A pilgrimage of prayer and providence

Joe Domina’s backpacking pilgrimage is less about his destination and more about the spiritual journey.

A faithful adherent of the Catholic church, Joe began his long trudge at the Statue of Liberty monument on Liberty Island and plans for his trek to reach the West Coast. Joe not only walks across the United States for personal atonement but to pray for our country.

He makes stopovers in cities and small towns along the way to pray with strangers and visit Catholic churches, relying only on God’s providence to make his way.

What would have been about a 20.5-hour drive from Lady Liberty has taken Joe six months of walking more than 1,400 miles, but Joe didn’t seem overly concerned about the pace of his purposeful passage as he stopped over in Atlanta, Texas on Tuesday, March 12. Atlanta Middle School’s boy’s PE class was out in the field when students, teachers, and school administrators spotted Backpack Joe, as he is now famously known, coming down Texas State Highway 77. Joe had just come about 10 miles through Texas from the Three Corners’ Marker– where Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas meet, having just spent some time in Shreveport the week prior.

Folks in the Cass County area were already keeping an eye out for Backpack Joe, as the hashtag, #BackpackJoe went semi-viral through the region, with people following his movements in hopes of giving him a downhome southern greeting. By the time students and teachers had spotted him, they happily welcomed him, clapping for him as he walked the side of the guardrail where dozens of excited teens reached out for high-fives.

“God Bless you,” Joe said, seamlessly trudging the roadside down past the maroon railing, with his 50-pound backpack in tow.

He handed out high-fives as cars drove by honking and waving.

His welcome to the Lone Star State was as big as Texas, which he said marks the 11th state he’s visited in just more than six months.

“I went through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,” Joe said. “I took one step in Arkansas over there, and now Texas so I’ve been 1400 miles in six and a half months.”

Joe demonstrated an old flip phone to the students that he uses sparingly. Almost all kids their age were born into the era of smartphones and many likely have only heard tales of such a device.

“You guys ever seen one of these things,” Joe said. “I started with no money, no smartphone, no access to my debit card, no access to my credit card, no car, no GPS. I just have this little flip phone here and God has provided for six months.”

Joe took time to explain his mission before taking a few questions from the kids.

“My big three reasons that I’m walking are to repent for my sins because Jesus loves me and I want to continue to live a Holy

life for him, so that’s the first reason,” he said. “The second reason is to pray for our country, pray for America, and then the third reason is to trust in God’s providence.”

He then said a prayer for the kids, thanking Jesus for them and asking that Jesus bless them, keep them close, and that everyone there would come to know the love of God more and more each day.

“We know that with You, Jesus, is the fullness of life,” Joe prayed. “That life outside of You is dull and boring, and that life with You is an adventure…like walking across the country.”

STEM coordinator Amanda Simpson Wood said seeing some of the middle-schoolers interacting with Backpack Joe was a very moving experience. She, along with coworkers took in the looks of fascination on the students’ faces at hearing the number of miles Joe had walked and the length of time he had been traveling.

“They were asking questions and listening intently to his story,” Wood said. “Joe said a prayer for our kids and our school then Mr. Boyce said a prayer for Joe.”

Principal Boyce gave a very touching and heartfelt prayer over Joe, thanking God for him and asking that he be protected throughout the rest of his long journey. Mr. Boyce also praised God and celebrated that His Word was being spread before Joe ultimately said his goodbyes and continued on his way.

Joe, though on foot, proved elusive to several of those who searched for him that day, although many did get a chance to see him and pray with him.

Throughout the day, different folks would say they had seen him by chance from different areas in town, such as Robinson Family Pharmacy and a local hospice care center.

Some speculated that since he was seen on Highway 77, he might be headed up through Douglassville to New Boston or Maud.

His next destination can sometimes be unclear. He may map out plans, but as he stays in prayer and relies on God’s providence to get him where he should be, sometimes that might put him on detours.

“For the most part, I map out about 200 miles at a time, so I have an idea where I’m going and I just try to hit as many Catholic Churches as I can,” Joe said.

One thing is for certain: At 5:30 p.m. Tuesday of last week, the devout Catholic could be found in Mass at St. Catherine of Siena on North Louise Street.

Every evening, especially after attending a service, Joe likes to find a quiet place to shrug off his heavy backpack and journal about his experiences that day, while praying and spending much-needed time alone with God.

“I do journal and pray,” Joe said. “Especially since all the social media stuff that’s happened over the last four weeks. I’ve just found it super important to just take time in silence and prayer and to just get back to God.” More and more lately, his likeness and reputation have preceded him in his journey.

Although Joe is not using social media,he caught wind of social media pages dedicated to tracking his movements.

Through these recent Facebook groups, Joe has unwittingly attracted some notoriety, which proves hard for a humble man like Joe to contend with as he walks to commune with God, atone for his sins, and pray for our country.

“It’s alright, though. I think I understand it now,” Joe said. “I think God is in it, so I don’t really mind it. It’s kind of an interesting time that we’re living in because there are so many good people.”

“I’ve seen so much of it and there’s so much hope. Just so much hope,” he said.

1. Backpack Joe and Atlanta Middle School students share a photo out at the field before he continued on his journey.
Photo Courtesy Atlanta Middle School
2. Backpacker Joe Domina poses for a photo with Atlanta Middle School Principal Colby Boyce and Director of
Blended Learning Donna Rice. Photo Courtesy Atlanta Middle School
3. As dusk begins to settle, Joe prepares himself a quiet place to journal, pray and commune with the Lord after Mass
at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Atlanta, Texas. Photo by Emily Bain Sanders
4. Backpack Joe smiles and waves by Atlanta Middle School students, faculty and staff. Photo Courtesy Atlanta Middle
School