Healing War Wounds ~Veterans invited to non-denominational spiritual retreat

By Mary Owen

Our Town Monthly August 2006

Tony Morris’ interest in helping soldiers find their way home spiritually was kindled by an unexpected gift from his.

Corp. Joe Morris, who is now serving in Iraq, celebrated his 21^st birthday in April by donating $650 to the Father Bernard Youth Center that his father heads. The money was sent to cover the cost of a cross for the centers chapel, a reminder of those who sacrifice daily to preserve Americas freedom.

 “We were stirred to do something for young people returning from Iraq and other war veterans, to help then meet their spiritual needs.” Tony Morris said.

 That “something” is a non-denominational, spiritual retreat Aug. 11-13 at the center , for veterans, run by veterans. To be held from 5 p.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Sunday, the retreat is named “The road to Emmaus and back again,” for the journey that restored the faith of the disciples who were disillusioned and discouraged after Jesus ultimate sacrifice on the cross.

 “ The whole reason for having a retreat at the Father Bernard Youth Center for those who have served in the Armed Forces in Iraq is to acknowledge that this service has been extremely difficult and dangerous, producing much trauma and often devastation as friends and loved ones are injured or die,” Morris wrote in his vision statement for the retreat.

 “ No one should suffer or bear these burdens alone,” he said. “ At this time in the church in the United States, we feel that it is necessary to reach out to those who have given so much to serve and protect us in the various branches of the Armed Forces.”

 Morris said statistics show that more than three-fourths of the soldiers deployed to Iraq reported shooting or directing combat fire at the enemy; almost half were responsible for the death of an enemy combatant.

 According to Morris, research has proven that the frequency and intensity of exposure to combat experiences is strongly associated with the risk of chronic post traumatic stress disorder and related impairment.

 “ There is a lot of self-medicating going on, with alcohol being the drug of choice,” he said. “ These people just need a place to tell their stories to people who have been there to work through some of the trauma. They have to go back to the tragedy of war sooner or later to heal.”

 One veteran told Morris the highlight of his military tour of the South Pacific was celebrating Mass on the hood of a Jeep with his fellow soldiers while smoking from the shelling billowed around them.

 Another told of a post-war quirk stemming from his three-month stint in Normandy. Since bathing was not an option, the soldiers doused themselves with perfume to help mask the stench of the “muck” they had slithered through at the beach and beyond. The veteran told Morris that he now hated perfume and was compelled to shower daily, something his family did not fully comprehend.

 “ The stories they tell not only help them move on, but help us to understand some of the horror they went through,” Morris said.

 The retreat is set up like a “spiritual debriefing,” with time to share, to reflect, to pray, to heal, he said. “We hope to get about 25 to come, but we’ll start with however many show up,” he said.

 The Mt. Angel center also wants to reach out to women with future retreats.

 “ According to Catholics in the Military, no one is doing this in the U.S. that they know of he said. “ We hope that this will bring peoples interest up to do something like this in their own communities.”