Northern Walk - The End

The Northern Walk made it through its final days and an event-filled weekend with flying colours, hitting all its marks and then some, co-existing with the other Walks while retaining its own unique characteristics and personality.

The Walkers said Evening Prayer for the last time in common on Sunday night and praying the last few Prayer Intentions they've collected at parishes over the last three months, in addition to ensuring that all the Walkers got to their departure points (airports, etc.) in a timely, orderly, and safe manner.

And so the Walkers' fellowship is dissolved as the last two Walkers departed for their homelands on Tuesday morning. The Northern Walk of 2008 is ended but shall never be forgotten by those who traced its steps over the last three months.

The Walkers thank all those who have supported them over the summer; be assured of their eternal gratitude and thanksgiving for their help in this monumental task.

Pax,
Andrew
Your Triumphant Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk - Twelfth Week (In Review)

Originally written August 12th, 2008

The Walkers are presently situated at the border of Washington, D.C., inside of three miles from the endpoint of their pilgrimage, the Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. They have redoubled their efforts to keep their focus pure and integral this close to the end despite a gradual shift in perspective over the last two weeks, as the Walkers make individual preparations for life after the Walk.

Also, the Walkers have had the chance to meet and "slap hands" with their separated brethren from the Central and Southern Walks who have been conducting their own parallel walks from Coast to Capital over the summer. For their part, the Northern Walk looks forward to the different perspectives (and possible scarring) which the other Walks may have to offer.

Continue to remember the Walkers as they cross the threshold of the Shrine's doors...

Pax,
Andrew
Fearless and Intrepid Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk - Eleventh Week

The Walkers have walked to Hagerstown, MD in a straight shot towards Washington, D.C. While the route featured on the Crossroads website has largely been jettisoned for sundry practical considerations e.g. our not walking through flood-ravaged Iowa and its numerous road closures, the Northern Walk has nonetheless been walking Coast to Capital all these weeks one step at a time without skipping one foot of distance along the way.

Meanwhile, the Walkers have left their motorhome in seasonal Scranton, PA with the brother of our own Northern Walker Matthew, allowing an extended visit to a town uniquely rich in Catholic liturgy and affording speedy passage to their weekend destination, New York, NY. This strategem will also afford the Walkers the chance to enjoy a rare day off to sightsee in New York City, a special treat for those Walkers who come from faraway regions and lands.

The Northern Walk would be remiss not to mention the departure of our own Joe and Erin, who are leaving us this weekend for school in Atchison, KS. Their contributions to the Walk are deeply appreciated, and they will be missed. That said, we are welcoming two new "Transients," Joseph and Christina, who will join us at some point over the New York weekend through our arrival at the nation's capital.

Pax,
Andrew
Refocusing and Fearless Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk - Tenth Week

The Walkers have taken a pilgrimage-within-our-pilgrimage, taking a day's drive to Boston, Ma. for the weekend parish visits. In the meantime, the Walkers had made it as far as the greater metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pa. area on foot before driving onwards, where they will pick up when walking resumes next week.

The Walkers have also has the pleasure of taking on another "transient," Kristie from Medina, Oh. She is another former Walker, having walked as recently as with the Central Walk earlier this summer in addition to stints in previous years.

Now that the end is so close, the Walkers are talking a bit of time to visit the sights in seasonal New England, having gone the first nine weeks without real pause. Do keep the Walkers in your prayers.

Pax,
Andrew
Recharging and Refocusing Leader, Northern Walk

P.S. For more pictures from the Cleveland Weekend please go to www.saintgregoryparish.org

Northern Walk - Ninth Week

This weekend the Walkers are tarrying in the Greater Metropolitan Cleveland, Oh. Area after a fast-feeling week of walking. They welcomed the presence of "Transient" Will from found-to-be-seasonal Niles, Mi. who walked three days with the Day shift. His presence and experience on Crossroads were welcome, and the Walk is better for having had him even for a few days.

It presently dawns on one and all that the Walkers are in the autumn of their year, so to speak. Nine weeks have passed and only three remain; while there is time enough to reach Washington D.C. on foot, there is also time enough to lose focus and orientation as the Walkers come closer to their goal. That said, continually high spirits, a Friday evening youth group gathering and an event-filled rally at the abortion clinics in Cleveland this Saturday morning ought to serve the Walkers well in the coming days and weeks.

As newlywed-"Transient" Erin told the Northern Walkers with her parting words after a two-week stint with the Northern Walk, "It's not how many miles you walk, it's how you walk the miles."

Pax,
Andrew
Sunburned and Recharging Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk - Eighth Week

The Walkers are walking through eastern Illinois along Highways 30 and 52, reaching as far as seasonal Joliet, Il. on foot before departing for the greater metropolitan Ann Arbor, Mi. area for the weekend missions.

A quiet and pleasant weekend in relative estrangement was had by one and most, being hosted in three separate houses. In any event, the Walkers were very well received, as was their message.

The Walkers anticipate getting back on the road again and sallying forth with another "Transient" for a William from possibly-seasonal Niles, Mi. Between that and picking up Northern Walker Liz, who was away for the weekend, the Walkers will be able to "turn it up to 11" this coming week.

Pax,
Andrew
Pensive and Sunburned Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk - Seventh Week (In Review)

Since our last update, the Walkers have made it on foot to seasonal De Witt, Iowa and are headed east through Illinois and onward. We drove forward to Chicago for the weekend and gave talks at some 22 Masses in six parishes.

We're going to Ann Arbor, Michigan this weekend and are looking forward to redoubling our efforts for the homestretch of our journey. The Walkers ask for your prayers that they remain focused on the true, supernatural end of the Walk.

Pax,
Andrew
Gentlemanly and Pensive Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk - Sixth Week

The Walkers have made it as far as seasonal New Ulm, Minnesota on foot before heading down the I-35 for the weekend. Presently the Walkers are tarrying in seasonal Ames, Iowa to visit parishes, the stomping grounds of Erin Haakenson, a former Walker mentioned in a previous update who has joined us for a two-week stint before her wedding (congratulations!).

We should also mention that our walking route has changed from what is posted for the Northern Walk on the official Crossroads website (http://crossroadswalk.org/Schedule/NorthWalk.asp):

-Instead of walking down to Quinn, South Dakota for June 23rd, we turned onto Highway 34 after Sturgis, South Dakota, thus avoiding the I-90. Also, our last weekend (highlighted in bold) was spent in seasonal Sioux Falls and not Brookings - we walked through the latter but had no weekend mission there.

-Also, for this upcoming week, we will be walking through all of Minnesota and on to Wisconsin before later heading south to Chicagoland, only spending a weekend (aforementioned, natch) in Iowa.

The Walkers are resting up to visit five parishes on July 6 in Ames, Ankeny, and Des Moines, Iowa, a task made more difficult by the absence of Walkers Joe and Erin, who are visiting family, friends, and well-wishers (and the Central Walk!) in Nebraska for the July 4 weekend - they are missed, and we look forward to their return to the Northern Walk on Sunday afternoon...just in time to start Night Shift (for Joe, anyway).


Pax,
Andrew
Terrific and Gentlemanly Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk - Fifth Week (In Review)

The Northern Walkers as featured in the Rapid City Journal, thanks to a line of contact established by our own Rosanne:

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2008/06/24/news/top/doc4861be85c6d1e027595635.txt

Greetings again from the Northern Walk; the Walkers passed the weekend in seasonal Sioux Falls, South Dakota (see Rosanne's post below) where we effectively exchanged one "Transient Walker," Nate, for another, Erin, a Northern Walk Alumna from 2007.

After having been hosted at the Good Samaritan House in Sioux Falls and speaking at a pair of parishes through the weekend, the Walkers swiftly returned Sunday night to Fort Pierre, South Dakota to pick up and walk exactly where they left off on Friday evening.

The Walkers continue to trek through South Dakota and are continually overwhelmed by the strong and large Pro-Life contingent in this state, a source of edification for one and all.

Pax,
Andrew
Tired and Terrific Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk - Fourth Week

The Northern Walkers are staling in seasonal Rapid City, South Dakota, having drove ahead of our walking stop-point near Broadus, Montana.

We have fallen back to "just" being on schedule after a rough couple of weeks - to wit, we were hailed upon quite severly this week, having endured a night of golf ball-sized hail stones while we waited out the storm in the RV.

We're off to check out Mount Rushmore before heading off again for another week of walking - of course, this week we're joined by Crossroads alum Nate this week, a welcome presence to cover miles and rosaries with us.

Pax,
Andrew
Wired and Tired Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk 2008 - Third Week

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The Northern Walk has posted a video on YouTube, created by Northern Walker Rosanne:

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The Northern Walkers are proselytizing in Billings, Mt. this weekend, which happens to be the hometown of our own Nicole who has been of great assistance in coordinating the panoply of events surrounding the Walkers' weekend.

The Walkers are a durable and high-spirited bunch, keeping each other - and those they encounter in their adventures - entertained and in good spirits while keeping sight on the mission of the Walk itself and never quitting...regardless of how many times in a day they lost their way in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

The Northern Walk remains on schedule and free from undue strife, in league with the other Walks; nonetheless, prayers and intercession (thank you, St. Anthony of Padua!) are always welcome and needed: man reaps, but God gives the increase.

Pax,
Andrew
Inspired and Wired Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk - Second Week

The Northern Walkers entered Idaho circa 05h00 and are staying for the evening at Mary House in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. We are on schedule and plan to sally forth in the coming weeks and months, to cover an increasing amount of ground every day and night we walk.

The Day Shift walked into rain today, and the dreary weather promises to plague the Night Shift in turn. The Walkers are understandably tired but spirits remain high; while Idaho may not be cleared in a day, the pace continues to be brisk.

Pax,
Andrew
Intrepid and Inspired Leader, Northern Walk

Northern Walk 2008 - First Week

The Northern Walkers are presently tarrying in seasonal Spokane, WA for a weekend of visiting local parishes to give brief Crossroads presentations, having walked eastward from the Space Needle in Seattle day and night since Monday morning. We've walked as far as Wilbur, WA and plan to enter Idaho on Tuesday morning.

As we have been (more or less) telling the local parishes, the Walk is part activism, part asceticism, and part athleticism, and that all who participate in the Mystical Body of Christ are walking with us and us with them, one and all using our gifts to weave a common pattern stronger than the sum of our individual strands.

In the meantime, the Northern Walk is going quite well and we look forward to sharing stories from the road as time and inspiration permit.

Pax,
Andrew
Fearless and Intrepid Leader, Northern Walk