Pilgrimage for Restoration: Walking in the Footsteps of Martyrs

At the end of September, about 20 high school students will participate in the Pilgrimage for Restoration, a 60-mile walking pilgrimage over 3 days that ends at the U.S. Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, NY. The route follows the steps of St. Isaac Jogues and his companions, who were led as captives, tortured, and eventually executed where the Shrine stands today.

The participants will be camping in tents overnight, attending early morning Mass, walking about 20 miles per day, singing hymns, and carrying our school flags along with the flags of the Holy Vendéen Martyrs. Fr. Charles Pavlickwill serve as our Chaplain and will walk the entire route as well.

Why are we doing this?

One simple reason is that Catholics have been undertaking pilgrimages like this for centuries—we seek to maintain this Tradition. For example, the famous pilgrimage from Paris to Chartres Cathedral in France attracts over 30,000 participants.

The deeper reason is to make sacrifices for restoration. Prayer and sacrifice are essential for the restoration of our country and our Church. We face a pivotal event in November that is not solely about one individual—it’s about the overall direction of our nation and whether it’s pre-determined. Additionally, the Church is in a critical period, where we are no longer allowed to worship in the way the Mass has been offered for centuries.

We will also be offering sacrifices for the HFA community. A Pilgrimage Intentions Box will be available at the Front Desk for anyone to submit intentions. No one will read these intentions; we will simply take them with us on the pilgrimage.

(Full Disclosure: I’ll be driving the support van. My wife, however, will walk the entire pilgrimage. She’s done it before and is much tougher than me.)

The Martyrdom of St. Rene Goupil

"The more they tighten their grip, the more the traditional movement will slip through their fingers."
~Anonymous

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