Starkenburg Pilgrimage

Public pilgrimages to the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows in Starkenburg, MO were formally started in 1891 as a promise by Fr. Hoehn to Our Lady when, following a day of prayer at the foot of the Pieta statue, 6 weeks of destructive rain ceased and crops were saved. Over the years, the shrine grew in significance due to numerous reported miracles and devotions attributed to the site. In 1897, Pope Leo XIII granted plenary indulgences under the usual conditions to pilgrims visiting the shrine.

Since 1999, the Society of Saint Pius X has sponsored the Starkenburg Pilgrimage each Fall for various intentions. This year the Society of Saint Pius X and St. Vincent de Paul Church in Kansas City are pleased to again host a pilgrimage of tradition in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows from October 3rd through October 5th, 2024. The pilgrimage route will be the same as previous years, 39 miles (3 days) or 12 miles (1 day) along the historic and beautiful Katy Trail. Last year approximately nine hundred people from twelve states attended the pilgrimage.

As in the past, pilgrims will have both a 3-day and a 1-day option. The 3-Day pilgrimage will start at the Katy Trail access point in Jefferson City, MO, and proceed through Tebbetts, Mokane, Portland, and Bluffton to conclude near the shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows in Starkenburg, MO. The 1-Day pilgrimage will join the 3-Day pilgrimage at Portland on the morning of October 5th for the final 12 miles.