In the News
“There has to be a way for us to both love the church and challenge and speak about hard things.”
“We have a lot of work to do in how we as a Church respond to allegations of abuse and treat survivors with sensitivity and compassion.”
Words from Awake in Recent Media
“As a Catholic who spends much of my time listening to abuse survivors, I see firsthand how the actions — and inactions — of church leaders directly impact those who have been harmed by abuse. I am grateful for the ways Francis moved us forward; I am also deeply disappointed and frustrated by all the ways he let us down.”
“We can walk alongside people who are hurting, listen to their stories, acknowledge their pain — and manifest the love of God through our gentle, consistent, compassionate presence.”
“Oftentimes, we as a church and as a culture have not been attentive to the spiritual wounds that come from religious abuse.”
—Wisconsin Public Radio, “‘Longing for healing’: Survivors of clergy abuse and non-offending priests come together,” December 2024
“I’ve been grateful to see growing recognition of abuse of adults—that’s something as a Church we have really just begun to grapple with.”
—Resilience in the Shadows, “The War on Church Cover-Ups,” August 2024
“The truth is, the church culture that enables abuse and cover up was not created by clergy alone. Every member of the Body of Christ can be part of the problem - or part of the solution.”
—The Catholic Feminist, “What Can We DO About Clergy Abuse?” August 2024
“The continued use of Rupnik’s art is incredibly hurtful to many abuse survivors, who see this as emblematic of an ongoing lack of concern for the needs of all survivors.”
“There's just something incredibly beautiful about bringing people together where they can see that they're not alone and can reach out to others who can understand and offer support.”
“We need to have deep change—transformation of culture and of heart in our Church—more than anything else.”
—Pope Francis Generation, “Sara Larson - Waking up to Abuse in the Church,” February 2024
“The declaration of McCarrick’s incompetence to stand trial is a painful reminder of the long delay in accountability for a man whose crimes were known for decades.”
—OSV News, “McCarrick trial dead-end a double blow to abuse victims,” January 2024
“I speak every day to survivors who are deeply traumatized by not only their abuse, but also the callous response they have received from church leaders in the aftermath of that abuse.”
—MassLive, “Will a new day dawn for adult victims of clergy abuse?” December 2023
“Instead of trying to determine which adults fit this label [vulnerable adult], we should recognize the reality that all people can be vulnerable to abuse during challenging times in their life or in specific situations where there is a distinct power differential.”
“Many people find great comfort and strength in developing a relationship with particular saints who they turn to for inspiration and intercession.”
—OSV News, “Abuse survivor group names patron saints to guide healing, reform,” November 2023
“When we open our minds and hearts to the wisdom of survivors, we will fully understand the urgency and necessity of facing this ongoing wound in the Body of Christ.”
—OSV News, “New abuse settlement adds to monumental grand jury findings,” August 2023
“As a Catholic, I welcome any opportunity to seek the truth, to support survivors and to find opportunities to make our church better … I hope all Catholics would do the same.”
—OSV News, “Former cardinal McCarrick faces new sexual assault charge in Wisconsin,” April 2023
“There can be no true consent when a priest is in a position of spiritual authority over someone.”
—AP News, “Jesuit case underscores secrecy, leniency for abuse of women,” December 2022
“People want to be heard, and they want to be believed. That is the foundation of everything we do …It’s about listening first.”
“If you are ever given the sacred opportunity to listen to someone’s story of abuse, the first words out of your mouth should be, ‘“I am so sorry. I believe you. How can I help?’”
“For many people who are abused as adults, the first barrier they have to overcome is often an internal sense of shame and guilt … Often there’s been a lot of spiritual manipulation that has brought them to a place where they think it’s their fault.”
“If can address these issues in the context of community and hope, there is a lot that we can do.”
“While Vos estis is a significant step forward in the Church’s approach to addressing sexual abuse, its policies fall far short of the level of transparency and accountability needed in the Church today.”
“The Archdiocese’s legalistic response is not what we would hope to hear from the shepherds of our Church. We are more concerned about the pain suffered by victim-survivors than we are about possible anti-Catholic bias.”
“We have to recognize there is still more truth to be revealed.”
—Church Meets World, “What Catholics still don’t understand about the abuse crisis,” August 2021
“When every person on the diocesan staff sees a victim first and foremost as a beloved son or daughter of God, then things will really change.”
“[Survivors] are some of the most important, prophetic voices in the Church today, and they are speaking hard truths that we as a Church need to hear.”
“If we as a church really want to focus on pastoral concern for these survivors, we need to have a more complete listing … The current list excludes many abusive clerics who have served in archdiocesan parishes, schools and other ministries.”
“It speaks to the need that some, although certainly not all, abuse survivors feel, for a sense of healing and reconciliation with the priesthood. Regardless of whether they want to remain Catholic, we’ve seen that a lot of healing can come in this kind of open conversation.”
—Wisconsin Today, “The changing landscape of Milwaukee’s Catholic Church,” October 2024
“We have a lot of work to do to really face this reality, and become a safer, more accountable, and more compassionate church.”
—National Catholic Reporter, “Abuse survivors navigate 'complicated' relationship with the church amid revival,” August 2024
“When we say we want to be close to victim-survivors, to accompany them in their pain, do we really mean it? Are we willing to listen to survivors and take action based on their needs, or are these simply empty words?”
—OSV News, “Removing art amid abuse claims would show Church’s commitment to change,” July 2024
“For many survivors and advocates, delays and indecision about removal of Rupnik's art have become emblematic of a church culture that fails to prioritize the needs of those who have been wounded.”
“Most Catholics would be shocked with the prevalence of abuse of adults in the church today, and unfortunately, there are very few safeguards in place to protect adults from abuse by religious leaders.”
“I hope and pray that all those who have been harmed in this abusive environment will receive the understanding and support they need to find healing and peace.”
—OSV News, “Vatican closes religious order co-founded by Father Marko Rupnik,” December 2023
“There has to be a way for us to both love the church and challenge and speak about hard things.”
“The recognition that absolutely nothing can cut us off from the love of God or the possibility of holiness is so important for abuse survivors — and for all of us.”
“Our systems for responding to abuse are deeply flawed, and people all around the world continue to be wounded by these broken systems … We have to do better.”
“It has taken far too long to get to this resolution, which demonstrates continued problems with the Catholic Church's willingness to hold bishops accountable for their actions in a timely manner.”
“Any step toward accountability for abusers is a positive signal to victim-survivors that their stories matter.”
“Some people have found the [review] boards very helpful and healthy … But others have found the boards too deferential to bishops and priests. Any time an entire body is appointed by a bishop, it seems a stretch to claim that it can be fully independent.”
“As a Church, we need to take meaningful action to create safer environments for both minors and adults, recognize and respond to abuse, and accompany those who have been harmed. There is still much work to be done, and we need to take our lead from survivors in determining these next steps.”
“I hear over and over from survivors of adult abuse that their reports were ignored, dismissed, or covered up by their diocese, even if a priest abused them while serving as their spiritual director, confessor, counselor, or supervisor.”
—The Pillar, “Lawsuit alleges serial assault by CFR Franciscan,” July 2022
“Instead of asking are we meeting the requirements of the Dallas charter, we need to be asking what is God telling us to do in the church to create safer environments for all of God’s people and create safer environments for all of those who have been harmed.”
“We are trying to create this unique space of people who want to work within the Church and love the Church, but also a lot of honesty about all the work that still needs to be done.”
“There’s no silver bullet, there’s no investigation that will reveal the whole truth. But my greatest hope is that this investigation will be at least one step towards justice and healing for those who have been harmed.”
“The penalties that McCarrick has already faced offer some glimmer of hope that perhaps things are moving in the right direction, that power and money will no longer protect Church leaders from the consequences of their actions, that survivors’ voices do matter.”
—The Pillar, “What clerical abuse victims expect from McCarrick trial,” August 2021
“Abuse in our Church has caused a deep wound in the Body of Christ, and we’ve barely begun the process of understanding and facing that wound, let alone healing it.”
—Our Sunday Visitor, “We should welcome abuse investigations, not fear them,” May 2021
“If we want to hear the voice of the truth in the Church right now, let’s listen to the survivors. Theirs are prophetic voices.”
—Angelus News, “Lay ministry helps abuse survivors find healing in a different way,” March 2021