by Ryan (AKA, Manbird)

“This love gave the Jesuits the strength, but more important the faith in God, to die for the Lord and spread the Gospel to their fellow Indians.”

                Growing up, my best friend’s dad told me there are two things I need to do in this life – pray and workout.  When I thought about what he said, he was exactly right.  Attending Mass, praying, and supporting the Church alongside working out, playing sports, and enjoying nature will help me develop a closer relationship with God. When I heard about the Trailblazers and what they were about, I thought this pilgrimage would be an excellent opportunity to grow in Faith and beat Father Ward in a game of soccer!  Although Father’s team beat the team I was on…  God spoke to me through the lives of the martyrs, through Father, and through everyone who was on the pilgrimage in a way that change my life and for that I am truly blessed.

                After hibernating for twenty-four hours and taking ten Band-Aids off my feet, I thought about the great memories we had on the trip.  From the dancing Detroit beep-bop owl to sleeping in the field at St. Patrick’s where I thought I was on the set of arachnophobia!  To the great meals we had along the way while Richard and Josiah ate insects.  To setting up our tents in the middle of the night and listening to Tim tell riddles about bicycles, hot air balloons, and light bulbs.   To archery shooting where I was all over the target while Mr. McGucken was hitting the bull’s-eye with his eyes closed.  To trying to get eight headers in a row with the soccer ball while walking at the same time.  To losing so badly at this card game that I will never touch a deck of cards again.  To the great spiritual talks we had and the great conversations I had with everyone on the pilgrimage.  From no longer being known as Ryan but now as “Manbird”.  To canoeing through the river at the Wildfire and getting stuck on tree to the reward of a steak at Niagara Falls at the end of the trip.  To my first ever Tim Horton’s donut to telling Jen and Tim Tojo’s was right around the corner when it turned out to be another mile, for which they almost martyred me.  To the beautiful scenery of Canada to the holy grounds of the Shrine of the North American Martyrs.  To using more DEET bug spray in one week then most people use in a lifetime, and to hours of walking what felt like that Proclaimers song, “I would walk five hundred miles!”  These were just a few of many great memories I had on this trip.

                  To be able to learn about the martyrs, walk the paths they did, to celebrate Mass and have adoration on the grounds where St. John De Brebeuf and Gabriel Lalemant were martyred was truly inspiring. We read about the saints and it’s sometimes hard for us to understand the suffering they endured – I think this pilgrimage allowed us to begin to comprehend the love these men had for the Lord.  This love allowed them to unite their sufferings to our Lord’s cross, for the glory of God.  This love gave the Jesuits the strength, but more important the faith in God, to die for the Lord and spread the Gospel to their fellow Indians.  More than likely we’ll never experience the suffering these men did, but we do experience different types of sufferings in our own lives.  If we can unite our sufferings to Christ’s cross on a daily basis, I believe we can help bring souls to Christ by the way we live.  The Lord will give us the graces to do this!  I had a great time on the trip and thank you all for an amazing experience.  God Bless!