Our Lady of Champion mini-Camino set for May 2

CHAMPION, WISCONSIN  – More than 10,000 pilgrims are expected for “America’s Mini-Camino,” the 13th Annual Walk to Mary on May 2, a 22-mile pilgrimage that begins at National Shrine of St. Joseph at Old St. Joseph Church on the campus of St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and ends at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion – the first and only approved Marian apparition site in the U.S. Registration for the day of prayer, reflection, and connection, is open at WalktoMary.com.

“In a world that moves too fast, Walk to Mary allows thousands to choose to slow down, walk together, and rediscover Our Lady as she leads them one step at a time to her son,” said Father Anthony Stephens, CPM.
 
The walk expects a record number of pilgrims, due to Green Bay Bishop David L. Ricken declaring earlier this year that Servant of God Adele Brice, the Visionary of Our Lady of Champion, is on the path to sainthood.
 
“The Walk to Mary registration is already up 80% over last year at this time,” said Tom Schmit, co-founder of Walk to Mary. 
 
Pat Deprey, co-founder and event director, added, “Tom and I are excited to see pilgrims return to the Walk to Mary in thanksgiving and gratitude for answered prayers. One couple, Meghan and Jason Sheehan from Maryland, completed the full 22 miles in 2024, and prayed for a baby along the way. Their prayer was answered! They are returning this year to give thanks to Our Lady for her intercession for this miracle from God. Meghan told me her doctor said she can only do 7 miles this year, but they are excited to come back!”

“The Walk to Mary is a powerful reminder that when we walk with Our Lady, she always leads us closer to the Heart of her Son,” said Rev. Francis Joseph Hoffman, a founder of the Walk to Mary and CEO of Relevant Radio. “As we prepare for the historic consecration of our nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June 2026, during the 250th anniversary of the United States, this pilgrimage takes on even deeper meaning. It is an opportunity for Catholics to pray, offer sacrifice, and entrust our country, our families and our future to the merciful love of Christ. Every step we take together becomes a prayer for renewal in our church and our nation.”
 
Kym Allex and her family from Barrington, Illinois, have been participating on Walk To Mary pilgrimages for nine years. They’ve done the 1.7-mile children’s walk, as well as the 7-mile and 14-mile options. This year, they are thrilled to participate in the full 22-mile Walk to Mary. After last year’s pilgrimage, Kym’s eight children, now ages 4-17, shared their desire to complete the full Walk to Mary for their 10th year of pilgrimage. They’ll have a wagon for the 4-year-old.
 
“The Walk of Mary brought the ‘Allex Tribe’ closer through their combined efforts of prayer, encouragement, singing, playfulness, and maybe a little bit of gummy bears to help cheer on one another during the tough moments, but also in the joyful ones as well,” said Kym Allex.

In this Maria Vision video filmed during last year’s walk, Allex spoke about how the family prayed for others along the walk, and “anytime that we feel our feet hurting, we offer it up, and these next several miles we’ll be singing all different praises to Our Blessed Mother.”
 
This is the only place in the world where pilgrims have the opportunity to walk from the National Shrine of St. Joseph to a National Marian Shrine, connecting the Holy Family. From Shrine to Shrine, the Walk to Mary winds approximately 22 miles along the banks of the Fox River and the Niagara Escarpment to the town of Champion, Wisconsin. This one-of-a-kind pilgrimage proves to be a physical and spiritual test in perseverance for nearly everyone. The route has been customized into segments to suit your comfort and ability and pilgrims can easily join-in at any join-in point along the way. 

Full Weekend of Activities for Pilgrims

In addition to the Walk to Mary itself, pilgrims traveling to Green Bay will have the opportunity to participate in several additional events designed to enhance the pilgrimage experience and foster community:
 

• Relevant Radio Evening of Prayer and Celebration: Friday, May 1, Relevant Radio will host a welcoming spaghetti dinner, where pilgrims can enjoy a hearty meal and connect with fellow walkers before the pilgrimage. Registration is limited. Tickets are on sale now. 
• Broken Mary Presentation: On May 1, 7 p.m. Kevin Matthews, whose inspiring story is shared in the recent film Broken Mary, is speaking at St. Norbert College. Registration is open now.
• On Saturday, the statue will be processed during the Walk to Mary.

• Sing to Mary: A Sacred Music Concert: On May 1, a special sacred music concert, “Sing to Mary,” will be held at the Green Bay Cathedral and feature a collection of musicians from the Diocese of Green Bay performing beautiful sacred music inspired by devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. A spaghetti dinner will be held beforehand. Registration for the dinner and concert are limited. Tickets are at dioc.io/singtomary. 
• May Crowning – May 3, 11:30 a.m. Mass. The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion will celebrate its time-honored tradition of crowning Mary as Queen of heaven and earth. Following Mary’s crowning, there will be a rosary procession around its grounds.

To learn more about Walk to Mary or to register, visit WalktoMary.com. On-site registration is not available.

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