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.