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6 Things Never to Say About Survivors of Clergy Abuse
Personal Reflection Jerri von den Bosch Personal Reflection Jerri von den Bosch

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. 

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Awake Announces Newly Expanded Survivor Advisory Panel
News About Awake Awake Leadership Team News About Awake Awake Leadership Team

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.

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Hopeful News about the Synod Process — and Awake’s Synod Report
News About Awake Erin O'Donnell News About Awake Erin O'Donnell

Hopeful News about the Synod Process — and Awake’s Synod Report

After Awake Milwaukee hosted two synod sessions in June to ensure that abuse survivors, their loved ones, and concerned Catholics had a voice in the global listening initiative of the Catholic Church, we submitted our report to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s synod team. Awake’s complete synod report is available on our website.

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Courageous Conversation: Abuse Survivors Share What They Want Catholics to Understand
Courageous Conversations Events Awake Leadership Team Courageous Conversations Events Awake Leadership Team

Courageous Conversation: Abuse Survivors Share What They Want Catholics to Understand

Last week, Awake Milwaukee launched the third season of its popular Courageous Conversations series with “What I Want Catholics to Understand,” a panel discussion that featured five victim-survivors of abuse in the Catholic Church. A recording of the conversation is now available on Awake’s YouTube channel. Here we offer a summary of the main insights shared during the conversation, which was moderated by Sara Larson, executive director of Awake Milwaukee.

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6 Things Never to Say About Survivors of Clergy Abuse
Personal Reflection Jerri von den Bosch Personal Reflection Jerri von den Bosch

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. 

Read More