I believe the faith in Ireland is not dead. It’s like a bird in hibernation, waiting to awaken, says Anto Crossey
It was November 2019, when Robert Nugent called 500 men to Derry. Like many others, I simply responded to the call, showing up that day without fully realising what lay ahead. The gathering was a powerful moment for Catholics to unite, to share our faith, our joy in the Lord, and the love of Christ – especially in His true presence in the Blessed Sacrament, in His body, blood, soul, and divinity.
I didn’t know what was going to happen that day. As I sat in adoration with the other men, I found myself positioned at the front left of the altar. In the quiet of prayer, while adoring Jesus, I had an extraordinary experience. Jesus flashed an image before me, like a movie playing out in front of my eyes. He showed me walking down a country lane, carrying a large flag of Our Lady of Medjugorje. I was excited and curious. “Jesus, what are You showing me?” I asked, continuing in prayer.
We had Holy Mass that day, but by the end, I knew Jesus had shown me something important – that Ireland needed to be marked with the cross, the footprint of the faithful. That night, we stayed in Derry, and though I didn’t know Robert well, the next morning I felt bound to share the vision with him. Sitting at the breakfast table, I turned to Robert and said, “Jesus showed me something so clearly for Ireland yesterday in adoration. He wants this country marked with the cross, with the footprints of the faithful.” Robert looked at me, uncertain, as we barely knew each other, but I felt he needed to hear this. It was a call.
Confirmations
I left Derry that day, but what followed was a series of confirmations from Jesus that what He had shown me was true. Over time, He confirmed the message to me in miraculous ways, repeatedly. The most powerful moment of confirmation came one Tuesday morning at 1 am. I woke up suddenly and said, “You really want this done. You really want this done for Ireland.” I reached out to Brian and Karen, friends who shared my deep belief in what I was being shown. They listened and were completely inspired by the Holy Spirit. They believed every word.
For the next nine months, we prepared for what was to come. Brian and Karen travelled around Ireland, visiting different prayer groups, sharing the story of what Jesus was asking for Ireland. Momentum began to build. However, Robert, who was still discerning the message, remained hesitant. About six weeks before the walk was to take place, Robert was still unsure. He hadn’t fully committed, and his discernment was ongoing.
Then one Saturday morning, I attended Holy Mass, and after Mass, I went into adoration. In prayer, I felt Jesus’ presence so strongly that I began to cry. “I love You, Jesus,” I whispered, grateful for His presence. I returned home afterward and stood at my kitchen sink. In my heart, I asked, “Jesus, can Robert not see?” I paused, and asked again, “Can he not see?” A third time, I repeated, “Jesus, can Robert not see that this is the cross You want marked on the island of Ireland?”
At that moment, Jesus responded clearly, three times: “Call Robert Nugent and tell him this is the cross they want marked on the island of Ireland.”
I turned away from the sink, grabbed my phone, and called Robert, even though we usually communicated through voice messages. Surprisingly, Robert answered immediately. He sounded frightened. “Why are you calling me?” he asked. “I’m in Knock. I just came out of confession and was kneeling when the Lord told me, ‘Don’t pray here. Go to the adoration chapel.’” Robert went to the chapel, lay prostrate before the Lord, and heard Jesus ask him, “Can’t you see?”
It was at that exact moment that I had been asking Jesus the same question at my kitchen sink. Robert told me, “The Lord said you would call me when I left adoration.” It was exactly 12pm when he left the chapel, and I called him. “I believe you now,” he said. “I’m on board.”
The very priest the Holy Spirit had told me to call had spoken to my friend – who knew nothing about the situation – and told them to tell me to prepare for ‘Walk the Cross II.’ It was another powerful confirmation from the Holy Spirit”
Receiving a word from the Lord isn’t easy. We live in a sceptical and cynical world, where many are closed off to the Spirit of God and what He truly desires. But I thanked the Lord for confirming the message to Robert, to Brian, and to Karen, all of whom were committed in faith. Jesus continued to confirm the message in miraculous ways: the ‘Walk the Cross’ was truly from Heaven, an instruction given by Jesus Himself.
This year, the Holy Spirit encouraged me to call a priest. Initially, I set it aside, not fully ignoring it, but hesitant after the challenges of the previous year. A few days later, while at Knock, a friend approached me with a message. The very priest the Holy Spirit had told me to call had spoken to my friend – who knew nothing about the situation – and told them to tell me to prepare for ‘Walk the Cross II.’ It was another powerful confirmation from the Holy Spirit.
As I meditated on this, I asked the Lord, “If You really want this in Dublin this year, you’re going to have to confirm it for me.” Over the next week, He did. While I was in Lourdes, a woman from Antrim contacted me. She shared that she had participated in the previous ‘Walk the Cross’ pilgrimage, and it had ignited a fire in her heart. “It’s done something to me spiritually,” she said, and as she spoke, I began to praise God.
When she asked about this year’s walk, I confessed my reluctance, explaining how much the previous walk had taken out of me. I admitted to feeling ‘hammered’ by the experience. “The Holy Spirit wants it, and He’s confirmed that for me,” I added. In the silence of my heart, I said to Jesus, “My cross is heavy.” Immediately, the woman replied, “Your cross is heavy, but Jesus sent me to help you carry it.”
Reignited
That conversation reignited the spark I needed. By the power of the Holy Spirit, and with the encouragement of my friend, I knew we had to move forward. That’s how the procession in Dublin was set in motion. We regrouped, organised the event, and prepared for the Eucharistic procession through the streets of Dublin, trusting in Christ’s guidance. The planning process wasn’t without challenges. Just four days before the event, there were restrictions on the route we wanted to take. But God intervened, and the restrictions were lifted. Brian, with his humility and persistence, spoke to the Garda, who initially told us that O’Connell Street was outside their district. However, one officer promised to ensure the procession would be allowed through O’Connell St, and she kept her word.
On the day of the procession, we started at St Peter’s Church, proceeding through O’Connell St and Henry St, and finally ending at Church St. Over 1,000 people joined us. It was unbelievable. As we prepared to begin, a light descended from the sky, casting a beam of light on the church where the procession started. It felt like Jesus was saying, “This is My stamp of approval. Thank you for your obedience, for your commitment, for your Faith.”
There is something spiritually significant happening, something beyond my understanding. I remain faithful to the Lord, attending Mass, adoration, and confession, praising Him and keeping my heart open as a vessel for His glory. This walk is for God’s glory, for our country, for our children, for the Church, and for the unborn. It’s a reparation for sins against the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Jesus and Mary. The blasphemies committed against their hearts weigh heavy, but Jesus has a plan for Ireland.
I felt Jesus standing tall, a thousand feet above us, with His crown and robe draped down. His remnant soldiers – His prayerful faithful – were walking behind Him. He was declaring, ‘This is My army.’”
I believe the faith in Ireland is not dead. It’s like a bird in hibernation, waiting to awaken. When it does, it will be hungry – hungry for truth, for God. The people of Ireland will come out of their spiritual slumber and seek out the faithful to learn more about their Faith. There will be a massive revival.
During the walk in Dublin, I felt Jesus standing tall, a thousand feet above us, with His crown and robe draped down. His remnant soldiers – His prayerful faithful – were walking behind Him. He was declaring, “This is My army.”
Both Robert and I have faced attacks. On the same day this year, we both ended up in the hospital. I nearly died from blood poisoning. After the walk last year, I faced significant spiritual attacks, and I wasn’t eager to endure the same again. When Jesus showed me the path forward, I asked, “Are You having a laugh? You’ve seen what I’ve been through!” But I told Him I would do it for Him.
Despite the mockery and ridicule, Jesus said to me, “Rejoice, Anto.” This walk is truly given by Jesus for Ireland for a very specific reason. Ireland is anointed, covered by the mantle of the Blessed Mother, sealed with the precious blood of Christ, and the blood of the martyrs who carried the torch of Faith for us.
Ireland once evangelised the world, and it will happen again. There’s a hunger, a spiritual famine, but Jesus is guiding our hearts. Though the Catholic Church is under attack, it is not dead. The media may portray it that way, but it remains the fullness of Faith.
The story of Walk the Cross is miraculous. It is a gift from Heaven, given to inspire the faithful to step out for Jesus. To not be afraid to profess your Faith.