A scene from last year’s

Blessing of the Bikes.

(Photos © J. Maus)

For the second year in a row, The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (St. Mary’s) in Northwest Portland will host a Blessing of the Bikes — and it couldn’t come at a better time.

With summer bike traffic heating up, I’ve been getting a noticeable increase in emails and phone calls about bike-car, bike-bike, and bike-pedestrian collisions. It’s also a busy time for bike racers, who face perils of their own. And it goes without saying that June has by far the highest number of bike-related events of any month in the year.

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At the Blessing of the Bikes last year, Deacon Thomas Gornick welcomed a few dozen people to the courtyard at St. Mary’s. In the crowd were Susie Kubota and Sophie Sparling, aunt and mom of Tracey Sparling, the woman who lost her life while on her bike back in October 2007.

Here’s more about Sunday’s event from the flyer:

If you ride for pleasure, commute, or race…

If you ride an old or new, mountain or street bike…

If you have just started or have ridden for years… All are welcome to the Blessing of the Bikes.

During the short program, Deacon Gornick will bless riders and their bicycles and will take a moment to remember those who have died in past years.

Blessing of the Bikes

Cathedral of Immaculate Conception (St. Mary’s) (NW 18th and Couch)

Sunday, June 7 – 2 – 2:30 pm











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