As the warmer weather approaches, more motorcyclists take to the road. There are 8.3 million registered motorcycles in the country. Despite only accounting for 3 percent of all registered vehicles, motorcycles make up 14 percent of traffic-related fatalities each year.

Photo courtesy Patricia LaCroix – LaCroix Creative

The Blessing of the Bikes is an annual tradition in which priests bless riders of motorcycles in hopes it will keep them safe for the year. First held in 1999 in New York, the service is non-denominational, focusing more on safety than religion, although it does include prayers and holy water. As The Blessing of the Bikes spread across the country, it also expanded to include bicycles. Several years ago when I owned a Honda scooter, I always attended a Blessing of the Bikes event.

Photo courtesy Patricia LaCroix – LaCroix Creative

On Saturday, the Knights of Columbus Council 12173 sponsored a Blessing of the Bikes open-air Mass on the northwest side of Chicago. The parking lot of St. Francis Borgia filled with motorcycles of all types on this beautiful day. In a move befitting a movie opening scene, Fr. Gary Graf rode in on his motorcycle before officiating the blessing. In addition to the actual service, there was plenty of socializing as riders from all over exchanged stories while checking all the cycles. There were even a few youngsters on their bicycles.

Photo courtesy Patricia LaCroix – LaCroix Creative

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. As much as the Blessing of the Bikes is a wonderful event for riders, it also serves as a reminder for other drivers to look out for our two-wheeled friends on the road. Let’s keep everyone safe on our way to our destinations.

— John Wroblewski, online writer