By Joel van der Veen
June 28, 2010

DAVIDSON - As Brother Paul Weber and his team of student walkers journey across Canada this summer, all wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the words "PRO LIFE" and calmly proclaiming their mission, they're finding support wherever they go.

"Our work is always about silent, peaceful protest," said Weber, a member of the Fransiscan Brothers and a student at the Seminary of Christ the King in Mission, B.C. "We don't find it necessary to really get in people's faces about it."

The team - made up of seven walkers, mostly seminary students - is walking from Vancouver to Quebec this summer in order to serve as witnesses to their belief in the dignity and sanctity of all human life.

Weber, dressed in his order's traditional habit, said the majority of people they've met agree with their message. As well, older supporters of the pro-life movement are encouraged to see students taking up the cause.

"It gives them a lot of hope," he said. "It strengthens them."

The group arrived in Davidson on Tuesday, one of the many stops along their way. They celebrated mass at St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church in Kenaston, meeting with Father Joseph Gyim-Austen, and received a banner as a gift from local pro-life supporters.

They also had dinner with a local family and stayed overnight at the Davidson Campground. On Wednesday they departed for Moose Jaw, where a family will host them for the night.

Weber's group began its trek on May 24, with plans to reach Quebec in August and then return to Ottawa for a pro-life rally on August 14. Along the way they stop at churches to share their message.

"We try to reach out to the youth as we go," said Weber, 34, originally from Cape Breton, N.S. "A lot of young people ask us about life issues."

The group's message is a peaceful one, he said, with the intent of "proposing rather than imposing."

Their walk is sponsored by Crossroads, a Catholic organization that has organized similar walks across Canada and the United States since 1995. Students from colleges and universities and some high school students volunteer with the group to spend their summer promoting its message. Right now there are three cross-country walks taking place in the U.S.

Besides campaigning against abortion and euthanasia, the group also encourages support for women in crisis pregnancies. Weber said part of their message is to tell people about the many prospective parents in Canada now looking for babies to adopt.

"The want for children in Canada right now is actually great," he said.

Jonathan Baker, a student at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy in Barry's Bay, Ont., said he decided to join the walk after a Crossroads representative spoke at his school.

"It's challenging but it's wonderful at the same time," he said, adding that although it's not the primary focus, it's also "a wonderful way to see the country."

At 39, Baker is the oldest member of the group. Weber noted that all the group members were born after abortion was legalized in Canada in 1969, and that he considers them survivors.

Michael Mendonca, who also studies at the Seminary of Christ the King, said the walk has been physically and spiritually challenging.

"You're facing a lot of objections and rejections as you go along," said Mendonca, 28.

Although the group has met with disagreement during its travels, Weber said they have a response ready for people who call themselves pro-choice.

"(We tell them), so are we, but we choose life," he said. "It's the only choice."

The leaderonline is a division of The Davidson Leader, Davidson, Saskatchewan, Canada.