The Rev. Viki Pretti sprinkles holy water from her motorcycle helmet during the May 2 Blessing of the Motorcycles at All Saints’ Church in West Newbury.
On Sunday, May 2, motorcyclists from as far away as Hartford, Conn., and Laconia, N.H., rode in to All Saints’ Church in West Newbury to be blessed.
It was the church’s first—and hoped to be annual—Blessing of the Motorcycles, at which the Rev. Viki Pretti welcomed more than 120 people for the morning event hosted by her congregation and several local motorcycle riding clubs.
“When I came out of church and saw all these happy people on our lawn, it gave me chills of joy. We are blessed to have such a wonderful welcoming community,” parishioner Sally Eames said.
Pretti, carrying her motorcycle helmet filled with holy water, brought the crowd together for the blessing ceremony and handed out to the riders crosses and key chains which had been blessed. A barbecue lunch followed, and, later, STAR 240’s road captain, Bob Frye, led the cyclists on a 20-mile scenic ride through local communities, ending at Haley’s Ice Cream in Newburyport.
Pretti reports that the event was a success, “bringing together folks from all walks of life on a beautiful spring day for fellowship and fun,” adding: “Motorcycle safety and awareness were a top priority, along with the notion that we are all children of God, and God is present with and to us all.”