One Year of Bridge Dialogues: Bridging the Gap Between Abuse Survivors and Priests
This October marks one year since the public launch of Awake’s Bridge Dialogues, an initiative that brings together three Catholic priests and three abuse survivors in a confidential setting for facilitated conversation. During the dialogue, participants are invited to speak honestly about the painful reality of the effects of abuse and also share hopes for the future of the Church. These conversations began as an initiative rooted in the desires of survivors for direct dialogue in a safe and neutral setting and have since blossomed into one of the most powerful, transformative and inquired-about programs Awake offers.
Held monthly on Zoom, the dialogues bring together survivors and priests from across the country, representing vastly different experiences but sharing a common desire: to listen and be heard. Survivors include men and women who were abused as children and those who were abused as adults. They include people who are practicing Catholics and those who have chosen a different spiritual path. The priests who have participated come from a variety of experiences as well; many are diocesan priests, and we’ve had priests from religious orders participate as well. Some are older and more experienced while some are freshly ordained and don’t have much experience walking with survivors of abuse. Rooted in the principles of restorative justice, the dialogues allow survivors to speak frankly about their pain, betrayal, and the long and complicated journey of healing. In this same space, priests attend not as authority figures, problem-solvers, or advice-givers, but as representatives of the institutional Church, open and willing to learn. The goal is not to debate or to defend but rather to share and receive.
A Sacred Privilege
As one of the main facilitators of these dialogues, I’ve had the sacred privilege of holding space for what are often emotionally intense, challenging, and deeply moving conversations. Survivors show immense courage in sharing their stories; they have often been previously silenced by authority figures in the Church. They show up with vulnerability and trust, even when doing so costs them a great deal emotionally.
The priests who attend are vetted by Awake’s staff, and we ask simply that they show up and offer their presence. We invite them primarily to listen, allowing themselves to be moved by the stories they receive. When they do speak, they often express deep sorrow, sometimes offering personal apologies for the harm caused by the institution they represent. While the dialogues are facilitated, nothing except the questions we ask is scripted. This allows for real depth, spontaneity, and sincerity in each conversation.
“My experience with Bridge Dialogues empowered me to be a part of the healing process. It helped me become more aware of the impact of clergy sexual abuse on survivors, and to acknowledge the impact that it has had on me personally and on my life as a priest.” - Fr. Clint, a priest Bridge Dialogue participant
The Fruits of Dialogue
Over the past year, the fruits of these conversations have been both moving and meaningful. Since October of 2024, Awake has hosted 10 dialogues with 27 survivor and 22 priest participants. 49 people have been able to meet each other in an atmosphere of respectful sharing and listening in ways that do not happen very often, if at all, in more official Church settings.
Several survivors have shared with us that this is the first time they’ve ever felt truly heard by someone representing the institutional Church. For some, it has offered a moment of validation they’ve been longing for: an acknowledgment of the reality of their experience and the depth of the harm that occurred. Simply being heard, believed, and seen has proven to be an incredibly healing step for many in their journey. Others have stated that, even if they no longer have a personal connection to the Church, it gives them hope to know that there are priests who are willing to enter into these difficult conversations.
For the priests, too, the impact has been profound. Many have expressed how these dialogues have influenced their day to day ministry, particularly in the confessional or pastoral counseling settings. Hearing firsthand accounts from survivors gives them greater sensitivity and understanding. Several priests have shared that, while keeping identifying details of the dialogue confidential, they have gone on to preach homilies to their congregations about what they’ve learned.
“In my lifetime, I never imagined any priest ever being willing to sit and listen to my story. Like during my childhood abuse, no one would ever want to see or hear me. I would cry out in the darkness my whole life. So this experience, for me, was a gift; painful, sad, not long enough for all I had buried inside, beautiful, consoling, anxiety filled, life giving and, what I am so grateful for, healing. Decades of imagined confrontations, a chance to speak my truth, finally experienced, even if imperfectly, that was a gift I’d wished for my whole life.” - Maria, a survivor Bridge
Dialogue Participant
A Small Step
We know that the abuse crisis in the Church is deep and ongoing. The Bridge Dialogues are not the only solution to the problem. But for many, they have been a step - a steady movement toward healing and renewed trust. For me, one of the most meaningful things about the Bridge Dialogues is that they offer a rare and sacred space where survivors and priests meet together without an agenda, where everyone involved is willing to sit in the tension together and seek a better path forward.
During the first dialogue I observed as a facilitator-in-training, I said to everyone gathered, “I feel like I should take off my shoes because this is holy ground.” (see Exodus 3:5). Every dialogue feels like holy ground. The courage, strength, and truth that are shared there are a testament to the courage and strength of the survivors who participate.
An Ongoing Invitation
As we continue to grow our Bridge Dialogues, we are always seeking more priests who are willing to participate. If you are a priest who is open to learning from survivors, who is willing to listen with humility and compassion, we would be honored to have you join us. If you know a priest who embodies those qualities, we invite you to nominate them using this form. And priests, you are more than welcome to nominate yourself! Participating in a Bridge Dialogue is not easy. It takes courage and time. But the rewards can be profound for all involved. Together, we are slowly, carefully, and tenderly bridging the gap between abuse survivors and priests.
To learn more or to nominate a priest for a future Bridge Dialogue, you can visit the Bridge Dialogues information page at our website: Awake Bridge Dialogues.
If you have experienced sexual abuse by a Catholic leader and would be interested in participating in one of our 2026 dialogues, please contact Sara Larson at saralarson@awakecommunity.org.
- Meghan Fiebelkorn
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