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Fr. Hans Zollner Resigns from Papal Commission, Survivors Respond
Fr. Hans Zollner made a surprise announcement Wednesday that he resigned from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, which advises Pope Francis about safeguarding efforts in the Catholic Church. Considered the Vatican’s leading expert on safeguarding,…
Awake’s Core Values: A Closer Look at What Matters Most to Us
As we approach Awake’s fourth anniversary this summer, we are currently working through a strategic planning process to help us consider our future. One of the first steps in the process was to clarify our values as an…
Jennifer LaVoy
“If my story helps just one person realize the danger of clericalism and abuse of power, it’s worth it to me.”
6 Things Never to Say About Survivors of Clergy Abuse
Back in 2021 I wrote a blog post for Awake that covered some of the hurtful things that people sometimes say to clergy abuse survivors, along with more supportive things they might say instead. Many people read it and several survivors—including my mom—responded with additional things that they’ve heard from Catholics and would add to the list.
Courageous Conversation: In Discussion Led by Survivors, Vatican Advisor Hans Zollner, SJ, Weighs in on Abuse in the Church
By Anselma Dolcich-AshleyGuest Writer Last week, Awake hosted Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ, director of the safeguarding institute of the Pontifical Gregorian University and advisor to Pope Francis, for an honest conversation with clergy abuse survivors Esther Harber and…
Called to the Foot of the Cross: Why the Church Needs a “Catechesis of Survivor Stories”
Today we revisit a post from November 2021 about efforts by a Jesuit priest and researcher to help the Catholic Church heal by making stories from abuse survivors a regular part of Church life. Gerard McGlone, SJ, a Jesuit priest and researcher, believes all Catholics should regularly hear the stories of people who have experienced sexual abuse in the Church.
In Peaceful Mini-Retreat, Awake Reflects at the Doorway of Lent
Last weekend, members of the Awake community gathered for a three-hour mini-retreat to prepare for the season of Lent. Held at the St. Bakhita Catholic Worker House in Milwaukee, the retreat included people who have experienced harm in…
Mike Hoffman
“To be able to share my story, which I kept secret for over 30 years, and still feel safe and loved was such a profound experience.”
Grappling with the Church’s History as a “Perpetrator Institution”
As Executive Director for Truth and Healing at Red Cloud School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, Maka Black Elk holds a complex set of identities. He is a member of the Oglala-Sioux Tribe, the son and grandson of people who attended an Indian boarding school, and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse…
What Should I Do If Someone Tells Me They’ve Been Abused? The 5-Step VEEEL Method
This week we revisit this terrific advice from Deborah Rodriguez, MD, who spells out how to respond if someone discloses their abuse to you. It’s helpful for anyone who wants to respond to victim-survivors with healing compassion.
Courageous Conversation: Panel Reveals the Impact of Clergy Sexual Abuse on Families
Awake’s January Courageous Conversation provided an opportunity to listen to a mother, a husband, and a daughter of victim-survivors of abuse. The conversation “Family Matters: How Abuse Wounds the Loved Ones of Victim-Survivors,” featured…
Esther Harber
“That profound understanding that I am not alone takes a great deal of the shame away. ”
Case of Prominent Jesuit Highlights Church Failures Around Abuse of Adults
The case of Fr. Marko Rupnik, a prominent Jesuit priest who has been accused of sexual and spiritual abuse of religious women, suggests that the Church hierarchy remains unwilling to take the abuse of adults seriously. Rupnik, 68,…
Awake’s Top Blog Posts of 2022
As we turn the page on a new year, we at Awake value the chance to look back over the last 12 months to see which posts were read most by the Awake community. This data reveals a…
Holiday How-To: 10 Tips for Talking with Your Family About Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
It’s the holiday season, a common time for family gatherings—and a chance to engage loved ones in important conversations.
Awake’s Advent Prayer Service Reflects on the Holy Darkness of the Season
Last week, Awake offered a short, moving Advent prayer service titled “Holy Darkness.” It featured four parts based on the four weeks of Advent, including music, readings, questions for reflection, and silent time for prayer and contemplation.
Awake Reflects on Darkness, Light, and Hope in Advent Prayer Service
Last Friday evening the Awake community gathered for an Advent prayer service exploring both darkness and the gift of light.
Interview with Fr. Tom Berg: 3 Ways the Abuse Crisis has Changed Seminary Formation
Fr. Tom Berg has particular insight into the crisis of sexual abuse and cover-up in the Catholic Church. He spent 23 years of religious life, including nine years as an ordained priest, as a member of the Legionaries of Christ. The legion’s founder and director general Marcial Maciel Degollado was forced to step down in 2005, eight years after public allegations by nine former Legionaries that Maciel had sexually abused them as children and young adults.
Awake Announces Newly Expanded Survivor Advisory Panel
Listening to survivors has always been a priority for Awake Milwaukee.
In our earliest days, before we had even chosen the name “Awake,” we gathered in Sara and Mike Larson’s living room in Milwaukee to listen to a woman who was abused by a priest in grade school. This survivor described her hard work to heal and the pain she experienced as an adult, when she faced legalistic Church leaders in her efforts to report her abuser, who remained in ministry. Listening to her was a powerful experience, reinforcing our drive to learn more about the problems of abuse and cover-up in the Church, to work for transformation and healing, and to understand how we might walk with abuse survivors.
5 Things Every Priest Should Know About Sexual Abuse
Below I’ve compiled five things that I have learned since my wife and I began this journey several years ago, five things I wish every priest, seminarian, and tradition-loving Catholic like myself knew as well.