Awake Blog
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Aimee Torres
“One person can make a huge difference in someone’s life just by speaking up.”
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.’ ”
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.
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.
Holiday How-To: 10 Tips for Talking with Your Family About Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
Editor’s Note: As we prepare for Advent and the holiday season, we revisit this popular 2021 post designed to help you raise the topic of the abuse crisis while spending time with loved ones. It’s the holiday season,…
What Structural Factors Contribute to Abuse in the Catholic Church?
Editor’s Note: This week we revisit our 2022 interview with Australian researcher Stephen de Weger, who offers his personal story of abuse in the Church and his take on the structural factors that he believes set the stage…
Courageous Conversation: Sharing Faith with Children in the Wake of the Abuse Crisis
Last week Awake welcomed three panelists who shared both professional and personal insights into the hopes, concerns, and challenges for parents and others aiming to share the Catholic faith with children while building a…
John Heffernan
“It’s a surprise that opening up about being a survivor has allowed me to love my family, friends, and community more deeply and to be loved more fully.”
Kathleen Klamka
“If I was the only victim I don’t think I could keep going. But I think of someone else’s story and that keeps me motivated.”
5 Things Every Priest Should Know About Sexual Abuse
Today we revisit a powerful post from Mike Larson of the Awake Leadership Team, which we first published in November 2022. By Mike LarsonAwake Leadership Team One weekend at a friend’s house, I ran into a…
Checking the List of Abusive Priests Gave Me a Shock—and a Wake Up Call
Today we revisit a personal reflection from Awake community member Patty Ingrilli, which we first published in January 2021.
Attorney General Starts Statewide Investigation of Clergy Sexual Abuse in Wisconsin
This morning Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced the start of a statewide investigation of sexual abuse by religious leaders in the Catholic Church and other faith communities. The announcement came after Kaul met Monday with representatives of…