Monica Weis, SSJ, an English professor and Director of the MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies) program at Nazareth College, is the recipient of The International Thomas Merton Society's most distinguished award, the "Louie."  The organization honored Weis at its June 9 conference in Chicago. The “Louie” is the society’s highest honor and is given to a member of the group whose distinguished service has contributed to the aims of the Society and to furthering its goals.

“She has not only read and absorbed Merton, but she has taught about him and taken his thoughts on nature and ecology and introduced them to a new audience through books," said Bob Grip, president of The International Thomas Merton Society(pictured with Weis). Weis has written Thomas Merton's Gethsemani: Landscapes of Paradise and her latest work, The Environmental Vision of Thomas Merton.  "She has been an enormous help to the Society through her work on the board and program committees, and serving as a mentor to so many of us…including yours truly.”

Weis' latest book The Environmental Vision of Thomas Merton was released in May 2011 and can be found at Barnes and Noble and Amazon .com.