08/25/2026
On the final day of our pilgrimage, we began with Sunday Mass at St. Francis Xavier Mission Church in Kahnawake, home of the Canada National Saint Kateri Shrine. We prayed at the tomb of St. Kateri Tekakwitha and saw artifacts from her life and the Mohawk people. We learned that she had journeyed from her birthplace near Auriesville, NY, to Kahnawake, when seeking refuge at the Jesuit mission there. Interestingly, we were about to make the reverse journey, from Kahnawake to Auriesville—though we'd be traveling by van, not canoe.
In Auriesville we visited the Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine, site of the martyrdoms of St. Isaac Jogues, St. René Goupil, and St. John LaLande. We walked the Stations of the Cross there and were inspired by the steadfast faith of the martyrs.
We were sad to see our pilgrimage come to an end as we arrived back home in New York City, but we are so grateful for all the many graces this journey has brought us! We have met many new saint friends in Canada, and our own bonds of friendship have deepened. We even got a final glimpse of beauty on this pilgrimage as we saw a few rainbows on the final stretch of our drive. We'll carry those graces with us as we return home!
