Fifty-one young adults from the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Lansing, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Saginaw hiked 13.5 miles in July from Cheboygan State Park to the Cross in the Woods at Indian River on the pilgrimage titled “Petitioning, Perseverance and Joy.”

Dawn Hausmann, director of young adult ministry for the Diocese of Lansing, said, “The Lord was surely our strength. We prayed together throughout the weekend … night prayer both nights; times of silent walking on the trail as we offered our intercessions to God; the holy rosary; morning prayer and evening prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours; Divine Mercy Chaplet; and, of course, holy Mass.”

Father Adam Maher, chaplain from the Diocese of Saginaw and Patrick Howard, young adult director from the Archdiocese of Detroit, joined Dawn in planning and presenting reflections during the pilgrimage that concluded with celebrating Mass at the Cross in the Woods on Sunday morning.