When a person is sexually abused, the trauma of the experience can deeply affect the victim’s family and friends. In fact, organizations such as the As One…… Read more “Survivor Story: Our Entire Family Has Been Affected”
Author: Erin ODonnell
Survivor Story: Six Things I Wish Catholics Knew About the Abuse Crisis
Today we revisit the important insights shared by Patricia Gallagher Marchant in one of our very first Survivor Stories, originally published on March 10, 2020. Patricia Gallagher…… Read more “Survivor Story: Six Things I Wish Catholics Knew About the Abuse Crisis”
6 Ways Clergy and Church Leaders Can Build Trauma-Sensitive Parishes
Some trauma experts now suggest that every parish needs clergy and church staff who are trained to recognize trauma in the people they serve, to acknowledge their wounds, and to Read more
Awake Announces New Executive Director
This month, Awake Milwaukee’s board of directors appointed Sara Larson executive director of the organization. “In my mind this simply confirms the reality we already know,” says…… Read more “Awake Announces New Executive Director”
Why Catholics Need to Hear Survivor Stories (and 5 Ways to Listen Well)
Today on the blog we pause to revisit one of our earliest posts, from February of this year, which focuses on the sacred work of listening to…… Read more “Why Catholics Need to Hear Survivor Stories (and 5 Ways to Listen Well)”
Should We Sing David Haas’s Songs After He’s Been Accused of Sexual Abuse?
If you’ve attended a Catholic liturgy sometime in the last three decades, chances are that you’ve heard or sung a composition by David Haas. His songs include “We Are Called,” “Blest Are They,” “You Are Mine,” “Holy Is Your Name,” and “We Have Been Told,” to name just Read more
Spiritual Wounds: Grappling with the Trauma of Sexual Abuse in the Church
Cathy Melesky Dante is a doctoral student at Marquette University studying the relationship between theology and psychology, with an interest in people who have experienced sexual abuse by religious authorities (SARA). The trauma experienced by SARA victims is especially painful, complex, and difficult to heal Read more
Survivor Story: Even If You’re Not Hearing Survivors’ Voices, It Doesn’t Mean We’re Not Here.
In a recent post we discussed Awake’s commitment to acknowledging the abuse of adults in the Catholic Church. The post included insights from “Anne,” a victim-survivor of adult abuse in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Today we tell more of Anne’s story. Read more
Update: The Archdiocese Responds to Awake’s Remaining Questions
To understand how our local leaders are responding to the abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, Awake submitted questions on 35 topics to the Archdiocese Read more
Awake’s Commitment to Understanding the Full Reality of Abuse in Adulthood
I have come to know many victim-survivors who have experienced abuse in adulthood. Many of these survivors are women in their 20s and 30s who had a deep faith that has been utterly Read more
