As has been the case for the last decade, you can measure your devotion to the Virgin Mary by the prayers you say and the miles you walk this Saturday. The 10th annual Walk to Mary will once again take pilgrims on a 21-mile journey from the National Shrine of St. Joseph on the campus of St. Norbert to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion near Kewaunee County. While the route does offer the opportunity for people to jump in at any time, dozens every year make the full journey, which uses portions of the Fox River Trail before cutting through Green Bay to the Town of Champion. Pat Deprey has organized the event along with his fellow co-founder Tom Schmit every year since its inception. It is about the experience, not the miles, that matters to Deprey, who has done similar pilgrimages around the world.

The Walk to Mary is part of a series of events centered on the May Crowning of Mary. The crowning of a statue is a Catholic tradition honoring Mary as the Queen of Heaven and the Mother of God. You can learn more about the event and how you can participate here.

Pat Deprey tells the story of one of Saturday's participants

Picture courtesy of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion