LOS ANGELES & CANADA- For the 15th summer in a row, students from colleges and universities across the country are walking with Crossroads on THREE simultaneous pro-life walks across America, and Fr. Dwight Hoeberechts, OMI, is the only priest among them.
Father Dwight started "the Southern Walk" in Los Angeles on Friday, May 22nd and will complete the walk across America in Washington, DC on August 15th at the U.S. Capitol building. Crossroads also has a Canadian walk starting in Toronto on July 31st and ending in Ottowa at the Canadian Parliament on August 15th.
From the Pacific coast to the Atlantic, these simultaneous walks for life will cover over 11,000 miles, pass through 38 states, 2 provinces and thousands of towns and cities.
"Crossroads was started in reponse to the late John Paul II's call to the youth of America at the World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado to 'build a Culture of Life'" said Jim Nolan, president of Crossroads. "He challenged the youth of America and the world to 'Be not afraid'.
For more information on Crossroads and the possibility of walking this summer, check us out on our website at www.crossroadswalk.org or give us a call at (800) 353-8817.
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
Sending prayers for a safe journey to you and your group from St. William's. You got a round of applause here at Mass today.
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