Friar Walk

Back on the road

Tomorrow, if all plans work correctly, I will be back in Lynchburg, Va., to meet up with the four friars on the road.  Then on to Washington, D.C.!!

It was good to be back for the provincial meeting and to talk with the friars.  I realize that the pilgrimage is opening me further up to God's loving care.  So grateful for the most normal things.  This opens me up to that genuine dependence on God and the gratitude that follows. -- Posted by Mark Soehner, OFM

Off the road

Mark Soehner and I had to leave the young friars on the road yesterday as we are headed for a meeting with our provincials. We left them in Thaxton, Va., after two days and nights of some high drama and real adventure. Believe it or not, we slept one night (Sunday, June 21st) on a trampoline in the woods behind a fire house in Roanoke -- all  six of us! It was quite an experience that included very little sleep all around. Then the next day we waited around for hours outside of a Church of the Brethren until we begged for some money for food and then made "beds" out of the picnic table benches; it was a lot better than the trampoline! Truth be told, we have encountered Christ in a hundred different ways these past few days, and we feel blessed beyond belief. It's true what we have been singing every day, OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD! - Posted by Ed Shea, OFM

What are we going to do?

People ask me why I am doing this, and the truth is:  I am seeking the face of God and witnessing to His goodness in prayer and trust. Although that normally gets an affirming nod, for many, my response seems a bit incomplete and unsettling. It is as if I left out the part about feeding the poor, sheltering the widows, and evangelizing to the unbelievers...you know, all those things we are expected to do. So then the conversation normally circles the target until the ageless question is dropped: "BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?" And to that, my answer is simple. I am just going to be. I am going to be a brother to those I meet and a witness to God's love and mercy. The rest will just have to flow from that. -- Posted by Josh

Excitement is high

We are preparing to make temporary vows on Monday and then will be heading on out to Virginia. Temporary vows is a big deal for us, but it is packed into a modest celebration...so there isn't that much to do in terms of physical preparation. The excitement in the house is high; people are ready to get going. The other guys we live with will be heading to St. Bonaventure's for Franciscan studies this summer. And they will, without a doubt, be a prayer powerhouse for us throughout our pilgrimage, as we will be theirs.

But everything seems to be in place for the pilgrimage. We will leave here after profession and then go to Cincinnati, where we will have a commissioning service. On June 16 we will begin our trek through Appalachia. We will probably stop in and visit with our brothers in Kentucky. From there we will cross over into Virginia and begin on foot....A little anxiety, a lot of excitement! We are ready. -- Posted by Josh

Getting ready

We started preparing for this back in December of last year. Knowing that there would be many physical and emotional challenges, we started meeting monthly for both fraternal bonding and logistical planning. We knew that fraternity would be central to our lives, since we would be literally with each other 24/7 for six weeks. Every meeting began the same, opening with prayer, a reading and personal faith-sharing. For it was in sharing our excitement and visions, along with our fears and anxieties, that the foundation of an intimate fraternity was built. Physically, many of us just started walking on a more regular basis during our leisure time. -- Posted by Roger

Why choose this route?

Francis always had a great love for the Holy Land. When we began brainstorming potential pilgrimage destinations, the Holy Land was at the top of the list. The Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, D.C., which serves as a replica of the actual sites and shrines, was the most economic and feasible option. From there, we worked backwards. Roanoke, Va., gave us a sizable distance, with flexibility to customize our route through towns and cities. As followers of St. Francis, we continue his passion today, walking in his footsteps toward the crucified Christ. -- Posted by Roger

What are we bringing?

Really only the essentials, which is somewhat varied for each person. We aren't going to have any camping or cooking supplies. Our hope is that we can find some odd jobs to do for food and shelter, and those who are ordained will offer to preside at Mass, not for a monetary stipend, but for some food and a place to sleep. But if we cannot find any work, we will beg.

It was good having to reflect on what my "essentials" are, both in what I am trying to bring to the pilgrimage and take from it. I am sure that I will learn more about that along the journey.

I will close with one of my favorite dialogues from the movie City Slickers:
Curly: You know what the secret of life is?
Mitch: No, what?
Curly:  This.
Mitch:  Your finger?
Curly:  One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don't mean sh*t.
Mitch: That's great, but what's the one thing?
Curly: That's what you've got to find out.
--Posted by Josh

Rotating roles

Our mobile fraternity will function similarly to a stationary fraternity. One friar will serve as the guardian, another brother will be the chronicler (records daily life) and a photographer. Some roles will rotate to prevent stagnation. Leader, cantor and lector for the Divine Office will rotate weekly. All in all, everyone shares the load. No one's assignment is everybody's responsibility. -- Posted by Roger