Shrines, Saints, and the Open Road 2.0

Last year I shared with you the vision of our Motorcycle Pilgrimage of Hope, a journey across Canada and the United States to visit sacred shrines, pray together, and carry your intentions before the Lord. Many of you followed our pilgrimage, sent us your prayer requests, and supported us with your encouragement. For that, I remain deeply grateful.
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As many of you already know, I was not able to complete the pilgrimage. No, I didn't run out of gas. I didn't get lost. And thankfully, I didn't confuse the shrine with the nearest Tim Hortons.

Severe back problems made it impossible to continue riding. At first, I struggled to understand why God would allow the pilgrimage to end so unexpectedly. After months of planning, preparation, and excitement, turning back was one of the hardest decisions I had to make.

Looking back now, however, I see the journey differently.

A pilgrimage has always involved sacrifice. Christians throughout history have walked hundreds of kilometres, endured hunger, fatigue, illness, and uncertainty as they sought to draw closer to God. If I am honest, riding a motorcycle has always been a great joy for me. It is one of the places where I feel free, where I enjoy God's beautiful creation, and where prayer comes naturally. In that sense, I began to ask myself: where was the sacrifice?

Then the answer slowly became clear.

In my previous article, I wrote that we would carry your prayer intentions with us to every shrine we visited. We promised to pray for you, your families, your struggles, and your hopes. Although I could no longer continue the pilgrimage, perhaps God was inviting me to fulfil that promise in a way I had never expected.

Instead of offering miles travelled, I was invited to offer my suffering. 

It was not only the physical pain that became my offering. The sorrow of not being able to continue the pilgrimage with my friends, of watching them ride on while I had to turn back, was also a real and deeply personal sacrifice. Together, the pain, disappointment, and sense of loss became my prayer. Every difficult day became an opportunity to place your intentions before God. In His mysterious providence, what seemed like the end of the pilgrimage became another stage of it. The road simply changed, from highways and shrines to doctor's appointments, and the quiet endurance that so many people experience every day.

I discovered once again that God is never limited by our plans. Sometimes He leads us exactly where we intended to go. At other times, He teaches us by asking us to stop.

This experience reminded me that the value of a pilgrimage is measured not by the distance travelled but by the openness of the heart. Whether we are riding through majestic mountains or sitting quietly in a room unable to move without pain, God remains by our side.

This year, with gratitude and renewed hope, I am preparing to continue the journey that remained unfinished.
I do so with greater humility than before. I know that every kilometre is a gift and that every day on the road depends entirely on God's grace. My prayer is simple: if it is God's will, may He allow me to complete this pilgrimage, not for my own satisfaction, but for His glory and for all those whose intentions we have the privilege to carry. Once again, I invite you to become fellow pilgrims.

Please send us your prayer intentions. We will carry them with us to every shrine, every church, every Mass, and every moment of prayer along the way. Whether the journey is smooth or difficult, know that your intentions will remain at the heart of this pilgrimage.

Thank you for your prayers, your friendship, and your faith. Last year, many of you also prayed for my recovery. I believe those prayers strengthened me more than you know.

As we prepare once again to start our engines, may we remember that every Christian life is a pilgrimage. Whether God calls us to move forward with confidence or to wait with patience, every step entrusted to Him leads us closer to Christ.

From July 30 to August 18, a segment of our team will travel thousands of miles by motorcycle through Western Canada and the western United States. We would be honoured to carry your prayer intentions with us, lifting them each day at Mass with Bishop Scott McCaig and I, and remembering them in the rosaries we pray along the open road.

May the Lord bless you abundantly, keep you safe, and fill your hearts with hope. We look forward to carrying your prayers once again. ​See you on the road, and, above all, in prayer.

Sign up today!

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Written by Fr. Mariusz Sztuk, SDS. Photos courtesy of Fr. Mariusz Sztuk, SDS.