Awake Blog
Welcome to the Awake Blog! If you’re new to Awake, we recommend you check out these top blog posts from our archive.
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Courageous Conversation: Panel Marks Twentieth Anniversary of Boston Globe Spotlight Stories About Clergy Abuse
The realities of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church might still be unknown without the efforts of investigative journalists.
Survivor Voices: How I Found Healing Through Scripture
In 1968 at the age of 19, while in studies for priesthood, I was abused by the priest who was my superior, the individual with the most input in evaluating my suitability to continue.
Survivors Offer Their Take on Church Changes Regarding Abuse of Adults
Last week on the blog we described two new developments in the Catholic Church, which suggest that officials are beginning to acknowledge sexual abuse of adults by clergy and other church leaders.
Is the Catholic Church Beginning to Address Abuse of Adults?
As we’ve noted on this blog many times, the problem of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church is not limited to the abuse of children.
Awake’s Most Popular Blog Posts of 2021
As Awake Milwaukee reflects at the close of the year, it’s rewarding to see which blog posts were read the most over the last 12 months.
Holiday How-To: 10 Tips for Talking with Your Family About Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
It’s the holiday season, a common time for family gatherings—and a chance to engage loved ones in important conversations.
Called to the Foot of the Cross: Why the Catholic Church Needs a “Catechesis of Survivor Stories”
Gerard McGlone, SJ, a Jesuit priest and researcher, believes all Catholics should regularly hear the stories of people who have experienced sexual abuse in the Church.
Courageous Conversation: Lay Leaders Reflect on Their Role in Facing the Abuse Crisis
Last week Awake Milwaukee hosted its latest Courageous Conversation, which considered the role of lay leaders in addressing the twin crises of sexual abuse and cover-up in the Catholic Church.
6 Ways Clergy and Church Leaders Can Build Trauma-Sensitive Parishes
This week we revisit a post we originally published in August 2020, which describes ways parishes can better serve wounded people by incorporating an understanding of trauma into parish work.
What Happens if I Make a Report to the Wisconsin Clergy Abuse Hotline?
Last week the office of Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul released details about the reports it has received so far through the Department of Justice (DOJ) hotline for reports of sexual abuse and cover-up by faith leaders…
The Sacred Work of Listening to Female Abuse Survivors
Some pockets of the Catholic community have overlooked the experience of female victim-survivors of sexual abuse, perhaps because media coverage has often focused on male victims. On Monday, October 25, Awake Milwaukee co-sponsored a panel discussion that centered the stories of women abused by clergy or others in the Catholic Church.
My Husband Was a Victim of Clergy Abuse. I’ve Had to Work Hard for My Own Healing.
On this blog in June 2020 I first shared the story of Wendy Liedtke, a widow who was grieving the sudden death of her husband, Ken, at age 72.
Wendy had stumbled upon Awake Milwaukee the previous year during a late-night internet search for information about sexual abuse in the Church.
Awake Community Prays the Rosary for the Healing of Victim-Survivors
Awake Milwaukee marked the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary last Thursday with a virtual rosary prayed for and with survivors of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
Victim-Survivors Find Support, Joy in Awake’s New Survivor Circles
In September, Awake Milwaukee launched an important new ministry, Awake Survivor Circles. These online gatherings provide peer support for people wounded by sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
The Complicated Question of Forgiveness After Sexual Abuse
Forgiveness is central to Christianity. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells Peter to forgive, “not seven times, but 77 times.”
Courageous Conversation: Examining the Ripple Effects of Clergy Abuse in the Church
Last week Awake Milwaukee launched the 2021-2022 season of its Courageous Conversations series by discussing the ripple effects of the twin crises of sexual abuse and leadership failures in the Catholic Church.
5 Ways the Catholic Church Can Build More “Institutional Courage”
This blog post, first published in September 2020, really resonated for some on Awake’s Leadership Team.
Whistleblowers and the Abuse Crisis: Two Women’s Stories
As the abuse crisis in the Catholic Church has unfolded, some people employed by the Church have made the choice to publicize previously secret information about sexual abuse and cover-up in their local dioceses.