Manifesting the vision of the late Pope John Paul II for the faithful to go out to the public squares and hearts of the cities to proclaim the Good News, 15 Franciscan Friars of the Renewal braved the scorching sun as they walked from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. on the “Future Depends on Love” tour. Touting a Vatican flag, a crucifix and an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, they detoured through the Diocese of Arlington along their journey to promote a culture of life.
During the eight-day walking and preaching pilgrimage, the young bearded friars, clad in long grey habits, walked up to 10 miles per day as they chanted, sang, prayed in front of abortion clinics, fed the homeless and connected with youth groups to speak about the dignity of life.
Each day included Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and various spiritual and corporal works of mercy. In the evenings, the group gathered in area parishes and hosted nationally known speakers including Franciscan Friar of the Renewal Father Benedict Groeschel, Christopher West and Austin Ruse. The evening talks attracted up to 500 people at each venue, according to Fransican Friar of the Renewal Father Lawrence Joseph, who initiated the walking pilgrimage.
“There are so many things that have happened in the courts that have made me concerned,” Father Lawrence Joseph said, explaining his thinking behind the tour. He felt called to “spread the message of purity, chastity, theology of the body, the dignity of life, and the sanctity of family” in a concrete way, he said. With the desire in his heart to manifest the vision of the New Evangelization, it only seemed reasonable to take the faith to the public square.
The friars were joined by seven Sisters of Life, who flew from New York to Richmond, and rode their bikes north to join the friars in Arlington for the second half of the pilgrimage.  
Young, joyful nuns on bikes with helmets over their veils may have produced curious glances and double takes, but their goal was simply “to be witnesses to life,” said Sisters of Life Sister Monica Faustina. Although it may have been difficult to keep the bike grease off their white and blue habits, the sisters made their journey. 
The friars and the sisters were also joined by other pro-life groups who made similar pilgrimages. They converged on one road sharing the same message of proclaiming the truth of the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of life. Members of the various groups joined the friars last Friday as they stopped in Alexandria to picnic at Oronoco Bay Park overlooking the Potomac River.  
“It was such a beautiful gift to be a part of this,” said Leslie Simms, a member of the Missionaries of the Eucharist, a group of college-aged young adults dedicated to taking the message of Theology of the Body to the streets. The group walked from Maine to Washington to proclaim the pro-life message. After finishing their walk earlier in the week, the group stayed for a few extra days to join the friars and “celebrate life together,” said Simms, who will enter the Sisters of Life in New York this fall.
“It’s a beautiful gift to be a part of this. God has graced us to carry out His will. We walked for Christ to share His love with people,” she said. 
Other groups that joined the friars included Bike for Life, a group traveling from Raleigh, N.C., and Crossroads, a group of pro-lifers who dedicated their entire summer to walk from California to Washington to preach the Gospel of Life.
An undeniable joy transcended any physical hardships and sufferings during the walking tour in the sweltering heat of East Coast summer. All their energy came from prayer, said Franciscan Friar of the Renewal Brother Felice.
“So much of the tour was about prayer. Everything flowed out of prayer,” said the young friar originally from Australia.
The brief encounters with people and witnessing through their presence were among the tour’s most important aspects.
The Lord made Himself present through their witness, he said. “It’s all His work. Every moment is His. We just need to be there.”
Regardless of any struggle, the friar said, “It’s a joy to know that we’re an instrument for the Lord. It’s an incredibly joy just to cooperate with Him. It’s a joy to see people respond to Christ because there hearts are moved by Him.”

Henrietta Gomes can be reached at hgomes@catholicherald.com.

(c) Copyright 2007 by Arlington Catholic Herald