Live Greater Walking Across America

Hello to all!

My name is Jon Leonetti and I will be taking over this column full-time in September as Rusty (a good friend) makes his way to NYC to live out a vocation to the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. I could not be more excited for Rusty as he dives into the plan our Lord has set out for him. For the first column I have decided to give you a short biography of who I am, allowing the readers to know a little bit more about me.

So here it goes...

The United States spans some 3,500 miles from coast to coast, and by August 2009, me and another friend will have walked it. I am also the host of the weekly Catholic radio show, "Martyrs of the Third Millennium," in Des Moines, Iowa. It is a show for all young people, asking them to live a new life. A life now where they turn away from the MTV/Hollywood mentality, and enter into the life we were ALL created for, a life for our Lord.

However, I realized that something else needed to be done for our faith and for the young people of the world as we see this MTV generation— (those too distracted by the barrage of messages from today’s media to focus on Jesus Christ) growing by the day. So, leaving everything behind, me and another friend took the advice of the late, great, Pope John Paul II literally, and decided to spread the "good news of salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages" of America. We set off to WALK across the U.S.A., walking a combined 30-40 miles per day, stopping to speak at churches, schools, and youth gatherings along the way. The cause: to turn hearts and minds away from the empty promises of lust, fame, and greed that are broadcast through too many television and radio stations today, and to turn them towards Jesus Christ.

Along the way we are meeting with bishops, priests, youth ministers and evangelists, as well as filming a documentary on prayer in the lives of young people. We are partnered with Outside da Box, a catholic film production company in St. Charles, IL., who will produce the documentary, putting it on DVDs to be sent out to youth ministers all across the nation.

After this walk I plan on continuing this ministry in speaking across the country (traveling this time by car or plane) in churches, schools, conferences and retreats about my travels, as well as how we can continue living for our Lord in our culture today.

Let me say that I am honored and excited to be apart of Catholic News Agency, a media outlet who, without growing tired, proclaims the truth and hope of Jesus Christ to the world! Through this column I hope to share many stories from this walk, tools for evangelization, as well as ways we can all enter more deeply into this life with our loving God.

Until then, let us all continue to grow in His grace!

God's peace,

Jon

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