About Us

Awake Milwaukee is a Catholic nonprofit organization founded in 2019. Our mission is to awaken our community to the full reality of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and work for transformation and healing in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and beyond.

We are not affiliated with any particular parish or with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, but we aim to work in collaboration with the entire Church to serve the people of God. We hold a deep conviction that we are the Church, the body of Christ. We believe the health of this body depends on lay and ordained Catholics working together for the good of all.

What We Do

Education for Catholics who want to promote healing in the Church – particularly through our online Courageous Conversations series and weekly blog posts

Support for abuse survivors through our monthly virtual Survivor Circles, and for family and friends of victims and survivors through ongoing discussion groups

Prayer opportunities with both online and in-person services, such as our annual Way of the Cross with Survivors and outdoor Prayer in the Park

What We Can Offer Your Community

• Customized talks for parish missions, adult formation events, or April Safe Environment Month on topics like “What I Have Learned from Listening to Survivors” or “How To Be a Trauma-Sensitive Parish.”
• Thoughtful prayer intentions you can use to remember survivors in the Prayer of the Faithful at Mass.
• A simple workshop to help staff and key volunteers be sensitive to the needs of sexual abuse survivors in your community.
• Tips and best practices for addressing the abuse crisis in a homily
• Steps to make your parish more welcoming to those who have experienced religious trauma
• Opportunities for priests and lay ministers to support abuse survivors

Monthly General intercessions

Please contact Community Engagement Specialist Catherine Owers at (414) 501-3884 or catherineowers@awakemilwaukee.org if you want more information about these offerings or other opportunities for collaboration.