Loyal walkers take part in ‘Walk to Mary’ pilgrimage

By Cheyenne Thomas 49,707 steps. That’s roughly how many steps each individual needs to take in order to cover the approximately 22 miles from De Pere to Champion. On May 3, five individuals from the area joined approximately 7,000 other walkers on the journey between the Brown County communities called “Walk to Mary.” Connie and Lucy Walter, Grace Genteman,MichelleMalm,andLisaRichmond all took part in the journey, one that connected them more to their Catholic faith and to the worldwide community of believers.

In its 12th year, the annual Walk to Mary takes walkers from the National Shrine of St. Joseph, Old St. Joseph Church at St. Norbert College in De Pere northward to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion — the location of the first and only Marian apparition approved by the Catholic Church in the United States.

According to the history of the shrine from the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion website, the shrine is built in the approximate location where Belgian immigrant Adele Brise received a vision and message from the Virgin Mary, appearing to her on several occasions in 1859. Hundreds of thousands of people visit the shrine annually, with more Catholics from around the globe making the journey to the site with every passing year.

One day that attracts a great many international and native pilgrims to the area is the Walk to Mary event. Divided into four segments, the 22-mile journey takes those on the pilgrimage through cities and towns, across rural farmlands, and along rivers and other notable landmarks as they make a visible witness to others about their faith and devotion to the Virgin Mary.

This is the fifth year that the group from Loyal and Granton has made the pilgrimage. According to Connie, they got involved in the walk after listening to Relevant Radio — a Catholic radio broadcasting organization with several stations across Wisconsin and other parts of the U.S. The Walk to Mary was originally conceived in 2009 by Rev. Francis Hoffman — known to pilgrims as Father Rocky — who is the executive director of Relevant Radio. The event is promoted on its broadcasts every year leading up to the first weekend in May when it is held. Hearing about it from there, Connie said she was inspired.

“It all started with Relevant Radio,” she said. “I love listening to it, and they started the Walk to Mary. I heard about it and I thought to myself, ‘We all love to walk. And Lisa loves to do marathons. So why don’t we try this?’” So they did try it, with Connie, Grace, Michelle, and Lisa all going that first year in 2021. Lucy joined them the following year when she was 11 years old and has kept pace with the rest of the crew ever since. It is a trip that the group has come to look forward to every year, beginning training in preparation for the 22-mile walk in the months leading up to it. The walk takes all day to complete, beginning at 7 a.m. and concluding at 3 p.m. with a Mass following the walk.

“You just pace yourself through it,” said Lucy. “While we walk, people will say the Rosary and there will be singing. ‘Ave Maria’ is one of the most popular songs.”

When going on the journey, the group said there is quite a diverse presence of those in attendance. People from all over the world come to take part in the Walk to Mary, with many of those pilgrims representing their native lands by bearing their country’s flags. “It is fun,” said Lucy. “I met a gal from Texas and a guy from Nigeria. Everyone is nice on the walk. The EMTs and medical staff are too. It lightens your whole mood. We are all looking forward to Mass. You see the flags and people are talking in so many different languages.”

This community of faith with others is just one of the many reasons why the group returns to take part year after year. There is also the message and feeling of hope that the event brings to participants, bringing healing and comfort to many.

“It is very humbling,” said Connie. “It brings a sense of inner peace. It’s that good feeling you get when you do something special for someone else.”

“It’s about carrying our own cross like Jesus did,” added Grace.

The shrine itself, when they finally arrive in the afternoon, is a gorgeous sight. Adorned with numerous lit candles, the atmosphere is calm and peaceful for the weary travelers. Many visit the chapel before attending Mass, which is celebrated in a mix of English and Spanish.

“The shrine is beautiful,” said Connie.

“It is very peaceful,” added Lucy. “The candles are all lit inside so it can get very hot, but it is so beautiful.”

The group hopes to continue to make the pilgrimage in the years to come and hopes that others will be inspired to take part in the journey. Every year, they said the amount of participants grows, increasing from only 500 when the walk started 12 years ago to more than 7,000 participants now. Everyone is inspired by faith, they said, and taking part in the Walk to Mary is a powerful witness to that.

“We would like to do it more,” said Grace. “We look forward to it every year.”

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO