The following comes from a June 12 posting in the Eastern Arizona Courier.

In the 100-plus-degree heat of Arizona, eight youths who had walked from California to Safford AZ were welcomed for morning Mass at St. Rose of Lima Church before continuing their journey.

They were part of an organization called Crossroads, which conducts pro-life walks across America.

According to information on its web site, “Crossroads was founded in 1995 by Steve Sanborn, a student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, as a response to John Paul II’s call to the youth of the world to take an active role in the pro-life movement in order to establish a culture of life.”

Every summer since that time, young adults embark on their pro-life walk across America, leaving from Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles for their Washington, D.C., destination. Along their more than 3,000-mile trek, they witness to the dignity and sanctity of all human life, from conception to natural death, by speaking to parish groups, peaceful protests and prayer.

This particular group left Southern California on May 22, arriving in Safford on June 8. They expect to arrive in Washington, D.C., by Aug. 12, just in time for the Aug. 13 Pro-Life Rally at the U.S. Capitol. Their modus operandi is to split into two groups of four, with one group walking an average of 50 miles each day and the other following along in a van, changing places each 50 miles. A parishioner treated them to breakfast at El Coronado restaurant before they left for New Mexico.

This civil rights organization is faithful to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church but welcomes and encourages members of all faiths to participate in its activities.

More information is available at www.crossroadswalk.org.