Jim Towey Receives Horkan Distinguished Catholic Leader Award

At the Catholic Days breakfast, the bishops of Florida were pleased to present the Thomas A. Horkan, Jr., Distinguished Catholic Leader Award to Jim Towey. Named in honor of the founding director of the Florida Catholic Conference, the award is presented to a Catholic whose life “exemplifies Gospel values and whose work has influenced the formation of public policies or programs that have enhanced the life of the Church, deepened respect for life, and increased respect for human dignity.”

"Jim Towey’s accomplishments are numerous, and his experiences wide-ranging," said Michael Sheedy, FCCB execution director. "Yet through every chapter of his life and career, one theme remains constant: a steadfast commitment to faith expressed through service—especially to the vulnerable—and a tireless effort to strengthen the social fabric that binds us together, in Florida and far beyond."

An alumnus of Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Towey's public service includes four years leading the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives under President George W. Bush. He has also served the Church through higher education, spending thirteen years as president of two Catholic colleges, including Ave Maria University in Florida.

In 1996, Towey founded the nonprofit organization Aging with Dignity. Under his leadership, Aging with Dignity has developed resources specifically to assist Catholics in end-of-life planning and recently established Assisted Suicide Watch to respond directly to that growing threat. 

Perhaps most profoundly, Towey’s life was shaped by a twelve-year relationship as legal counsel and close advisor to Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta. 

In his acceptance speech, Towey stated, "My friends, the reason you are here in Tallahassee, and indeed, the very reason you were born, is to be faithful, just as [Mother Teresa] was, to be witnesses to the truth the Church teaches... Today, you may not succeed in changing a single legislator’s mind, and that’s ok. You must do your part and try, and encourage others to go and do the same. God calls you to be faithful."

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