Round Lake priest leads pilgrimage for parish debt

The Rev. Tim O'Malley trudged down paved roads, met many strangers and wore out his shoes to walk 168 miles and join in prayer with his parishioners.

But the pastor at St. Joseph Church in Round Lake did not expect walking for one week to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, Wis. could do so much for his parish.

“I told my parish I am going no matter what. If people want to raise funds, I support them,” he said. “They ended up raising (over) $10,000 to pay down the parish debt.”

O'Malley, who has led the Round Lake parish for four years, planned the June 12 to 17 pilgrimage as a week of prayer. He was joined by six fellow parishioners from St. Joseph, as well as the Rev. John Crigler of Santa Maria del Popolo Church in Mundelein and the Rev. Gregor Gorsic, pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle in Romeoville.

“Something just clicked that they wanted to do it. It spoke to deeper parts of their heart,” O'Malley said. “It was good to be with people who wanted to be there.”

O'Malley exercised an hour a day five days a week to prepare for the walk. But he admits there was some hesitation before he took his first steps.

“I thought, ‘What am I doing? I am in over my head.' But once I started, I kept going,” he said. “You were walking along with someone else. You were praying, keeping someone company and encouraging.”

While there were aches, the walkers found inspiration on their third day as they continued to the shrine in Champion, Wis.

“We found a spark plug with the name ‘Champion' on it and somebody bought a pair of shoes with the name ‘Champion' on it,” O'Malley said.

“We said, ‘Come on, keep going! Don't get discouraged.' That was a sign to everybody to keep going. Champion is the goal.”

Along the way, they spent evenings in churches and met people in their homes and businesses. On their last day, the Rev. Gorsic stopped at a farm where a family welcomed him.

“They thought it was great the priest stopped there,” he said. “They gave him a ride on their (tractor) for 100 feet and made him feel like a prince. Afterward, he was able to pray with them and bless their farm.”

The pilgrimage also became a way to reduce the parish debt. Boot printslining the walls of the parish sanctuary were sold to raise more than $11,000.

“I told my parish if you'll pay me $10,000 a week to walk somewhere, I'll be gone every week,” O'Malley said with a laugh.

The pilgrimage may become an annual event. O'Malley said he also hopes people discover the joys of taking their own pilgrimages, no matter the distance.

“I really think families could really benefit from going out from an hour walk every day,” he said. “Conversation naturally bubbles up, and you can talk about important things.”