When the news of the McCarrick scandal hit the headlines, the blow to my family and our faith was devastating. Normally, I am an unabashed enthusiast full of love for the Catholic Read more
Category: Uncategorized
Update: The Archdiocese of Milwaukee Responds to Awake’s Questions (Part 2)
As we explained in our previous blog post, Awake submitted a list of questions to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in December 2019 and received responses to a shorter list of priority questions in January 2020. Read more
5 Takeaways from the Restorative Justice and Reconciliation Conference in the Twin Cities
In January we attended a Restorative Justice and Reconciliation Conference sponsored by the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis. The conference was the last requirement of a settlement agreement between the Ramsey County Attorney and the Archdiocese for serious civil and criminal charges in failing to meaningfully respond to numerous reports of sexual abuse of children. Read more
Update: The Archdiocese of Milwaukee Responds to Awake’s Priority Questions
As part of our ongoing effort to understand the abuse crisis at the local level, Awake submitted a list of questions to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in December 2019. While Archdiocesan Chief of Staff Jerry Topczewski replied that he would not be able to answer the complete list of questions at that time, he did agree to provide responses to a smaller list of “priority questions” that the Awake Leadership Team found most important. Read more
Why Catholics Need to Hear Survivor Stories (and 5 Ways to Listen Well)
ne of Awake’s central missions is a commitment to listening to sexual abuse survivors. Many have carried painful experiences in silence for decades. And those who have shared their stories have often been doubted, shamed, or ignored by fellow Catholics. Read more
What is Vos Estis, and how is it Related to the Crisis in the Church?
On May 9, 2019, Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Letter called Vos Estis Lux Mundi, which translates as “You are the Light of the World.” The letter creates new Church law around sexual abuse for the worldwide Church—the Roman Catholic Church and the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches. Read more
Behind the Scenes of Awake’s Open Letter to Survivors
When members of the Awake Leadership Team began meeting in the spring of 2019, we wanted to make sure our first step as an organization clearly conveyed who we are and why we’re undertaking this work. This is how our Open Letter to Survivors was born. Read more
Awake Asks: How is the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Responding to the Abuse Crisis?
Since we began talking with people at community gatherings, listening sessions, and one-on-one meetings, Awake’s leadership team has heard many questions from Milwaukee-area Catholics about how our archdiocese is addressing the abuse crisis. Read more
Introducing the Awake Blog
We warmly welcome you to the Awake Blog, a place where Milwaukee-area Catholics can stay informed about the twin crises in our Church—the crisis of sexual abuse and the crisis of leadership failures in responding to that abuse. Read more
