Awake Blog
We’re still in the process of moving blog posts over from our previous website.
In the meantime, please click here to read older posts.
Making the Eucharist Accessible to Survivors of Abuse
Recently Paula Kaempffer of the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis began to consider a powerful idea: why couldn’t she take the Eucharist to victim-survivors who want to receive it, in the same way that lay ministers take communion to parishioners who can’t leave their homes due to illness or mobility issues?
Awake Celebrates Easter with Way of Light Prayer Service
Last week, Awake celebrated Easter by praying the Via Lucis, or Way of Light. This devotion, similar to the Stations of the Cross, meditates on Jesus’ Resurrection appearances to his disciples through Pentecost.
LOUDfence at Wheeling Cathedral Offers Support for Victim-Survivors
When worshippers arrived at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling, West Virginia for Mass this past Sunday, they found colorful ribbons tied to railings outside the building.
Awake’s Board Welcomes New Directors, Thanks Outgoing Members
It’s an exciting week for Awake as we welcome three newly elected members to our Board of Directors, as well as a new treasurer.
Aimee Torres
“One person can make a huge difference in someone’s life just by speaking up.”
Survivor Advocates for New California Law Criminalizing Sexual Abuse of Adults
When she discovered that her state lacked a criminal statute outlawing sexual contact between clergy members and adult parishioners, Lucy Huh was suddenly driven by what she calls “a personal quest.”
What is Institutional Betrayal? And How Does It Relate to Church Abuse?
Institutional betrayal occurs when leaders of an institution fail to protect members from harm or do not respond with support if someone reveals that they’ve been hurt.
6 Tips for Priests: How to Address Abuse in a Homily
Please assume that every time you preach, there are people in the congregation who have experienced trauma, including harm caused by Catholic leaders.
Kathy Ann Coll
“It was painful to discover that my Catholic Church does not recognize adult survivors as ‘victims.’ ”
Awake Observes Lent with the Way of the Cross with Survivors
This service allows us to walk alongside Jesus on the road to the crucifixion and to see his journey through the eyes of abuse survivors.
6 Ways Church Leaders Can Build Trauma-Sensitive Parishes
Trauma experts say every parish needs clergy and church staff who are trained to recognize trauma in the people they serve. Here are six things church leaders need to know about trauma.
The Top 10 Questions We Hear About Awake
Since we recently changed our name and unveiled a new logo and website, many new people have contacted us with questions about who we are, what we do, and whether they belong.
Paige Eppenstein Anderson
“I decided to share my story because it’s not the typical story you hear about abuse in the Church.”
Awake Unveils A New Name and New Look
Members of the Awake community have likely noticed some buzz in the air. This week, we’re finally ready to share the news.
Courageous Conversation: How Immigrant Voices are Silenced in Church Abuse
Awake’s latest Courageous Conversation explored important questions of how the abuse crisis has affected immigrant communities.
Professor and Students Examine the Crisis of Church Abuse in New Course
Marie Griffith, a religion professor at Washington University in St. Louis, thought she’d probably get eight or nine students signed up for her course, “The Abuse Crisis in Modern Christianity.” She was shocked when it filled up instantly, with a long list of students hoping to get in.
Awake’s Top 10 Blog Posts of 2023
To mark the arrival of 2024, we take a look back over the Awake Blog in 2023, a busy year of growth for Awake. Here are the ten blog posts that were read and shared the most often.
Carl Huber
“I believe in the power of storytelling as a means for people to feel validated, to feel heard, and it’s been a big part of my own healing.”
Awake Welcomes Five New Leaders
As Awake continues to grow, we are pleased to welcome two new members to the Awake Leadership Team and three new members to the Board of Directors. All five people have been engaged with Awake in a variety…
Awake Community Pauses to Breathe and Pray in Advent Mini-Retreat
This week, Awake hosted a peaceful Advent mini-retreat based on the work of writer, poet, and liturgist Cole Arthur Riley (pictured above), author of This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us. A 48-minute-long recording…