Prayer

Prayer is central to Awake’s mission, and we are grateful for the many ways our community is able to unite in prayer for abuse survivors and the healing of our Church.

We invite you to view recordings of previous prayer services below. Our next prayer service will be Walking the Way of the Cross with Survivors, on Wednesday, March 29 at 7pm CDT on Zoom. This powerful Lenten prayer service combines the traditional Stations of the Cross devotion with reflections written by abuse survivors. Click here to find out more and sign up to attend.


2022-2023

Advent Prayer Service
(December 2022)

This virtual Advent prayer service is modeled after the four weeks of Advent, with four movements that each include a reading, a response from a member of the Prayer Team, and a few minutes of silence for your personal prayer or reflection.

Prayer in the Park
(August 2022)

The Awake community gathered on a beautiful summer evening for a service of song, Scripture, reflection and poetry in gratitude for the beauty of God’s creation.

Rosary with Survivors
(October 2022)


This Rosary invited participants to reflect on the reality of abuse in light of God’s promise of resurrection and new life. Each decade was led by a different survivor of abuse.

2021-2022

Walking the way of the Cross with Survivors (April 2022)

Powerful personal reflections by abuse survivors were combined with the traditional stations of the cross devotion for a meaningful and moving Lenten prayer service.

You can also pray with the written text of this service by accessing the complete script found here.

“Know that You Are Loved” Meditation (february 2022)

Awake’s chaplain Cathy Melesky Dante led us through a relaxing guided meditation, focusing on light and love in the midst of cold winter days.

This meditation is spiritual in nature, but does not reflect any particular religious faith or prayer tradition.

Advent Prayer of Hope (December 2021)

Amidst the darkness of winter and the deeper darkness of abuse in our Church, the Awake community gathered in person to find hope in Christ Our Light.

Tune in to pray with this simple service of music, scripture, and reflection in the spirit of Advent.

Rosary with Survivors (October 2021)

This simple prayer service brought together a diverse community of lay people, clergy, and abuse survivors on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

We are grateful to each survivor who shared a personal prayer intention and led a decade of the rosary.

Out of the DepthS: Offering Our Questions to God (aUGUST 2021)

Awake’s first in-person prayer service took place on a beautiful summer evening in a Milwaukee park, with some participants tuning in via livestream as well. We gathered with music, reflection, and prayer around a simple bonfire.

For those who couldn’t join us live, we hope this recording gives you a taste of the experience.

Walking the Way of the Cross with Survivors
(mARCH 2021)

Awake hosted this unique prayer opportunity in March 2021, combining the traditional stations of the cross devotion with reflections written by abuse survivors.

We invite you to use the event recording or the written version of this service for your personal prayer.



We also invite you to pray from home, using these words or your own.

Come, Holy Spirit.

Stir within us and awaken our hearts. Do not let us be found sleeping when the Bridegroom comes.

We pray for survivors of sexual abuse. May they find justice and healing.
We pray for priests and bishops. May they live out their vocations fruitfully.
We pray for all of us who are your Church. May we find your strength to work for change and your wisdom to discern the right steps.

God of mercy, draw us always deeper into your truth and your love.

Amen.