Bless these wheels

Sacred Heart’s annual event draws 50

By:Mary Ellen Zangara
   Saturday’s Blessing of Vehicles at Sacred Heart Church, an annual event organized by the Manville Area Knights of Columbus, drew about 50 people and several special vehicles for the event.
   The lineup of vehicles — from scooters and bicycles to cars and vans — had to make room for Manville emergency vehicles and two semi-tractors.
   Originally scheduled for April 26, the event was rescheduled and held in conjunction with the Knights’ Classic and Custom Car Show.
   Sacred Heart pastor the Rev. Boguslaw Augustyn (Father Bogie) performed the rites, following the Catholic tradition of invoking a patron saint to intercede with God for the safety and well-being of those being blessed. In the case of vehicles, St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, is called upon.
   Cars, bicycles, trucks, motorcycles and other four-wheel vehicles were blessed by Father Augustyn and the Rev. Stanley Ziobron in the church parking lots.
   Mike Cigler of the Knights of Columbus welcomed the crowd and thanked them for attending.
   "I would like us all to take a moment to think about freedom and this great country we live in," he said. "A place where we can express ourselves freely. A place where we can organize an expression of faith and freedom like this blessing. The U.S.A., a place where we can be free to own and operate vehicles like these. Motorcycles, boats, hotrods, family trucksters and bicycles.
   "These chariots bring us safety and protect us, they carry us to work and play, our favorite vacation spots, places of worship and destinations unknown. These vehicles are all about freedom and expression when we get in or on them we become soccer mom or dads, ‘easy riders,’ the ‘Fonz,’ ‘John Milners’ and Sunday drivers. Be proud to live here in a place where we can operate these freedom machines," he said.
   Father Augustyn asked that all the owners of the vehicles stand by their transportation as he and Father Ziobron walked around the parking lots blessing each and every wheel present.