Reverend Gary Graf went for a walk Oct. 6, from Pope Leo XIV's childhood home in Dolton. On December 2, he expects to celebrate his successful arrival at the Statue of Liberty in New York.
Between them passed nearly two months of often lonely walks through rural America in the name of justice for immigrant children.
“They grew up in a completely different world here,” Graf said. “This is not a time to attack each other, but a time to kind of talk to each other, and that’s what the walk was about for me – having those conversations.”
As a Chicago native, Graf said walking through small-town America made him realize how different the world is for people living in much smaller and less diverse communities.
“I think when we share information together, somehow we come to a larger truth,” Graf said. “It’s not just my point of view or yours, but if you listen to me, I listen to you, and hopefully by listening to each other, we, as religious leaders, kind of hear the voice of God.”
Earl is the lead pastor of Our Lady of Heights Parish in Chicago Heights, a city that… survived immigration arrests. Dozens of supporters came out to see him off as he set off.
He spent most of his walk alone, although friends and supporters visited him at various times along the way, he said.
“A classmate and his wife, and actually my brother-in-law and his friend, and then a college friend and his wife. And then one day a group from the Archdiocese of Chicago,” Graf said. “It was a nice break, just being able to hang out with someone else.”
The Count documented his pilgrimage on social media and on the website Stepupspeakout.org.
The trip was not without problems. The Count said that while visiting the rectory in Indiana, his second visit to the city that evening, he was offered a horse ride.
The horse broke into a gallop and he was thrown from his back, injuring his shoulder and breaking two ribs.
“When I think back now, I remember the words of Jesus when he said that if you go into town, stay in one house and don’t move from house to house,” Graf said, chuckling. “I never understood what this scripture meant until that Sunday when I went to my second home.”
His representative and the assistant who accompanied him walked 20 miles in his place (a full day's walk) to give him a break.
However, misfortunes aside, Graf said the essence of the journey was talking to people.
“We had some great conversations with people we met along the way, church groups and some community groups that heard about the walk and wanted to meet,” Graf said. “Very kind-hearted people of different traditions.”
He said one particular meeting in Pennsylvania, where residents were concerned that increased immigration enforcement could affect their communities, particularly struck him.
“We had a meeting that included an evangelical pastor, a Lutheran pastor, myself as a Catholic priest, a number of members of their congregations and several people, at least five, who identified themselves as non-believers,” Graf said. “We had this wonderful conversation where we were all united by a feeling, love of neighbor and compassion, and what was happening, what they heard was happening in Chicago, was very disturbing to them.”
While Graf was away from Chicago, serious events occurred regarding the crackdown on immigration. Federal agent activity in Chicago and its suburbs waned, moving to other cities, abandoning the region and its immigrant communities. reel subsequently.
“I’m just hearing and hoping and praying that it goes down a little bit,” Graf said. “But then the pain of Chicago starts to be released in other places.”
Graf said the trip made him think about the history of the United States.
“As I drive through Ohio and especially Pennsylvania, I go through small towns and see hometown heroes. And there are photographs, especially of men, but obviously some of the women, from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, when my dad was in the Navy,” Graf said. “And also, driving through the cities, they date back to 1801, and 1777, I mean, they date back to the Revolutionary War.”
For Graf, the story is one of immigrants. As he embarked on his journey, he talked about how the experiences of his own great-grandfathers, who immigrated through Ellis Island from Ireland and Germany, shaped his views on immigration justice.
Graf plans to mark his successful arrival at the Statue of Liberty with an interfaith prayer service Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Robert Wagner Park in Battery Park City. Remarks from Muslim, Jewish and Christian religious leaders will be made, as well as personal stories of immigrant children shared.
He said that while he doesn't know where his defense will take him next, the end of his journey feels like a beginning, not an end.
“As I get closer to the end, I feel more and more like this is just the beginning,” Graf said. “Because it's obviously part of our lives and it's not going away, the whole issue of immigration and immigrants is among us and the conversation will continue.”
Religious leaders have a responsibility to maintain humanity in this conversation, he said.
“Just reminding those in power in terms of authority, civil authority, what is the mind and heart of God in all of this?” – said the Count. “We are children of God.”
