Filmmaker Age: 27
Video Length: 3 min 52 sec
Credits:
Filming Crew: Seth DeMoor & Joseph DeMoor. Special thanks to Fr. John Nepil
Filmmaker Bio: Seth DeMoor’s first encounter with the Catholic faith came from his mother and father high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Sunday Mass was always part of the family’s weekly happenings. Even though he grew up at 8,000 feet above sea level, this did not translate to a heightened longing for the Catholic faith. The Catholic calisthenics at Mass never traveled from his bones to his heart. Catholicism at the end of high school left him wondering what is the Catholic faith? How does one live it out daily?
On January 3rd, 2010, Seth DeMoor ‘cast into the deep’ on a 2,400-mile bicycle ride across the United States from Florida to Colorado. Why? Because at the University of Colorado, Seth encountered stories from people of authenticity, who were young and all about sacrificing their lives for the Catholic faith. It was a beautiful encounter, so much so that he knew the world needed to hear their stories. And so was born www.OneBillionStories.com.
YOUCAT/Catechism Inspiration: YOUCAT 66: “Was it part of God’s plan for men to suffer and die?”
God does not want men to suffer and die. God’s original idea for man was paradise: life forever and peace between God and man, their environment, and between man and woman.
Wow! 😉
Inspiring story. Powerful, engaging witness. Excellent production values.
-Dr. James Kauffman
Excellent professional piece of work. Great cinematography and well put together.
-Sal Solo
Technically beautiful and amazingly presented, this video makes such a strong case for vocations. Inspiring young men to consider the priesthood by introducing them to real men who tell real stories is a winning formula. The video is beautifully filmed, edited with precision, and compelling in plot and delivery. Great work!
-Lisa Hendey
Father John Nepil tells one man’s story of conversion using a first person narrative illustrated by a visual ascent to the mountain top (literally). The narrative and visual imagery reach their apex together and create an emotionally satisfying sense to the film’s conclusion. Simple yet powerful. Well done.
-Matt Wielgos
This is a BEAUTIFUL film, and the ending was both visually stunning and very effective. The visual elements depicted a journey, and served as a powerful metaphor for Fr. Nepil’s description of his own journey (as well as giving the viewer insights into his personal passions, his style of ministry, and how he reaches out to youth, all without explicitly explaining those things). The celebration of the Mass against the backdrop of the Rockies, and the clear impact it had on the people in the film, was a beautiful and powerful way to conclude both stories being told. I was very impressed with not only the quality of the cinematography, but the way the pictures told their own story and conveyed their own message; the visuals could have told their own story with no dialogue at all, and greatly enhanced the story being told through the narration. This is an excellent example of the visual aspects of film creating a strong narrative in their own right, and adding richness and subtlety to the dialogue. It was a genuinely moving–and surprising–look at the life of one man, what led him to Christ and to the priesthood, and his ability to impact people going through the same valley. It did far more than impart or support the teaching of the Church, but painted a very effective and moving portrait of the way an encounter with Christ can come alive in someone’s heart.
-Sean Herriott
I appreciate all of your comments on the video. It was an epic adventure of filming, capped off by the source and SUMMIT of our faith, the Eucharist at 14,000 feet above sea level! God is so good for planting the story of Fr John in the path of our mission. We look forward to more comments and reflections on Fr John’s encounter with Truth, Christ.
“Oppression to my intellect, doctrinally; oppression to my will, morally”. A great summary for so many who experience “religion” prior to any experience of grace. And John describes well the suffering of someone, who does not understand they are lost. A very articulate expression of an interiority overwhelmed by the noise of “life”. So easy to be there!
As a Colorado Rockies hiker, I can relate to the experiences of grace, and the images of Eucharist on a 14’er invoke some of my own transfiguration moments.
John, you tell a great story with clarity and substance, and Seth was able to capture and edit it in a way that brings it home in an impactful way. Great job!!
I agree. I thought that the film quality was very good and the message was so powerful. This guy could really touch the lives of many youth.
Speechless. Unbelievably well expressed.