Awake Leaders and Volunteers Gather for Reflection, Community Building, and Discernment
On Saturday, May 30, Awake’s Staff, Board of Directors, Leadership Team, Survivor Advisory Panel, and other key volunteers gathered virtually and in-person in Milwaukee to reflect on the successes and challenges of the past year, as well as dream and plan for the future of our organization.
Saturday’s virtual attendees joined from across the United States for our hybrid meeting.
The morning began with a round of introductions and invited attendees to share a single word that describes what their involvement with Awake has brought them—with the challenge to avoid repetition! Here are the words our leaders and volunteers had to share:
Hope, grace, confirmation, blessings, growth, freedom, direction, courage, new perspective, witness, encouragement, friendship, fortitude, inspiration, sacred opportunity, insight, discernment, solidarity, closeness, belief, consolation, purpose, work, fruitful, renewal, wisdom, affirmation, action, empowerment, “Veronicas and Simons,” and community.
“How Has My Work with Awake Changed the Way I Experience God’s Love?”
The new chaplain for Awake’s leaders, Lisa Cusmano, then led a prayer exercise, with time for both individual reflection and small group sharing. Leaders and volunteers reflected on words from Sacred Scripture, including the passages “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16) and “We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16). The small group discussion offered space for participants to share the way they’ve experienced God’s love, the challenges or obstacles to know this love, and how work with Awake has changed the way they experience God’s love.
Contributions to “Rebirth” Mosaic Project
After a brief update on the progress Awake has made toward fulfilling the mission priorities outlined in the current Strategic Vision, which will guide Awake’s work through 2028, leaders and volunteers moved to working on a unique opportunity: contributing to a new mosaic project.
Awake community members shared a variety of messages, prayers, and words on the mosaic tiles.
Sister Samuelle, a French artist who experienced abuse by the popular religious mosaicist and priest Marco Rupnik, is creating her own mosaic, “Rebirth,” as documented by filmmaker Quentin Delcourt. Each mosaic tile, or “tesserae,” will feature a prayer or message from survivors and allies from countries around the world–including members of the Awake community.
Saturday’s virtual and in-person attendees collaborated to write words, phrases, and messages on tesserae that will be mailed to Sister Samuelle in France. After the mosaic is completed and displayed, it will be divided into 200 pieces that will be distributed to locations around the world, including those associated with Rupnik’s art.
Four Awake staff members attended in-person: Meghan Fiebelkorn, Catherine Owers, Sara Larson, and Rebecca Dodge (left to right).
“Good Fruit” Highlights
The morning session concluded with a round of “Good Fruit” reports, with leaders and volunteers sharing positive impacts from a variety of Awake’s programming, including public events such as Prayer, Rooted and Rising, and Courageous Conversations, as well as areas of survivor support, including Survivor Circles and Summer Retreats. This tradition began at last year’s Leadership Gathering, and its popularity with attendees had us excited to repeat it this year.
“Conversation Carousels” to Hone Sharing Skills
The afternoon session included a round of “conversation carousels,” which offered all leaders and volunteers the opportunity to practice sharing about Awake’s mission and work in paired discussion. This was a great exercise for new and longtime community members to practice sharing the basics of Awake’s mission and work to the variety of people they might interact with, including family and friends, acquaintances, survivors, and priests.
Discernment for Awake’s Future Work
The afternoon concluded with personal reflection, small group discussion, and large group sharing about Awake’s future work. As an organization, we embrace a deliberate practice of discernment for all decisions, and these discussions were a fruitful jumping off point. In the coming year, we will continue to reflect on the best ways we can serve the needs of our community.
This day was a beautiful affirmation of the Awake community, and we offer a deep thanks to all who attended this Leadership Gathering, as well as all who supported us with their prayers and good wishes!
—Catherine Owers, Communications and Events Specialist
