Awake Blog
We’re still in the process of moving blog posts over from our previous website.
In the meantime, please click here to read older posts.
Awake Unveils A New Name and New Look
Members of the Awake community have likely noticed some buzz in the air. This week, we’re finally ready to share the news.
Bill Kessenich
“Pope Francis says that the Church needs to be a ‘field hospital’ for the marginalized. I believe that we survivors of trauma have roles to play as doctors and nurses for the field hospital.”
Taking Stock of Wisconsin’s Investigation into Sexual Abuse by Faith Leaders
Last week Sara Larson, executive director of Awake Milwaukee, was interviewed on Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) about the Wisconsin Department of Justice investigation into sexual abuse and cover-up by clergy and other faith leaders…
Holiday How-To: 10 Tips for Talking with Your Family About Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
It’s the holiday season, a common time for family gatherings—and a chance to engage loved ones in important conversations.
Publisher GIA Contacts All U.S. Dioceses About Catholic Composer David Haas
GIA Publications, one of the largest publishers of Catholic hymnals and sacred music in the United States, emailed all Catholic dioceses in the country last week, explaining its decision to stop publishing music written by Catholic composer David Haas, and sharing news of his ongoing behavior.
Two Small Words, One Growing Impact: Why Awake is Updating Our Mission Statement
It has now been almost two years since we officially launched Awake Milwaukee in August 2019 with a simple website and our Open Letter to Survivors (which you can still sign here!).
Update: Archdiocese of Milwaukee Will Not Issue Statement on Music by Catholic Composer David Haas
Readers of the Awake Blog know that we have closely followed the reports of sexual abuse by Catholic composer David Haas, known for songs such as “Blest Are They” and “You Are Mine.”
Archdiocese of Milwaukee Raises Doubts About Statewide Clergy Abuse Investigation, Awake Responds
Earlier this month, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee sent a 12-page letter to Wisconsin attorney general Josh Kaul, expressing objections to the Department of Justice investigation of sexual abuse by clergy and other faith leaders, launched in April…
Update: The Archdiocese of Milwaukee Offers More Details about New Misconduct Policies
Last week on the Awake Blog, we took a closer look at new archdiocesan policies related to allegations of misconduct by bishops, clergy, and lay leaders.
Archdiocese of Milwaukee Launches New Policies for Reporting Misconduct, Awake Responds
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee recently announced new protocols for handling allegations of misconduct by bishops, as well as allegations of misconduct against adults by clergy or lay leaders in the Church.
More on Grooming: How Should I Respond if I Suspect Grooming Behavior?
Last week on the blog we discussed grooming, or the tactics abusers may use to prepare victims for abuse, including the red flags that may signal boundary violations and the potential for impending abuse.
Announcing the New Mission Statement of Awake Milwaukee
Awake began simply, as a small group of concerned Catholics gathering for conversation in March 2019. Since then, the Awake Leadership Team has been constantly discerning who we want to be as a community, including our mission and the approach we take to this work.
Awake Questions Update: The Archdiocese Explains the Community Advisory Board
In our effort to better understand how local Church leaders are responding to the issue of sexual abuse in our Church, Awake continues to seek answers to questions we submitted to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in December 2019.
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.
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. (This previous blog post includes our complete list of questions and details about how we developed them.)
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.
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. And in learning more about these topics, Awake’s leadership team has developed questions too.