Back Home in Lowell, Energized

AUGUST 21, 2009- Back in the North-East Vocations Office, precisely three months on from the beginning of my adventure with the flight to Los Angeles, (and a stroll back here) as a Walking Witness....I pray that other young men who might have seen or heard me during these three months, may become inspired to think about a vocation as a Religious Brother or Priest with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate; in that way we will continue the charism of St. Eugene and stand up as a witness to the dignity and sanctity of all human life- I've got a lot of blisters, but otherwise, feel incredibly blessed to have had this experience.

The Other Coast

OCEAN CITY, MD- Thanks so much to all of our benefactors who not only made the Crossroads Walk possible, but who contributed, whether it was to an RV or this sanctuary on the opposite coast from which we started.

Now please come join us for our pro-life rally at the U.S. Capitol building and celebrate the end of our THREE Summer 2009 Pro-Life walks across America!

Show your support for my fellow walkers and their awesome accomplishment!

Everyone attending will get a free pro-life t-shirt.

DETAILS

Time: 1pm

Date: Saturday, August 15th

Location: U.S. Capitol, Upper Senate Park Fountain on the grounds of our Nation's Capitol.

In Time for 12:10 Mass at the Basilica

WASHINGTON, DC- 12:06PM, August 10th- A final spurt and we joined up with the other Crossroads walkers to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (where we saw fellow Oblate Fr. Raymond LeBrun)...a chance to regroup; all the walkers will have a bit of R&R. Then, on Saturday,
August 15th at 1 pm there will be a pro-life rally at the U.S. Capitol
building to celebrate the end of the three summer 2009 Pro-Life walks
across America. Congratulations to all the walkers!

Through Virginia and on to the Finale

STAFFORD, VA- All the way to the other side of the continent and the closest I get to being hit by a car is as I approach Reagan Airport...anyway, through Charlotte and Virginia and on the way to the final week in DC, an exhilarating feeling

Back in the "East"...and featured in the Rhode Island Catholic

Father Hoeberechts serves as the vocations director for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate for the East Coast. When interviewed, he and the eight members of his group had already accomplished a 78 mile-long trek. He explained that the walking is done in shifts, with morning and evening walkers — with someone always walking.

Praying for a long time about this opportunity, Father Hoeberechts felt that the combination of his pro-life devotion and love for walking would make Crossroads a perfect fit for him.

"I took it to prayer," said Father Hoeberechts. "I felt this would be a great way for my passion to promote life. I understood there was going to be a lot of walking, but they are not joking around when they say you are going to walk across the country."

Father Hoeberech emphasized that prayer is an essential component of the Crossroads journey. Walkers participate in morning and evening prayer and daily Mass.

"One of the members of our walking group's responsibility is to know where the camp is and to search out a church," Father Hoeberech said. "We need the Eucharist to nourish us and strengthen us to take each step."

Having to always travel light, Father Hoeberech carries one medium-sized duffel bag, a small backpack, and two pairs of sneakers.

"When I was talking with one of our Oblates at St. Joseph the Worker Shrine, I asked the director if I could speak after Communion on vocations and about the walk," Father Hoeberechts explained. "I gave a three minute explanation and was greeting people after Mass when a gentleman who is the corporate manager for New Balance sneakers came up to me and said, 'I want to support you with prayers and support you by giving you a brand new pair of walking shoes. We want your feet to be comfortable.'"

Father Hoeberechts explained that their group has already received much positive feedback from people who see them walking, all sporting their pro-life T-shirts.

"We were in a CVS one night and I was talking with one of the workers," Father Hoeberech recalled. "She asked me what I was doing there so late and I said 'I'm walking across America.' She said, 'You are doing what?'

"We have received a lot of favorable impressions from people and a lot of positive feedback. When people see what we are doing, it stirs up the feelings and emotions in different ways. It's a peaceful organization and they see that."

In the future, Father Hoeberechts hopes to visit Rhode Island for vocation awareness days to speak about religious vocations and his Crossroads experience.

"Crossroads is another way of getting out into the community to share the pro-life message," said Father Hoeberechts. "It has been a wonderful experience and pilgrimage."

See the full article at:

http://www.thericatholic.com/detail.html?sub_id=2259

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Propelled by Fr. Mark Mary and EWTN Youth

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA- On with the admirable youngsters, armed with a certain amount of 'celebrity status' since our appearance on EWTN's "Life on the Rock".....if you missed it, you can watch the complete show at:

http://ewtn.edgeboss.net/wmedia/ewtn/multicast/video/windowsmedia/lotr_300k.wvx

Life on the Road, Life on the Rock

Father Dwight is today just West of Atlanta,
GA in Douglasville, GA, traveling on route 78E to Atlanta. He’ll stay at
a parish in Atlanta this weekend.
This Thursday, July 23rd, he will be on EWTN television on an hour long
program called, Life on the Rock.
It airs at 8:00 pm Eastern time with encores on Friday, July 24th at 1:00
am and 1:00 pm and another encore on Sunday, 7/26 at 11:00 pm.
On the EWTN website it also shows that it airs on Thursday, July 23rd at
5:00 pm Pacific...no mention of an airing at Mountain or Central time.
The web site is www.ewtn.com

Into Alabama with the Spirit

Emilie of the North-East Area Office heard from Fr. Dwight today. He had just finished about 16 miles of walking on the night crew. He and the young students are in the Pell City, Alabama area
Northeast of Birmingham. He said he is doing fine and all is going well.
Everyone’s continued thoughts and prayers are appreciated

Prayers for the Oblate Youth Encounter in San Fernando

Our prayers in Texas today are with the Catholic youths from across North America have descended upon the San Fernando Valley this week for the Oblate Youth Encounter (OYE), a week of reflection, prayer and celebration to take place from July 13-17th. Over 200 arriving youths- led by youth ministers from Oblate parishes in states such as Texas, Louisiana, Illinois, Massachusetts and South Dakota- gathered today in the San Fernando parishes of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate to celebrate faith and generate energy for commitment in the spirit of the Oblates.

The Encounter was born from the lived experience of the International Oblate Youth Encounter (IOYE) in Australia in June of 2008 for World Youth Day, when several young people and adult leaders working in Southern California (including the wonderful Mary Immaculate parishioners pictured here just as they left for Australia one year ago) participated in the IOYE in Melbourne, Australia. During that week they met and shared faith with more than 700 youths and leaders from Oblate parishes in every part of the globe.

As friends and partners they traveled together to the World Youth Day with Pope Benedict XVI and Catholic youth of the world. Upon their return, The Oblate Youth Encounter was envisaged as a forum in which youth from Oblate parishes across the country might gather with similar commitment, led by Fr. Stan Zowada, OMI.

“All the elements of the Oblate charism - preaching the Gospel; love for Christ crucified, the Church, the poor; the missionary spirit; the special place of Mary; outreach to those not touched by the Church such as ministry to youth, prisoners, etc.- will be part of this Oblate Youth Encounter,” says our Oblate Provincial, Father Louie Lougen.

A Sign in Arizona

Near the end of our prayer experience, I looked into the sky and saw a "cross" which had formed from the clouds or maybe from some airplane's exhaust which had traveled above us. Whatever the cause, I took it as a gift from God that we had done a good job being present during that time and Jesus Christ was present with each member of my group.

I look forward in the upcoming weeks to continue this Saturday Morning prayer exercise of praying in front of an abortion clinic. I also remember that we are not alone. Our fellow walkers on the Northern and Central Crossroads Walks are doing the same thing to promote a Culture of Life which Pope John Paul II had challenged the youth at World Youth Day 1993 in Denver, CO by going into the streets and proclaiming the Gospel of Life.

The Saturday Morning Gospel of Life

Part of our Crossroads Walk experience is for each walk team to pray in front of an abortion clinic on Saturday mornings. On Saturday, June 6, 2009, our Southern Walk Team was able to pray in front of the abortion clinic in Tempe, AZ. It was sunny hot day to pray on the sidewalk for over an hour. Despite the fact the the clinic was closed for the day, we stood in a peaceful and prayerful manner in our "PRO LIFE" tee-shirts to be Witnesses for Life. We were not the only people praying on the sidewalk. There was an older woman who spent at least 45 minutes praying the rosary, as she walked on the sidewalk which bordered the clinic.

While we were praying the rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet and a Litany for Pro-Life during the hour, many passing cars honked their horns and shouted their support for us being outside the clinic. For other passing car occupants, there might have been some questions as to why we were present or maybe "wasting our time" with praying outside the building. Yes, some people shouted in opposition to what we were doing, and even one passer-by shouted in a loud voice that we were "terrorists", but that did not stop us from our time of prayer and reflection.

I truly believe our Southern Walk Team was making a difference. We stood as a witness in the heat of the late morning to the notion that something bad and tragic happens in this building during the week, which destroys the life of an unborn baby through abortion.

Our presence did touch the hearts of a Hispanic couple who walked by us. They took a moment to thank each of us personally for being there and then said a prayer for us to keep doing what we are doing. That was one of the greatest gifts for me during my time in front of the clinic.

I look forward in the upcoming weeks to continue this Saturday Morning prayer exercise of praying in front of an abortion clinic. I also remember that we are not alone. Our fellow walkers on the Northern and Central Walks are doing the same thing to promote a Culture of Life which Pope John Paul II had challenged the youth at World Youth Day 1993 in Denver, CO by going into the streets and proclaiming the Gospel of Life.

Witnesses to Life (All Kinds)

50 MILES WEST OF ABILENE, TX- On Route 380, another seventeen-and-a-half miles last night (not much of a wi-fi connection out here, sorry!) and witnesses to life of very description...last night tarantulas, scorpions, confident wild pigs and more....all of God's creatures indeed...onwards to Abilene for the hot weekend...

A Witness for Life.....with me Always

At the end of May, Fr. Romeo "Pete" Murphy, 88 years old, died at our Immaculate Heart of Mary Infirmary in Tewksbury, MA. I had lived with Fr. Murphy for the last 1 1/2 years at the St. Eugene De Mazenod Residence in Lowell, MA. Until just a few months ago, Fr. Murphy was extrememly active in celebrating Mass and visiting the sick in the Lowell, MA area. Then he began to have to deal with some health issues.

Fr. Murphy was a great Witness for Life through his word and action as a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate. Fr. Murphy was so excited for me when he heard that I was going to do the Crossroads Walk from Los Angeles, CA to Washington, DC. He thought is was an incredible idea to have an Oblate walk across the country in the spirit of St. Eugene to be a voice for the unborn and pray for an end to abortion in our country, as well as being an advocate for all of life issues.

The last time I visited Fr. Murphy was when I was packing up my last items for the my summer pilgrimage. I remember visiting Fr. Murphy in the hospital ICU where he was not responsive. I prayed the rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at his bedside while the nursing staff cared for Fr. Murphy. It was great being with my Oblate brother in this most difficult time. I also realized this might be the last time that I would see Fr. Murphy. In the midst of his treatment, I wanted to respect the dignity and sanctity of his life and ministry as a Missionary Oblate. I said my goodbyes and offered a blessing before leaving.

About a week later, Fr. Murphy died. I pray for him as I walk across America that he may be praying for us and cheering us on as we take each important step to Washington, DC where we will have a Pro-Life Rally in front of the US Capitol on August 15, 2009. Fr. Murphy, may you rest in peace in heaven and may you enjoy the rewards of eternal life with God and all who are in heaven. Amen

Father Dwight's Daily Prayer on the Road

Daily Prayer for June 12, 2009
Blessed Józef Cebula, O.M.I.

Heavenly Father, Your faithful servant Józef Cebula bore witness to the power of Christian faith by suffering martyrdom for the sake of Your kingdom. May we follow his inspiring example by bearing witness to Your love in the world no matter the consequences. Help us to be faithful and single-minded in following You. Amen.
Fr Joseph Cebula O.M.I. was beatified on Sunday June 13th 1999 by Pope John Paul during his pastoral visit to Poland. Joseph Cebula was born in Poland on March the 23rd 1902. He entered the Oblate Junior Seminary in 1920 and was ordained a priest on June 25th 1927.


In 1937 he was made Novice Master ad Markowice and was recognised by his fellow religious as a man of great kindness and prayer. These were years of great turmoil for Poland, and in October 1939 the 100 strong community at Markowice were placed under house arrest. In October 1940 the community were evicted and the noviciate made into a centre for the Hitler Youth.


Fr. Joseph was called before the authorities on several occasions for refusing to stop saying Mass and hearing confessions. Eventually he was arrested and sent to the concentration camp at Mauthausen. Here he continued his priestly ministry, and as a result was constantly beaten and ridiculed. As a priest he was given the heaviest work and was forced to sing the preface of the Mass out loud. During all this Fr. Joseph was killed on April 28th 1941 by a volley of shots that tore into his head and shoulders. His body was then thrown into the crematorium. Out of 277 Oblates in Poland in 1939, 35 were sent to concentration camps.

An Oasis of Support

Early on Thursday morning June 4th, I had the opportunity to walk by myself to give my night shift walking partner a 5 mile rest. After putting on my reflective vest and getting my bottle of water and flashlight, I walked with determination to see how hard I could walk 5 miles on Route 60 in the heart of the desert, 80 miles west of Phoenix. It was a beautiful night which wasn't too hot. Only 75 degrees! Well I probably walked my own personal best ever for 5 miles, doing it in 1 hour 12 minutes. Yes I was tired after the middle 5 mile interval, but it was also a time where I could do a lot of thinking and praying on being a Witness for Life in the USA. I only saw a total of 4 tractor trailers or cars pass me in that time, but that didn't matter. For me the sacrifice to do something positive and in a radical way to say we all need to do something to promote the dignity and sanctity of life. Each act of kindness and love, is a possibility to extend the message for life.

On Wednesday morning while I was out, I was informed by our support car driver that a sherrif was on the way to check to see how I was doing. About 3 minutes later, his patrol car was parked on the side of the busy road. The officer was very kind and pleasant, and just wanted to make sure I was OK. I thanked the officer for his time and concern. When he asked what our walkers were doing, I mentioned the mission of Crossroads and how we are walking across America to take a stand for the sacredness of all life from conception to natural death. He was impressed by our group efforts and would keep an eye out on us during the rest of his shift, if he was in his area which covers 5 towns and 5230 square miles of desert region! As we ended our five minute conversation, I assured him of our prayers for him and the work he was doing. In the end, I was happy that I was able to talk with the officer.

For me, these types of special encounters with people is what makes the Crossroads experience so unique. I think over the next several months, these encounters will increase, and maybe I might have planted a seed in which someone else will respect the dignity of another person's life

The Desert is both the place of chaos and the place of God's Closeness

In her biography, The Long Loneliness, Dorothy Day shares how, shortly after her conversion to Catholicism, she went through a painful, desert time. Her prayer at the time was wrenching, naked. She describes how she laid bare her helplessness, spilling out her confusion, her fears, and her temptations to bitterness and despair. In essence, she said to God: “l have given up everything that ever supported me, in trust, to you. I have nothing left. You need to do something for me, soon. I can’t keep this up much longer."

She was, biblically speaking, in the desert – alone, without support, helpless before a chaos that threatened to overwhelm her – and, as was the case with Jesus, both in the desert and in Gethsemane, God “sent angels to minister to her”. God steadied her in the chaos. She returned to New York and, that night, as she walked up to her apartment she saw a man sitting there. His name was Peter Maurin. Together they started the Catholic Worker.

We should not be surprised that her prayer had such a tangible result. The desert, Scripture assures us, is the place where God is especially near. In the desert we are exposed, made vulnerable to be overwhelmed by chaos and temptations of every kind. But, because we are so stripped of everything we normally rely on, this is also a privileged moment for grace. Why? Because when we are helpless we are open. That is why the desert is both the place of chaos and the place of God’s closeness.

Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI

www.crossroadswalk.org

Crossroads was founded in 1994 as a response to the Holy Father's call to take an active role in the pro-life movement in order to establish a Culture of Life.

An integral part of Crossroads is our yearly pilgrimage across the United States and so Fr. Dwight Hoeberechts, OMI, is joining the young adults walking from San Francisco and Los Angeles, California to Washington, D.C. witnessing to the dignity and sanctity of all human life from the moment of conception to natural death.

Southern Walk Begins

A photo of the first members of the Crossroads Southern Walk Team, just before we leave the Santa Monica Pier for Washington, DC

Shoes for Life

John Campbell is Corporate Manager for New Balance shoes based in Lawrence, MA and Boston, MA. John was kind enough, after hearing me tell about the Crossroads Walk at St. Joseph the Worker Shrine in Lowell, MA at the end of April, to donate a pair of walking shoes for my pilgrimage. He is also kind enough to offer many kind words and his prayers and encouragement for me, along with making sure my feet are comfortable for the walk. John and I are pictured in the New Balance Factory Store in Lawrence, MA.

From Fr. Louie in Zambia

The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate are at the service of the Gospel and preach the Good News in a variety of ways. Along with thousands of other people, Fr. Dwight is responding to the call to proclaim the holiness of human life beginning in the womb and so his “preaching” is going to be done with his feet. His walk across the country is a strong statement about our conviction that human life begins at conception and that our society must work to preserve, protect and nourish life from that moment and all the way through until natural death. The dedication of time, energy and the wear and tear on his feet and those thousands of others doing the same around the U.S. and Canada is a sacrifice given freely and with love so that others might have life and have it in abundance. While the focus of this Crossroads walk is to call the attention of our society to the terrible evil of abortion, we always connect that evil to other attacks against human life. If as a society we do not pay attention to life in its beginning, at its very root when it is so vulnerable and fragile, we will never have a basis from which to defend it in other instances, when in other ways the dignity of the human person is violated. I am grateful to Fr. Dwight for his commitment to give so much time and energy to shout out loudly, “Defend life!”

Father Dwight

Father Dwight is a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate, the first from the order to accompany the young men and women on the Crossroads Walk.

"I am walking to witness to the dignity and sanctity of every human life, especially the unborn," said Fr. Dwight as he laced on his sneakers in California for the task at hand. "Crossroads is a peaceful, prayerful organization dedicated helping bring about a Culture of Life in our country, and these 80-plus days on the road will affirm our commitment to that."

Crossroads 2009

Crossroads was founded in 1994 by Steve Sanborn, a student at Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio) as a response to the Holy Father's call to take an active role in the pro-life movement in order to establish a Culture of Life. An integral part of Crossroads is our yearly pilgrimage acrosss the United States. Each summer, young adults walk from San Francisco and Los Angeles, California to Washington, D.C. witnessing to the dignity and sanctity of all human life from the moment of conception to natural death.

During our pilgrimage across the United States, we strive always to join our efforts, prayers and small sacrifices with the sufferings of Christ Crucified for the sake of the innocent. Part of the mission of our walk is to speak to the survivors of abortion — the youth of America.

We also speak to parish groups to encourage pro-life activism in their communities.

During the walk, we stop at local abortion clinics along the route to participate in prayerful, peaceful protests and sidewalk counseling.

Crossroads recognizes the need to spread the message of life and love through the means that the modern world provides. We actively participate in radio, television and newspaper interviews with the mainstream media as well as religious media outlets.

Our organization also sponsors what is known as the Michael Project Fund. Through the donations we receive, we are able to provide some assistance to women in financial crisis who would like to choose the gift of life for their child.

Each young adult who takes on the challenge of walking across our country with Crossroads is an integral part of the ministry, and Fr. Dwight is no exception, the only priest accompanying these young men and women.

A Mission for Life Begins

I wanted to just say that at as of Thursday, I was in the desert town of Twentynine Palms, CA where our Southern Walk Team is living out of a cabin at an RV site. Our group is patiently waiting for our RV to come to us from Little Rock, AR where it is under repair. We pray that tonight will be the night where we can finally see our living space for the rest of the pilgirmage.

I am currently doing OK physically, mentally and spiritually. I have already done over 34 miles of walking with my partner on the night shift. Currently it is draining to my mind since I have not gotten all of my normal sleep like if I were home. It will get better as I get accustomed to the daily routine. Spiritually, there has been a lot of time to pray as a group, but also while walking with my partner. When you walk during the quiet of the night, I can do a lot of thinking and praying; especially as I am a "Witness for Life" during the next three months.

I want to thank everyone for your thoughts and prayer offered up to this point. It is only the beginning of the pilgrimage, but I am so excited about the things that will happen day by day.

Why Walk?

On May 19, 2009, I flew from the Lowell, MA, area,
where I normally live and have
my Oblate Vocation Office, with my
one-way ticket to Los Angeles, CA, to
begin an experience of a lifetime. Some
may wonder why I only have a one-way
ticket, instead of a round-trip ticket. I
hope you find my answer to be somewhat
amazing and inspiring. Some people
might think I am simply crazy!
When I arrive at the Los Angeles
International Airport, I met up
for the first time with the other eight
members of my group who are participating
in the 15th Annual Crossroads Walk
to Washington, DC. (There will also be
groups leaving from Seattle, WA, and San
Francisco for Washington, DC.) After
three days of training and meeting with
one another, we will begin our perspective
3200-mile walk across the United
States to be a witness for the dignity and
sanctity for all human life from conception
to natural death, especially the
unborn.
On August 15th, our group will finally
meet up with the other two groups in
Washington, DC, at the Basilica of the
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
for Mass on the Feast of the Assumption
of Mary and then take our final
walk to the steps of the Supreme Court of
the United States and the United States
Capitol for a Pro-Life Rally.
I join the walk across the southern
portion of the United States as the oldest
member of my group. Since I am 46
years old, I received permission to walk
with the other younger members who are
between 18 to 30 years of age. These
younger people and I have decided to
sacrifice the possibility of having a job or
other normal vacation plans to be a part of
this pro-life walk. And while we walk in
pairs for 15 miles to 20 miles a day from
Monday thru Friday, people will encounter
us in many different ways wearing
our white tee shirts with the words
“PRO LIFE” on the front and, hopefully,
for a moment ask themselves what these
walkers are doing, and, more importantly,
what “PRO LIFE” means for them.
I am especially excited to take on this
physical challenge, but I do the walk
with a deep spiritual connectedness with
our Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Founder, St. Eugene De Mazenod,
who said: “Leave nothing undared.” In
the spirit of St. Eugene, I feel connected
to our great charism to be a witness for
Jesus Christ and speak out in love for the
most poor and marginalized of our society:
the Unborn, but also against the
other realities in the Culture of Death
regarding abortion and euthanasia.
During these three months of walking,
our group will make an impact on
the tens of thousands of people we will
encounter as we walk along the highways,
being a part of other peaceful and prayerful
activities in front of abortion clinics,
speaking with youth groups and ultimately
sharing our story about this pilgrimage at
the many parishes we will visit on a daily
basis as well as on the weekends.
As I do this walk, I ask for your daily
prayers and support since I cannot do this
experience alone. I want to make a
difference in building up a Culture of Life
in our broken society. I also pray that
other young men who might see or hear
me during these three months, may
become inspired to think about a vocation
as a Religious Brother or Priest with the
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
so as to continue the charism of St.
Eugene and to stand up as a witness to
the dignity and sanctity of all human life.
To learn more about the Crossroads
Walk, check out the Crossroads website
www.crossroadswalk.org, and to monitor
our daily progress from an
Oblate perspective, the Communications
Office will be launching this regularly
updated “blog,” also accessible through the
OMI website at www.omiusa.org.
Fr. Dwight HOEBERECHTS, OMI

A Mission for Life Begins

I arrived safely in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday afternoon. It was a great flight around the country as I started in Manchester Airport, NH and then saw Chicago Midway Airport, Denver International Airport, Tucson International Airport and finally landed in Los Angeles International Airport.

I was greeted warmly by the Director of Crossroads and several other walkers who had just arrived.

Currently I am in Lake Arrowhead, CA where we will begin our 3 days of training today.

I am working on sending articles and photos as soon as I get a good internet signal.

I am very excited about the walk and also sharing the story on the BLOG




http://www.crossroadswalk.com/index.asp