Reflecting and Wishing...

So it's been a while since I've posted anything, let alone a personal post, so I thought now's as good a time as any.

I've been perusing pictures of my brother and his friends who are studying abroad in Austria and it reminds me of my own semester there, way back in the fall of 2000. Seems like just yesterday I was tramping through the hills, getting lost on the trains, exploring all through the town, staying out late drinking amazing European beers, and basically just enjoying the laid back lifestyle that is Europe. I would love to be there again, but alas, job, wife, work, and all the other responsibilities keep me grounded here for now.
My word of advice for all those sowing their oats in the bliss of youth, beer and new cultures...enjoy it now, it's the best of times and the best of semesters. Take away from it everything that you possibly can and chalk it all up to the experience of your new surroundings. Live each day to the very fullest because it goes by so fast and you'll look back and say, "where did the time go?" Enjoy the moment and take lots of pictures!

Crossroads Training

Over the weekend I had the privilege of flying out to LA to help train the new
Crossroads walkers. It was a great time and really made me want to walk again this summer. Alas, though, work and marriage beckon so I will be unable to participate this summer, although I will offer any kind of help and support they might need.

I Want to Go Back!

Reporting Live From World Youth Day!

It's been quite a while since I've last updated on the status of Crossroads and my many travels across the country, there are way to many stories and pictures to be able to put them all in one post, so I'll just comment on the fact that I am in Cologne, Germany for the 20th World Youth Day with the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI!
The last month of Crossroads was amazing, very stressful and challenging but I certainly grew a lot from it. WYD is going very well, we began by doing a pro-life walk from Brussels, Belgium to Cologne, Germany, covering about 120 miles over the course of five days. Definitely a much more relaxed walk than the summer was. Since being here I have somehow been thrown into the media correspondent position for Crossroads, dealing with all the major news organizations and setting up interviews and PR work. It's been fun but stressful as well. Somehow I got international security clearance for the media as well as a press pass so I have access to all the back room media accommodations! I'm considered a "free-lance photographer", I have no idea how I get myself involved in these things! This afternoon we've got interviews with CNN and the Mayor of Cologne, its crazy!
We've passed out over 8,000 Crossroads pro-life stickers since being here, everyone loves them! Check out the official World Youth Day website here.
Here are a few of the pictures I've taken since being in Europe, enjoy and I'll try to post more often!

The Latest...

It's been a couple weeks since I've been able to update what's been going on with Crossroads, the primary reason being lack of Internet access. I have posted a few things on the Crossroads blog however.
At present we are in the Dallas/Fr. Worth, TX area, or as they like to call it here, the 'Metroplex'. I'm not really sure what that means but that's what they say. It's been a good past couple weeks, after crossing Arizona and going into New Mexico we spent the weekend in El Paso, TX and had the opportunity to cross the border into Juarez, Mexico. As this was my first time south of the border I quite enjoyed it, reminding me somewhat of Europe. It's hard to believe that things are so different just a few miles from the Texas border.
We crossed all of New Mexico and have been walking across Texas for the past week, will this state ever end?!!! I still have no clue what all the fuss is that Texans make about there state, All I've seen so far is a very large, flat area that is good for farming and not much else! Its just as hot here as it was in Arizona or New Mexico but its starting to get pretty humid as well. Plus, we're on the same road, TX 180, across the entire length of the state! So that's all I've really got to say about it, I think Texans just like to brag about it 'cause it's so big and there's nothing here, kind of like those in New Jersey, they just wish they were from New York!
There have been some new developments in the Terri Schiavo case, here's a copy of an article from the doctor who examined her. Here's an article from her parents attorney, and here's one about her autopsy.
Another interesting story I recently was made aware of is about Susan Torres, a women who is considered legally dead but is being kept alive as she is pregnant and in order for her child to have the chance to live she needs to hang on for a few more weeks. Here is the website where you can get all the info about her and this amazing story.
Until I have time to write again please keep all of us on Crossroads in your prayers as we have to walk across the rest of Texas this week and we'll be in Louisiana next weekend.

I'm in New Mexico

I'm out in the desert of New Mexico, still walking across the country. Things are going well for the most part, a few challenges here and there with attitudes, personalities, scheduling, etc, but all in all things are going well. I'm been posting to the official Crossroads Blog whenever I have time with pictures and stories so I haven't had as much time to on my own site, but you can link to it no problem. Here's a few more pics I've taken, enjoy!

Crossroads Walk 2005

As I begin to write this I am sitting in Phoenix, AZ at the Cafe Fiat after praying at a Planned Parenthood here in Phoenix with the group The Underground Project, started by the beautiful Melanie Welsch. The past week has been incredible. It started out with a long and delayed arrival into Ontario, CA after many challenges on my connecting flight into Houston. I began my journey in 29 Palms walking all night long through the desert of Southern California. Previous to beginning our night time journey we ate dinner at the O'Briens. Arriving at their house was an experience to be sure, they live in the middle of nowhere in the California desert. It was almost surreal, like something out of a movie! They were the nicest people you'll ever meet though.
The rest of the trip has consisted of walking though California and into Arizona, which is where I am now. Crossroads has a blog that will be updated all summer long here.

Here's some of the pictures I've taken thus far.

My Upcoming Summer

I have decided to actually do something worthwhile and productive this summer......drum roll please......I have decided to spend my summer walking across the country in support of the pro-life movement with the organization Crossroads. This decision comes after a good friend asked me to lead the southern leg of the 11 week, 3500 mile walk across America, starting in California and ending in Washington D.C. As I have never undertaken anything like this before, I anticipate a very challenging, but also a very rewarding experience. Throughout the summer I will post pictures and commentary about this excursion, my personal experiences and thoughts. Here is a map of the three routes taken by those walking this summer.

Habemus Papam!

We have a pope! In one of the shortest conclaves in years, the college of cardinals has elected Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as the new Pope Benedict XVI. Here is a short video clip on the announcement from the Vatican. Myway News has a good article on the election, and The Pope Blog has a ton of info on Cardinal Ratzinger and his election to the highest office in the Church.
The sense of elation knowing that we now have a pope, that the Church is no longer without a Shepard, and that this pope is very similar to John Paul II in his views is very comforting.
Cardinal Ratzinger was thought to be a top candidate by most, as he has plenty of experience in the Vatican, residing there since 1981 and heading up the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as well as being elected dean of the college of cardinals in 2002. He is very well read and versed as was JPII, speaking 10 languages. His critics say he if far to strict and will alienate those who disagree with those Church teachings which he upholds. His supporters say he will continue to keep the Churches teachings of today streamlined with that of the past in matters of pastoral care.
Here is his greeting and blessing to the whole Church:

"Dear brothers and sisters, after our great pope, John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me, a simple, humble worker in God's vineyard. I am consoled by the fact that the Lord knows how to work and how to act, even with insufficient tools, and I especially trust in your prayers.
"In the joy of the resurrected Lord, trustful of his permanent help, we go ahead, sure that God will help. And Mary, his most beloved mother, stands on our side."

He then delivered his first "Urbi at Orbi" ("for the city and for the world") papal blessing, after which the crowd in St. Peter's Square chanted, "Viva il papa," or "Long live the pope."

Funeral For The Pope

I've just returned home from Rome for the Holy Father's funeral and I must say that it was absolutely amazing! It certainly was not an easy trip, between the airlines losing my bag for 5 days and being forced to wear the same clothes for the duration, waiting in line for un-Godly hours just to catch a glimpse of JPII lying in state, or standing in line for even more hours to get into the piazza for the funeral. But even amidst it all it was one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had.

The faith of the people I met was simply awe inspiring. There was Margret Young from Texas who I had the privilege of sharing a seat next to on my flight over. Margret is a nurse from Houston who just hopped on a plane when she heard the news even though she had no idea where she was going to stay when getting there. She insisted that I take her copy of the the Pieta prayer book as I had forgotten mine.
There was the lady who worked in the tavola caldo where I ate the morning after the viewing who wanted to know all about my experience seeing him as she didn't have the opportunity to go because of work. She was as excited as I've ever seen anyone when I showed her the pictures of the Pope that I had taken with my camera phone.
There was the woman from Spain who had come with her 3 young sons just to be part of this monumental occurrence. There were students from Australia, a businessman from Ireland, a couple from France, and hundreds of thousands of Polish who came to pay their last respects to their fellow countryman.

Amidst the signs of 'Subito Santo', the chants of 'Giovanni Paolo', and the outpouring of emotion and support for our beloved Pope I came to realize that this really is what Catholicism is all about, unity. Language and cultural barriers were broken all because of this one man who had done so much for so many.

Through out it all I learned a great deal of patience and trust in God. The most personal and heartfelt experience happened to me while coming out of one of the many churches I visited. There was a young boy, no more than 11 years old who was begging for money for his mother whom he said could not work as she had no eye. I of course was suspicious of the story as there are beggars on every corner and next to every church. So I went inside and said a few quick prayers then began to walk out. The boy was still there begging. I began to feel sorry for him so I told him I couldn't give him any money but I would take him to get something to eat. We proceeded to walk to the closest shop for a slice of pizza and drink. After purchasing the food for him I went on my way. About an hour later I myself began to feel the pangs of hunger so I walked into the nearest store front for a slice of pizza. Well, as it turned out they were just about to close so instead of the lady forcing me to give up my last euros for a slice of pizza, she gave me a whole pizza pie for free! I was overcome by emotion as I thought about how close I was to walking away from the boy, on turning my back on someone in need, and how through my unselfish act God had turned around and given me five times what I had given that child.

That one experience alone made the whole trip worthwhile. Of course all the sightseeing, the great food, attending a live soccer game was just icing on the cake. The pictures I took are not nearly what they should be as I was relegated to using a disposable camera and my cell phone for pictures since my digital was still under repair. But you take what you can get and deal with the rest and that's what makes life exciting!

To Rome I Go!

I am off to the Eternal City this afternoon for the funeral Mass of the Holy Father, John Paul II, which will be held on Friday at 10:00 AM local time, 3:00 AM EST. Unfortunately my digital camera is under repair right now so I'm forced to take along a couple of the faithful disposable ones, so needless to say it will be awhile before I am able to put the pictures from the funeral online.

On another note, the Personal Democracy Forum has reported that San Francisco may try to regulate blogs by forcing all bloggers in the area to register and report costs incurred that exceed $1000. This sounds like just another form of censorship to me.