The pilgrimage is co-sponsored by Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Relief Services and the office for the Missions will co-host with the Joliet Diocese Peace and Social Justice Ministry. Group coordinators are Vicki Compton, director of the Springfield Mission Office and two deacons from the Joliet diocese: Deacon Terry McGuire and Deacon Tom Goebel. Father Tony Taschetta, a priest of the Joliet diocese, will be the spiritual director.
Jim and Sue Morris of the Springfield diocese have hosted many of the trips — often called Living Stones Pilgrimages — over the past decade, but have now retired from that responsibility. Compton said Archbishop-designate George J. Lucas asked if she would like to step in as a host because she is naturally interested in building solidarity and peace as well as economically supporting the beleaguered Palestinian Christian community.
In addition to directing the Office for the Missions, Compton is diocesan director for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Pontifical Mission Societies. “This pilgrimage is a good fit for me because CRS is heavily involved with peace-building in the Holy Land,” Compton said. “In fact, it is one of their major priorities.”
Compton has traveled extensively to Africa, Asia, Europe and South America and lived and worked in Haiti for 18 months prior to joining the mission office. “However, I have never been to the Holy Land and I am looking forward to this pilgrimage,” she said.
Pilgrims will visit, among other places, the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, the Wailing Wall, the Church of the Nativity, the Jordan River, Mount of the Beatitudes and the Sea of Galilee. They will have a Palestinian Christian who lives in Jerusalem as a pilgrim guide.
Compton points out that Pope John Paul II encouraged “pilgrimages of peace” to the Holy Land to express solidarity with the local Christian community. Pope Benedict XVI recently returned from the Holy Land as well. “When we are on this pilgrimage we’ll be looking at the reality of what life is really like for the people of the Holy Land,” Compton said.
Travels arrangements for the pilgrimages are being made by Catholic Travel Centre.
There are still some spots available for the Holy Land pilgrimage, Compton said. A daily itinerary and brochure describing the pilgrimage and other pertinent information is available by contacting Vicki Compton at or at (217) 698-8500, ext. 120.