Courageous Conversations
Courageous Conversations is an ongoing speaker series hosted by Awake to build community, deepen understanding, encourage conversation, and inspire personal action in response to the complex issue of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. You can view all of Awake’s past Courageous Conversations recordings below (Season One, Season Two, Season Three, Season Four, and Season Five).
We hope you will join us at our next conversation:
Season Five
2024–2025
NOVEMBER 2024
Cultivating a Gospel Response to Trauma
Pete Singer of GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment) and Paul Fahey, a veteran of Catholic parish ministry and a mental health counselor, offer guidance on building church communities that are sensitive to the needs of abuse survivors.
September 2024
Listening to Survivors: What Went Well—and Didn't—When I Shared My Story
Three survivors of abuse by Catholic leaders - Wendy Mitch, Vince Pérez, and Gina Barthel - share their positive and negative experiences of disclosing their abuse to family, friends, colleagues, and church leaders, and offer advice on how to best listen to and support those who have experienced abuse.
Season Four
2023-2024
May 2024
“Vos Estis” Five Years Later: JD Flynn and Anne Barrett Doyle in Conversation
Journalist and co-founder of ThePillar, JD Flynn, and co-director of BishopAccountability.org, Anne Barrett Doyle, speak about the impact of Vos Estis Lux Mundi in the five years since its promulgation, including examples of where it can be improved.
January 2024
Hidden at the Margins: Church Abuse and Silenced Voices in Minority and Immigrant Communities
Theologian Susan Bigelow Reynolds and survivors and advocates Aimee Torres and Eduardo Lopes de Casas discuss the factors that make immigrant and minority communities more vulnerable to abuse, and how they can be made safer and prevent abuse.
November 2023
Raising Children in Our Wounded Church: The Challenge of Sharing the Light of Faith in the Shadow of Abuse
Therapist Regina Boyd, victim-survivor Mike Hoffman, and theologian Marcus Mescher talk about parenting strategies for balancing vigilance and trust and what gives them hope for the future of the Church.
September 2023
Spiritual Trauma: Victim-Survivors on the Hidden Impact of Sexual Abuse
Four victim-survivors, Elsie Boudreau, Tim Ehlinger, Linda Ochs, and Mary Dispenza, reflect on the impact of abuse on their spiritual lives, how their experiences have influenced their relationship with God, and what has helped their spiritual healing.
Season Three
2022-2023
May 2023
A Shared Struggle: What Can We Learn From Other Faith Traditions About Addressing Abuse?
Dr. Guila Benchimol, Maureen Garcia, and Nadiah Mohajir share their expertise working in Jewish, Protestant, and Muslim contexts to prevent abuse.
March 2023
Face-to-Face and Heart-to-Heart: Fr. Hans Zollner in Conversation with Survivors
Fr. Hans Zollner, Director of the Safeguarding Institute of the Pontifical Gregorian University, speaks with two survivors of clergy abuse, Esther Harber and Mike Koplinka-Loehr.
January 2023
Family Matters: How Abuse Wounds the Loved Ones of Victim-Survivors
Letitia Peyton, Peter Schiessl, and Jerri von den Bosch–family members of survivors of clergy abuse–reflect on their experiences and work for change and healing.
November 2022
Erased from the Narrative: The Role of Racism in the Abuse Crisis
Expert panelists Jeremy Cruz, Fr. Bryan Massingale, and Maka Black Elk discuss the ways racism impacts the problem of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
September 2022
What I Want Catholics to Understand: A Conversation with Abuse Survivors
Five victim-survivors with diverse experiences reflect on their experience of abuse, address common misconceptions, and answer audience questions.
Season Two
2021-2022
May 2022
Trauma and Resilience in the Body of Christ
Deborah Rodriguez, MD and Regina Boyd, LMFT offer their expertise about the realities of trauma, discuss the phenomenon of post-traumatic growth, and share personal stories and practical tips.
March 2022
Why the Church Needs Survivors’ Stories
Survivors Jerry McGlone, S.J., and Paula Kaempffer share powerful stories of healing, an invitation to center survivors’ voices, and guidance for listening well to those who have been harmed.
January 2022
Twenty Years Since Spotlight: How Journalists Have Uncovered Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
Walter Robinson, who led the Boston Globe Spotlight team, Jason Berry, who began writing about abuse in the Church almost 20 years earlier, and Anne Barrett Doyle, who co-directs BishopAccountability.org, offer personal insight into this milestone.
November 2021
What Can I Do? Lay Leaders Responding to the Abuse Crisis with Creativity and Compassion
Four panelists from varying backgrounds speak about the circumstances that moved them to action and the unique approach they have each taken to address the issue of abuse in the Catholic Church.
September 2021
A Body of Broken Bones: The Ripple Effects of Abuse on the Body of Christ
Dr. Marcus Mescher shares a thought-provoking presentation on moral injury, conscience, and the path to healing for our Church.
Season One
2020-2021
May 2021
Understanding the Wisconsin Attorney General Investigation
Survivor-advocates the Fortney sisters, retired WI Supreme Court Justice Janine Geske and theologian Patrick Hornbeck help Catholics understand this investigation.
April 2021
Telling Nate’s Story, with Special Guest Aaron Lindstrom
We learn about the life and legacy of clergy abuse victim Nate Lindstrom – and hear the honest, challenging words of his brother Aaron: “It’s about time that we as Catholics fix the problem. I feel like we have the power to do that.”
March 2021
It’s Not Only Children: Addressing Abuse of Adults in the Catholic Church
Paula Kaempffer and Dr. David Pooler provide valuable insight on this ongoing problem, and Esther Harber shares her personal story of sexual assault by a priest when she was a young adult.
February 2021
Understanding the Impacts of Trauma and Building Trauma-Sensitive Parishes
Psychologist Dr. Stephen Saunders of Marquette University gives an informative presentation on this vital topic, and we end with powerful comments from survivors.
January 2021
The Women Who Spoke Out: A Survivor, A Colleague, and an Advocate Share Their Story of Exposing David Haas’s Abuse
We lift up the voices of Margaret Hillman, Laurie Delgatto-Whitten, and Dr. Stephanie Krehbiel in this important dialogue.
December 2020
The McCarrick Report, Clerical Culture, and a Path to Change
Fr. Dan Griffith offers a thought-provoking presentation that launches our first season of the popular Courageous Conversation series.