Down the road I walk: Torontonian rediscovers Catholic heritage on Chemin du Roy pilgrimage

Catholic New Times, Nov 16, 2003 by Jason Dennie

After three months of intense training, on a cold April morning shortly after dawn, Michael dips his foot into the frigid waters of Lake Ontario. This is a celebratory moment. It is an important turning point that will unfold into a pilgrimage of transformation.

He begins walking from the east end beaches in Toronto. With stubborn determination and a curious burning heart, he heads east along Highway 2, the King's Highway, hugging the shoreline of the Great Lake. As the hours melt away on that first day, flakes of snow begin to form and float harmlessly through the air. Within minutes, the weather quickly burgeons into a full-blown snow storm. Cars whiz past and spray waves of snow and slush over him. Michael realizes this is the first test of his resolve. He could still back out at this point and save a lot of pain and money and time and ridicule. Not a chance! In spite of numbing fingers and toes, there is something inexplicable in him that urges him onward, and so he walks on and on, day after day.

Michael Oesch, a 37 year-old musician and writer from Toronto, eventually completed a nearly miraculous walking pilgrimage to the Maritimes, and back eight months later. It has almost been a year since Michael returned from a stunning voyage of 5400 km on foot. Armed with the barest essentials including a tent, sleeping bag and a walking stick, and some luxuries including an ocarina, a baby guitar, a cell phone and a walkman, Michael walked approximately 30 to 40 km, ech day ,given the weather and his level of endurance. He also maintained an online journal during his travels and is currently developing these thoughts into a book he hopes to have published.

For lunch and dinner, Michael visited greasy spoon diners and took in a regular diet of bacon and eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, chocolate bars and pasta specials. Michael was burning over 5000 calories a day so he figured he could afford to "pig out", As he ate, he would converse with the locals and discover more about their lives, their traditions, their joys and concerns. Michael's message to those whom he met was clear and always the same: follow your dreams, literally.

Chemin du Roy

Prior to leaving, Michael had a recurring dream for months where he walked day after day until he made it all the way to the 'big salty lake where the land ends'. He had this dream night after night until he could no longer ignore it and decided to follow his dream and see where it would lead.

It was not until he reached rural Quebec, that he grew acutely aware of the fact he was on a pilgrimage. On the outskirts of Donnacona, Quebec, he was informed that the road he was walking upon was actually the Chemin du Roy, an old pilgrimage route spanning 250 km from St. Joseph's Oratory (L'Oratoire) in Montreal to the small rural town of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre and its Basilica at the center of town. Hundreds of Catholics every summer set out upon this route, stopping in at each church and holy site along the way.

Built in the early 1700s, the Chemin du Roy is the oldest road in Canada. One of the highlights of the pilgrimage for Michael was visiting NotreDame-de-Cap-de-la-Madeleine, a special place of serenity for him that dates back to the early 1600s when the area was settled and served by Jesuit Missionaries. They erected a small wooden chapel in 1659. The stone chapel from 1720 still stands and is the oldest church in Canada. The Basilica built during the 1960s is home to dozens of awe-inspiring stained-glass windows.

In addition to churches, Michael also appreciated the roadside Madonna shrines, symbols of great faith and hope for many Catholics in Quebec. He feels the shrines were one of a number of visual reminders of the deep spiritual roots that people in that part of the country still hold. The Madonnas, as Michael saw it, offered good journey to travellers, keeping intersections safe for them and blessing them as they passed through.

In the midst of this rich religious heritage, Michael rediscovered Catholicism and a faith he had abandoned in his teens. He recognized that Catholicism was Still truly a road to God. Michael left Toronto not knowing what he would find down the road, only to rediscover something he had discarded a long time ago: his faith.

He now understands faith as an acceptance that one will be lovingly guided in his journey. Michael feels it was this rediscovery that kept him steadfast through Quebec. His ability to identify with Catholicism provided great comfort and solace for him while on the road, as he adapted to a new culture surrounding him.

Upon arriving at the Basilica in Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, he observed how the sky-blue ceiling of the massive church made it feel as if it opened up to heaven. The massive Basilica itself is the final destination site of the annual pilgrimage on Ste. Anne's Day (July 26). It is estimated that close to 1.5 million pilgrims visit this holy site annually. Michael was so inspired by what he observed there, he attended mass in French and later received communion for the first time in several years. After meeting with Father Gerard Therrion, he was officially registered with the Basilica as a pilgrim of the Chemin du Roy. With great peace in his heart, Michael said goodbye and continued on.