Bridge Dialogues

In 2023 Awake began quietly piloting a groundbreaking new program that we have already seen bear great fruit; now we are excited to publicly announce this new core program offered by Awake: Bridge Dialogues.

Inspired by our experiences walking with survivors and by the principles of restorative justice, the Bridge Dialogues are designed to bridge the gap between priests and survivors, through facilitated conversation in a safe and confidential setting.

Each Bridge Dialogue brings together three Catholic priests and three people who have experienced abuse by a Catholic leader, along with two facilitators from Awake's staff. The facilitators guide the group through a simple process of honest sharing and respectful listening, giving all participants the opportunity to speak from their hearts about the ways they have been impacted and what they hope for in the Church moving forward. We will be hosting a new dialogue on Zoom every month, beginning in October 2024.

How You Can Help

• Use This Form to Nominate a Priest to Participate. We welcome priests from anywhere in the United States, and those who are new to Awake will be invited to schedule a Zoom welcome call with an Awake staff member before signing up for a Bridge Dialogue. (Priests, you are definitely encouraged to nominate yourself and/or fellow priests!)

• Pray. We ask your prayers for this new initiative, that the Bridge Dialogues may be one small but important step toward transformation and healing in our Church.

• Donate to Awake. The Bridge Dialogues are made possible due to a grant from the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice, as well as Awake's many individual donors. Thank you to everyone who continues to support Awake to bring this mission to life!

Here are a few words from participants in our pilot dialogues: