Tom Garlitz, director of Peace and Social Justice Ministry of the Joliet diocese (left), recently presented Jim and Sue Morris of Springfield with the 2009 Pax Joliet Award at a dinner hosted by Bishop George J. Lucas (right) at the Catholic Pastoral Center in Springfield.Jim and Sue Morris might be members of Little Flower Parish in Springfield who live and work in the see city, but they recently received the 2009 Pax Joliet Award for their efforts for justice and peace in the Holy Land.
The Pax Joliet Award is given to individuals who are from - or within the geographic region of - the Joliet diocese who seek peace and justice through non-violent means, demonstrate a long term commitment or extraordinary efforts in promoting the gospel of peace and justice, exhibit a lifestyle of righteousness and integrity, and who maintain a deep concern for people in opposition, even in the midst of the conflict that often accompanies the struggle for justice.
"Sue and Jim met all the qualifications for this award, except one," said Tom Garlitz, director of Peace and Social Justice Ministry for the Joliet diocese, in his presentation at a luncheon held in the couple's honor May 6 at the Catholic Pastoral Center in Springfield. "They are not from the Joliet diocese, so we have secured from Bishop (Peter) Sartain a special blessing for Sue and Jim granting them honorary membership in the Joliet diocese."
He then said to the couple, "You now have dual citizenship." Jim and Sue were also the first couple to earn the award. Bishop George J. Lucas hosted the luncheon, which was attended by friends, co-workers and members of the Morris family.
Garlitz said that although the award was focused on the couple's work in the Holy Land, anyone who knows them is aware that Jim and Sue have established a long, deep and broad ministry in the pursuit of peace.
Jim and Sue have also long been known for their creation of Koinonia in the Springfield diocese. Sue is a former associate director of the Springfield Diocesan Office for Social Concerns and Jim is director of religious education for Little Flower Parish. Additionally, the couple hosts directed retreats at Villa Maria Catholic Life Conference and Retreat Center in Springfield.
"For years, Sue has supported the Joliet Diocese's Peace and Justice Institute by teaching the Spirituality of Social Justice seminar," Garlitz said.
Garlitz explained that Sue and Jim had "a vision to promote peace and justice in the Holy Land through the Living Stones Pilgrimages. These pilgrimages are a sign of solidarity, a witness to peace, and an opportunity for economic support of the beleaguered Palestinian Christian community. They are visits to holy places, the ‘ancient stones,' important to the people of God.
"But also visits to God's holy people, the ‘living stones,' the Palestinian Christians who live in Israel," he said. "They are an opportunity to hear from the oppressed of the land, to witness efforts to bring justice and peace through development and empowerment, to learn from peacemakers (Jewish, Christian, Muslim) and Middle East issue experts. They are pilgrimages of prayer, solidarity, and the quest for peace."
Going to the Holy Land for the first time in the mid-1990s was Sue's idea, said Jim. "Most of the credit for all this should go to Sue, because at first I really did not want to go," he said, explaining that Sue rarely, if ever, asked him to do something for her. "But I knew it was important to her because she asked me to go. So, when one of the most selfless persons I know finally asked for something after 35 years of marriage, I had to do this for her."
Jim said their six children were worried about their parents taking that initial trip. "At first, they were fearful for us, but we let them know they had nothing to fear," he said. "Although they haven't gone to the Holy Land with us, they've been very supportive." The couple has made the trip eight times over the past dozen years, but as Jim puts it, "We've retired from that now."
Sue said she believes the trips have established an awareness that Jews, Christian and Muslims are working for peace in the Holy Land. "We want people to be aware. We also need to have a sense of solidarity with Palestinian Christians," she said. "They are our Christian brothers and sisters."
Sue concludes that both she and Jim were very honored to have been presented with the award. "I think my son-in-law summed it up nicely," she said. "He called me up and commented, ‘Wasn't that just a wonderful day?' And it was - just a wonderful, wonderful day."