Walk for Vocations

Each Step a Prayer for More Priests

 
 

September 27–October 1, 2026

70+ miles. Five days. One intention.

This fall, Msgr. Tad Oxley, Fr. David Kidd, and Fr. Joseph Mominee will set out on foot across the Diocese of Toledo for the third annual Walk for Vocations—a five-day pilgrimage of prayer and sacrifice for an increase in vocations to the diocesan priesthood.

And they are inviting the entire Diocese to walk with them.

Walk one mile or all 70+. Volunteer along the route. Offer a day of prayer or fasting. Take a prayer walk in your own community. Or join us for the Closing Mass at Our Lady of Consolation in Carey.

However you participate, unite your prayers with Catholics across northwest Ohio and make each step, each sacrifice and each prayer an offering for the men God is calling to the priesthood.

Each Step a Prayer for More Priests.

Sign up to Walk
Sign up to Volunteer
 
 

A Pilgrimage for Priestly Vocations

Why walk more than 70 miles? Pilgrimages have been part of the Christian tradition for centuries. They take us out of the comfort of our ordinary routines and turn the journey itself into prayer. Mile after mile, fatigue, sore muscles and blisters can become something more: a sacrifice offered to God.

For this pilgrimage, there is one particular intention: More priests for the Diocese of Toledo.

The Walk for Vocations began in 2024 when Fr. Joseph Mominee, Fr. David Kidd, and Msgr. Tad Oxley set out on a diocesan pilgrimage inspired by the great walking pilgrimages of Europe, including the Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena.

What began as a physical challenge became a profound spiritual experience. The miles were marked by prayer—the Rosary, lectio divina, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, conversation and silence. The physical difficulty of the walk became an opportunity for penance and sacrifice.

And each year, more of the faithful have joined them. Some walk for days. Some walk for hours. Some join for only a few miles. Together, they pray for the same thing: that more men will hear God's call to the diocesan priesthood and have the courage to answer it.

“We need more men who are open to the priesthood, and this is one way to pray and sacrifice for that.”

 
 

How Will You Participate?

You don't have to walk 70 miles to be part of the Walk for Vocations.

WALK

Join the pilgrimage for all five days, one day, a few hours or even a single mile. No particular distance is required. Come and pray with us for as much of the pilgrimage as you are able. Sign Up to Walk

VOLUNTEER

Help make the pilgrimage possible. Volunteers are needed to assist the priests and pilgrims throughout the five-day journey. Sign Up to Volunteer

PRAY & FAST

Can't join us along the route? Walk with us spiritually. Mark September 27–October 1 on your calendar and intentionally offer prayer and sacrifice for an increase in vocations to the diocesan priesthood.

You might:

  • Offer a day of fasting for vocations.

  • Pray a Rosary for the men God is calling.

  • Spend time in Eucharistic Adoration.

  • Offer your daily work, difficulties or sacrifices for vocations.

  • Take your own prayer walk through your neighborhood or community.

  • Continue the diocesan commitment of one Hail Mary each day and fasting on Fridays for priestly vocations.

Wherever you are, your prayer can become part of the pilgrimage.

JOIN THE CLOSING MASS

Come together with pilgrims and faithful from across the Diocese as the Walk for Vocations concludes at the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey on Thursday, October 1. The pilgrims are scheduled to arrive at approximately 5:00 p.m., with Closing Mass offered upon arrival.

Whether you walked 70 miles, one mile or prayed from home, join us as we place the fruits of the pilgrimage before the Lord in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

A Special Opportunity for Grace

Bishop Daniel E. Thomas has granted a partial indulgence under the usual conditions to the faithful who participate, either physically or spiritually, in the 2026 Walk for Vocations.

This means that participation in the pilgrimage extends far beyond those physically walking the route. The sick, homebound, elderly, families, parish communities and anyone unable to join the walk in person can unite themselves spiritually to the pilgrimage through prayer and sacrifice for priestly vocations.

2026 Walk for Vocations Schedule

The 2026 pilgrimage will cover more than 70 miles over five days, beginning at Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral in Toledo and concluding at the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey. You are welcome to join all five days, one full day or any portion of a day.

Sunday, September 27

Start: 2:00 p.m.
Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral, Toledo

End: Approximately 7:00 p.m.
St. Joseph Catholic Church, Maumee

 

Monday, September 28

Start: 9:00 a.m.
St. Joseph Catholic Church, Maumee

End: Approximately 5:30 p.m.
St. Thomas More University Parish, Bowling Green

Mass will be offered upon arrival.

 

Tuesday, September 29

Start: 9:00 a.m.
St. Thomas More University Parish, Bowling Green

Pilgrims will walk through the campus of St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Bowling Green, along the way.

End: Approximately 6:00 p.m.
Holy Family Catholic Church, North Baltimore

Mass will be offered upon arrival.

 

Wednesday, September 30

Start: 8:00 a.m.
Holy Family Catholic Church, North Baltimore

End: Approximately 5:00 p.m.
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Findlay

Mass will be offered upon arrival.

 

Thursday, October 1

Start: 8:00 a.m.
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Findlay

End: Approximately 5:00 p.m.
Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, Carey

Closing Mass will be offered upon arrival.

Walking With Us? Here's What You Need to Know.

The Walk for Vocations is a pilgrimage—not a race. Come ready to walk, pray and offer the experience for vocations.

Before you come:

  • Meet at the departure church listed for that day.

  • Bring plenty of water.

  • Pack a lunch and any snacks you will need.

  • Wear comfortable, broken-in walking shoes.

  • Dress appropriately for the weather.

  • Bring your Rosary.

  • Determine how far you realistically plan to walk.

  • Arrange transportation back to your vehicle. The pilgrimage begins and ends at different locations each day.

You do not have to register in order to walk with us. However, registration is encouraged because it gives us a better idea of how many pilgrims to expect and helps with planning. Let Us Know You're Walking

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Walk for Vocations is an annual walking pilgrimage through the Diocese of Toledo offered for one primary intention: an increase in vocations to the diocesan priesthood.

    The pilgrimage was first undertaken in 2024 by Fr. Joseph Mominee, Fr. David Kidd, and Msgr. Tad Oxley. Inspired in part by European walking pilgrimages such as the Camino de Santiago and Via Francigena, the priests discovered that the physical demands of walking dozens of miles could become a powerful offering of prayer and penance.

    The Walk for Vocations is now in its third year. In 2026, the pilgrimage expands to five days and more than 70 miles across the Diocese.

  • Pilgrimage has a long history in the life of the Church.

    A pilgrimage reminds us that the Christian life itself is a journey toward God. It also asks something of the pilgrim. Walking for hours through heat, rain, fatigue, blisters and aching muscles transforms prayer from something merely spoken into something offered with the whole body.

    As Fr. Mominee explained when reflecting on the origins of the walk:

    “The major intention for vocations to the priesthood just made perfect sense.”

    This diocesan “Camino” is both a prayer and a public witness: a visible sign that the Church in northwest Ohio is serious about praying for the men God is calling to become her priests.

  • Absolutely not.

    Walk all five days. Walk one day. Join for a few hours. Walk one mile.

    There is no minimum distance.

    The goal isn't to see who can walk the farthest. The goal is to pray for vocations.

  • No. Registration is not required to join the pilgrimage.

    However, we encourage you to register so organizers have a better idea of how many people may be walking each day.

    Sign Up to Walk

  • While every stretch of the pilgrimage is a little different, prayer is woven throughout the journey.

    Past walks have included the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, lectio divina, personal prayer, conversation and periods of quiet.

    There is also plenty of time to talk with fellow pilgrims—and with the priests walking beside you.

  • Yes.

    On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Mass is scheduled to be offered when pilgrims arrive at the destination parish.

    The pilgrimage concludes Thursday with the Closing Mass at the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, offered upon the pilgrims' arrival at approximately 5:00 p.m.

    All are welcome to attend the Closing Mass, including those who were unable to walk.

  • Because the pilgrimage begins at one church and ends at another each day, walkers are responsible for arranging their own transportation back to their vehicle.

    If you are only walking a portion of the route, please make transportation arrangements accordingly.

    If a parish arranges return transportation, we will share that information on the Diocese of Toledo social media.

  • At minimum, bring:

    • Comfortable walking shoes

    • Water

    • A packed lunch

    • Snacks as needed

    • Weather-appropriate clothing

    • Your Rosary

    • Any personal items you will need for the distance you intend to walk

  • You can still be an important part of the Walk for Vocations.

    Pray from home. Offer a fast or sacrifice. Spend time in Eucharistic Adoration. Take a shorter prayer walk in your own neighborhood. Volunteer. Pray with your parish. Or join us for the Closing Mass in Carey.

    The entire Diocese can make this pilgrimage together—even when we aren't all walking the same road.

  • Yes.

    Bishop Daniel E. Thomas has granted a partial indulgence under the usual conditions to the faithful who participate either physically or spiritually in the 2026 Walk for Vocations.

    Read the Decree