Gene Bartels drives a tractor carrying a crucifix from Sacred Heart Church in Laurens, Iowa, July 29, 2021, to the new Christ the King Church in Sioux Center, set to be dedicated in September. Father Doug Klein, Christ the King’s pastor, and parishioners Dave Klein, Janet Klein, Vickie Ryan, Paola Rivera and Maria Cartelan are seen walking what was a 24-mile leg of a 100-mile pilgrimage through rural Buena Vista County. Walkers and riders took part in the Christ the King Cross-Carrying Pilgrimage over a five-day period, July 27-31, carrying items to the new church. CNS photo/Jerry L. Mennenga

Parishioners and supporters braved hot and humid weather with a heat index close to 100-plus degrees to participate in an almost 100-mile pilgrimage to recognize the sacrifice made by previous congregations.

In preparation for the September dedication of a new church in Sioux Center, Iowa, walkers and riders took part in the Christ the King Cross-Carrying Pilgrimage over a five-day period, July 27-31, trekking anywhere from 14 to 24 miles each day.

The newest church for the Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa, is the culmination of about eight years of evaluation and assessment of the needs of a burgeoning congregation in Sioux Center, while surrounding churches were experiencing a decline in congregant numbers, paired with a shortage of priests.

Ministry 2025, pastoral planning for the Diocese of Sioux City, was implemented in 2016 to address parish vibrancy. About 40 churches in small towns and rural areas, moved to oratory status or were closed over the next several years.

According to Father Doug Klein, pastor of Christ the King Parish, which includes the church in Sioux Center and St. Mary Church in Rock Valley, Iowa, the pilgrimage aspect was important, as the new church was nearing completion.

“As a pastor, I wanted to transport as many items as possible from the closed churches, in the communities along the route of the pilgrimage, that had previously been in our cluster to our new church,” he said. “I thought the pilgrimage would also illustrate the sacrifice that our ancestors would have made on their journey to establish their churches.”

About 15 individuals were on hand to begin the pilgrimage July 27, in Mallard, Iowa, and Father Klein explained a reason for that.

“The majority of the items for the new Christ the King Church are coming from the former Mallard St. Mary Church,” he said of the building which is now used as a funeral home. “The marble altar, many of the statues, and the Stations of the Cross won’t be on the journey, but smaller items will be.”

Robyn Van Venrooij, director of faith formation at Christ the King, added that a 200-pound crucifix from Mallard also would be used in the new church.

“That would be too much weight, so we are simply transporting the corpus from the crucifix on the pilgrimage,” she said. “Stained-glass windows were previously removed from the church in Sutherland (Iowa), so we will be stopping there on Day 4, to acknowledge that.”

Each day of the pilgrimage began with a short prayer service.

“O God, who brought your servant Abraham out of the land of the Chaldeans, protecting him in his wandering across the desert, we ask that you watch over us, your servants, as we walk in the love of your name to Christ the King in Sioux Center,” prayed Father Klein July 29 in Sioux Rapids, the site of the former St. Joseph Church, now Sliefort Funeral Home and Cremation Center.

After the prayer, seven people grabbed their water bottles, tightened the laces on their tennis shoes, and donned their brimmed hats to begin the 24-mile trek to Peterson, Iowa.

Pilgrims had the option of walking, jogging or riding in a covered wagon, propelled by a bright orange Minneapolis Moline tractor, owned by parishioner Gene Bartels of Sioux Center.

“The tractor goes about two miles per hour,” he said. “It will go up to 16, but I thought we’d have people thrown all over the covered wagon if I had it go that fast.”

The covered wagon was followed by the “Safety Support Vehicle” — Van Venrooij’s personal car, which had beverages, snacks and a first aid kit.

“I think the average age of our walkers is about 60 years old,” she quipped.

However, Van Venrooij pointed out the 400 families in the congregation were younger and that the congregation is about 96% Hispanic.

“That’s another reason why this pilgrimage is important,” she said. “It brings to mind the immigrants who traveled to this area to establish churches are much like our immigrants today. It puts things in perspective.”

The Christ the King worship community was initiated with 13 families in 1992 when permission was granted for weekly Masses at Hope Lutheran Church in Sioux Center. In 1995, Christ the King became part of the Trinity Cluster with Rock Valley and Sacred Heart Church in Alvord. In 2000, the former Kempers Flower House and property were purchased for the church.

The parish was established in 2010, and Father Klein was named pastor. A “Coming Together in Serving Christ Our King” campaign to raise $1.5 million for a new 1,800-square-foot church that would seat 400 kicked off in 2018. A ground-breaking ceremony was held in August 2020. Dedication is set for Sept. 19 this year.

Father Klein, who planned to walk all five of the days, thought the heat, humidity, and northerly winds which brought smoke, from wildfires out west into Northwest Iowa, didn’t daunt the walkers.

“I did pretty well yesterday,” insisted parishioner Vickie Ryan of Sioux Center.

Then with a huge grin and twinkle in her eye, she added, “But I think my hips are a little tight; some WD-40 might help them out.”

Fox is the retired managing editor of The Catholic Globe, former newspaper of the Diocese of Sioux City.