SAN JUAN — Rev. Jorge Gomez stood surrounded by bikers who attended Mass here Saturday to receive a blessing for their motorcycles, their keys and their persons. They stood with their hands in the air as Gomez splashed their keys with holy water and prayed for their safety.
Here at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine, clergymen from the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville were joined by the St. Benedict chapter of the Catholic Cross Bearers Motorcycle Ministry in South Texas for the second annual Biker Mass and Blessing of the Bikes.
The event is just as it sounds: motorcycles are prayed over for safe travels.
After Mass, each biker was escorted by the sound of mariachi music as they made their way back to their motorcycles to receive their blessing. They stood by their bikes and bowed their heads as Gomez walked by splashing holy water across their bikes.
“Gracias,” could be heard in hushed tones as they received the blessing.
“Getting the motorcycle blessed is important because it is not about the motorcycle, it’s about offering the motorcycle and the lifestyle that I live to God first,” Alan A. Mayne, president of the ministry’s South Texas chapter, explained at the event Saturday.
Mayne, 57, said the ministry began in Cleveland, Ohio, and was started by an ex-convict who wanted to keep a biker lifestyle but also wanted to stay out of prison. Although he never recruited others, the ministry began to grow and has now gone international.
For Mayne, the blessing gives the opportunity to share his lifestyle with God.
“That’s our primary focus — to bring in the love of Jesus to the streets and those in prison,” he added. “But (the ministry also provides) a place where like-minded people who love motorcycles can ride together, who share the Christian faith and like to do that together. …”
Miguel Medellin, 69, attended the event with his wife Adela, 64, to bless his newest bike. For Medellin, the blessing brings him a sense of comfort and safety.
“To bless the bikes, it’s very important because there are a lot of people who don’t pay attention to the bikes. There have been a lot of accidents with bikes because people hit them, because they are not paying attention,” Medellin said.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, an average of one motorcyclist dies in a crash on Texas roads every day.
“In 2021, 519 riders lost their lives and 2,318 were seriously injured in crashes. More than half of fatal motorcycle crashes result from collisions with other vehicles,” DPS said as part of its 2022 motorcycle safety campaign.
David Bruno, 36, of Harlingen has been riding a motorcycle for years. His ride of choice is a 2010 Harley Davidson Road King he calls his pride and joy, so getting it blessed just made sense.
“It’s to get the good and take the bad off,” Bruno said, adding that the lifestyle is something of a family affair. “The riding is passed down from my dad. We all ride — my sister and my brother. We all do.”
Bruno attended the event for the first time Saturday and hopes to continue attending future events.
“I always wanted to go (and) wanted to get it blessed,” Bruno added. “I feel it is a good luck thing.”
