Huge True Cross Update—DC is Next!

Volume XXVI, Number 17
September 30, 2022

My Fellow Catholic Americans,

Despite injuries and unforeseen challenges, the guys and I finished the first "beam" of the Operation True Cross geographical crucifix from northern Wisconsin, and I have spiritual insights, more photos, "cross" quotes, and a fitting prayer below, but first...a big announcement.

Washington DC Starts Today!

Even though it will take weeks to get over the Appalachians, I decided to drastically move up the 600-mile Washington DC leg to begin immediately so we can finish before the elections!

In fact, by the time you read this, I will already be walking, on this very day, September 30th, after the noon Mass at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

What happened? Why?

Our Lady happened. I cannot ignore her.

As I took my turns carrying the True Cross around my shoulders during the endless hours walking down the peaceful farm roads of Wisconsin and Michigan, I believe Immaculate Mary strongly placed something on my heart that I simply could not ignore:

We must complete the second stage of Operation True Cross from Washington DC to Notre Dame, Indiana, before the elections!

When Our Lady says jump, I jump.

Stone-Cold Spiritual Warfare

I can only take an educated guess why she wants this. Based on Sacred Tradition and decades of fighting for the conversion of lost and fallen-away souls, it occured to me that, perhaps (because I'm not a mystic, so I can never be sure), every time we complete one of the four pilgrimages that form the Crucifix of Reparation, a high-level "Old Testament" demon is bound and cast into the abyss by the power of God.

I'm rushing to write this before the long drive to Washington, so please bear with me. All I can promise is that you will surprised.

Because of your support and participation, there are now probably several thousand Catholics worldwide offering reparation in union with Christ Crucified, giving alms to atone for sin, and especially, praying Father Ripperger's precise and powerful exorcism prayers.

Those prayers explicitly call for the binding and casting down of the evil spirits oppressing our country.

Bread, Not Stone

God is answering those prayers. The Father loves what we are doing. When He looks upon me and the guys as we carry the cross, and upon you as you offer your prayers and self-denials, He sees not us, but His Son, atoning for the sins of America.

It is so easy for us to forget: God answers prayers.

He will answer these prayers. He is answering these prayers.

This truth kept coming to me as I walked with the True Cross, again and again.

This is serious stuff, sure, but we are praying for a particularly history-changing thing. We are asking for "Red-Sea-Level" divine intervention, which is absolutely required for these dark forces to be cast down.

Don't Lose Your Nerve

It is no coincidence, on the eve of this historic second leg, that I am writing to you on the Feast of the Archangels, including Saint Michael, my constant companion during these walks.

Let's press the advantage. We are on the offensive now, after decades of fear, confusion, paralyzation, and despair. Let's not lose our nerve.

We pray. God wins. America will be delivered from her sins, and Christ the King will rule, no matter how crazy or confusing it gets over the next few months (or years). Crucifixion comes before the Resurrection.

Hopefully, my spiritual instinct is correct. Perhaps a particularly powerful, bloated, and dark entity (perhaps of ego, corruption, war, or greed) currently parked over our nation's capital, is going down—forever.

Fine by me.

The Best Mom Ever

In some ways, I'm as dumb as a door knob, and I truly appreciate the calm, clear, and repeating proddings I have received and am still receiving. I know they not go away until action is taken.

And thus, without enough sleep, I shall happily climb into that sturdy old cargo van—with 103,000 miles on it's engine, that Xavier spent countless hours modifying—to make a beeline for our nation's capital and prostrate myself before her Eucharistic Son at the National Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception...

...with you in my heart. And then I'll take up the cross and follow Him.

That's how Our Lady works through me. She is gentle and respects my freedom, yet keeps insisting like a good mom. Is she like that with you?

I love when she does this.

Glad you're with me. Now I have, like, fifty things to share with you, rat tat tat style...

Two-Man Team of Two Old Men

Due to this last minute change, the guys are tied up with personal responsibilities, so I enlisted longtime Mary Foundation benefactor, Steve Thomas, age 58, to help me complete the first week (and first 150 miles) from DC. At that point Xavier and Anthony should be free to "tag team" me all the way to South Bend before Election Day on November 8th.

I'll shoot for 20 miles per day, and Steve thinks he can add 5 or 10, every step for him in some kind of pain due to arthritis. (In case you're worried, he already walks a few miles a day for exercise.)

Here's his loving family. (Steve is on the far right with his amazing wife Ginny).

Steve is the perfect "stand-in" Cyrene for the many thousands of you who wish you could do the walking. (In solidarity, maybe you can grab your rosary beads and walk a bit to your local church to visit Jesus.)

Oh, and another buddy of mine kept calling the guys "the Cyrenes" in his texts. Like it?

If you're part of Operation True Cross, no matter how old you are, or where you live, you're a Cyrene!

Michigan Matters

During the Wisconsin leg, we walked down to Milwaukee and took a 6:00 am ferry across the expansive center of Lake Michigan to Waukegan, and from there we made our way south to Notre Dame.

When Xavier discovered the route with the ferry weeks ago, I especially wanted to go through Michigan.

You see, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin are teeming with faithful Catholics, and because of their proximity to Ohio, they played a crucial role during the Mary Foundation's fragile early years in 90s. The Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary has deep roots in the maligned, solid, friendly, fertile, and suitably proud Midwest!

Benefactors Matter

As one example, for decades the extended Franger family of Elkhart, Indiana, has been an invaluable part of the Mary Foundation—through prayer, financial support, and distribution of materials.

Their patriarch, Mike (a Notre Dame quarterback and basketball point guard many years before I ever got there) once rescued me when I completely demolished an SUV while passing through—and walked away without a scratch. I'm honored to know such a fine man, much less call him my friend.

Here's Mike's indomitable wife Nancy and their son Jeff after walking the Relic of the True Cross the final mile into the Lourdes Grotto at Notre Dame.

Messages from the Van Helsing

For this next leg, I will now be able dash off CatholiCity Messages from the van (which we nicknamed The Van Helsing, after the fictional demon-slayer, because it's fun and we are a bunch of dudes, after all).

I can now answer your replies from the road.

The team here would all be honored if a local benefactor, representing all of you (as the Frangers did), helps us walk the "final mile" with the True Cross around your shoulders at the climax of the next three pilgrimages. I'll let you know when we're getting close to ND.

The Sun is the Limiting Factor

It is simply not safe to walk in the dark. Because it takes roughly 12 hours at a fast clip to walk 40 miles—and there are barely 12 daylight hours at this time of year—we had to "transfer" the Holy Cross from one "Cyrene" to another in minutes.

To finish before the elections, one of the challenges of this Washington leg is "beating the sun." I'm getting up at 5:45 am on most days to take the first steps just before dawn (around thirty minutes before actual sunrise).

When One Man Beats Two Men

Because of minor injuries during the Wisconsin leg, Anthony and I walked alone for a couple of days while Xavier and Patrick mended up.

To our surprise, we found that one-man cross-carrying was safer (in terms of avoiding oncoming road traffic) and healthier (for complex wear-and-tear pacing reasons—we consulted daily with a medical professional and some newfangled thing Xavier tells me is called "the Internet").

So, to complete the mission, we adjusted what we call "the model" based upon the real-world battlefield conditions. (We will still walk as two-man teams in the few big cities—for a different sort of safety protocol.)

Angel Sighting? You Decide

Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive." My favorite Bible quote, by the way. Saint Thomas Aquinas, "the angelic doctor," teaches that every institution, nation, organization, and town has a special guardian angel.

I've been praying to the Mary Foundation's angel since Day One.

If you've been following the Mantle of Mary project, you know how important the Guardian Angel of the United States is to this daring religious military operation.

So I figured our heavenly Father would assign Operation True Cross an angel. And I asked for the biggest, baddest, mightiest, and most ferocious war angel in the heavenly barracks.

I told Anthony that I asked for a big-time angel to protect us, and he was a bit confused (perhaps like you, if you're new to angelic theology). After thinking it over, I told him that I would ask God to show him the angel, somehow, some way.

The following day, when Xavier and Anthony were out walking together, Xavier saw an interesting cloud formation, so he asked Anthony to look up. There Anthony beheld a terrifically odd phenomenon of many clouds moving toward a central point. In the blue hole in the middle of the formation, he saw the shape of an angel, and then, a cross.

So yeah, you can pretty much bet that I spent a lot of time getting to know the mighty OTC Angel during my walks. There definitely is an angel, though I have no idea what "level" he is, or what he looks like. I know he's there, and that's enough. "What father would give his son a rock when he ask for a loaf of bread?"

Not my Father. Our Father is generous.

From your zealous reactions alone, I can tell Operation True Cross is a big deal, likely conceived in the mind of the creator before we all were knitted in our mother's wombs.

Along with your conversations with Saint Michael and your guardian angel, I recommend you ask the OTC Angel for protection, because you are in this battle as much as I am, and you need it.

Anthony's Reparation

Anthony Mencini is really impressing all of us. He goes the most miles at the fastest pace, and is always ready to tack on extra miles if someone is hurt or needs a break. As his personal reparation, he meditates exclusively on the Sorrowful Mysteries during his many Rosaries for you and for America.

Let me know if the Operation True Cross angel shows up (or has shown up) in your life. I just asked Jesus to reveal him to you, if you need it, to fortify your courage, and if the Father wills it for the salvation of the greatest number of souls. Maybe Our Father will even allow him to tell you his name.

Quotations

"The only security is courage."
- François de La Rochefoucauld

"It is only by sacrificing and suffering, offered as penance, that you will be able, by the grace of God, to convert sinners."
- Saint John Vianney

"The cross is the symbol of absolutely endless expansion."
- Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson

Road Penances

We begin most walks with the Rosary (and always pray one during every walk) and we enjoyed lots of great "guy" conversations. After a while, we came up with a list of the little annoyances—which make for excellent reparation:

Chafing
Soreness (for me, in my hips, usually in the last hour)
Car and Truck Noise (in the towns, mostly)
Blisters
Cramps (not me)
Crests and Curves (because oncoming vehicles can't see us)
Four Men in One Van (I lost my composure more than I would like to admit, even though I am admitting it here. The guys were forgiving. I started calling the pilgrimage "the School for Charity.")

Don't get me wrong; none of us are complaining. Despite being stone-cold spiritual warfare, it is also a noble, worthy challenge, is often fun, all the while also being difficult old-school man work (ironically, better suited for young men).

Literally from Dawn 'til Dusk

From every minute before sunrise to the last pinch of light after dusk, there is a challenge. Getting enough rest between 10-milers, as we call them, which is absolutely critical, is almost its own kind of work. And the snoring!

Even so, exhausted, we slept like babies. Except for Patrick.

The biggest surprise, compared to what we imagined, was how much work, coordination, and errand-running was required while we were not out walking. Hauling gallons of water for the 5-gallon jugs in the van. Finding a laundromat. Fixing the leak in the roof caused by our modifications. Finding a grocery store or hotel to park at night. Nowhere to sit when you're putting your shoes on. It seemed like all I ate were almonds and sticks of Wisconsin summer sausage (delicious!).

Beauty and the Beat

The walking itself, with the True Cross prominently displayed on our chests, was unfailingly the best part, because it was peaceful, prayerful, penitential, and almost always in nature without the insulation and barrier of being in a vehicle. Cornfields, farm animals, quiet solitude, long conversations, always a brand new road—birds flying by so very close, unafraid. Fresh air. Often, the only sound was the gravel or pavement under your shoes—most of this great land we share is almost painfully beautiful.

Beauty is never boring.

And then there were the thousands of friendly country folk in pickups and well-maintained old cars who waved at us and helpfully steered into the center of the road to make sure we were safe as we stepped farther into the shoulder.

We always waved back and I often tipped the brim of my Aussie field hat.

Moms in gardens, and kids smiling in front yards. Guard dogs guarding—cows staring. Just before dawn, I took great solace seeing the working men who do so much to keep this country alive, driving by in trucks on their way to do specialized, body-breaking, thankless, and absolutely necessary tasks much more difficult than walking down a farm road.

Let's Pray to Our Field General

Hey, on this day, there is only one prayer that's appropriate, so let us, tens of thousands together, begin in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit...

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against
the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl throughout the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Sic 'em Mike!

I believe it was Mark Twain who once ended a long letter to a friend by saying something along the lines of, "Please forgive the length of this letter, I did not have time to write a shorter one." So thank you for reading (or skimming!) all the way to this fine juncture, my friends.

Hey, keep praying the Daily Prayers to Save America.

Hey, keep denying yourself, with me and the team.

Hey, keep your chin up, your back straight, and your eyes on the target.
And keep telling others about what we're up to here.

Onward to Victory!

With Our Lady,
Queen of Angels,

Bud Macfarlane
Founder

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