Awake Blog
Welcome to the Awake Blog! If you’re new to Awake, we recommend you check out these top blog posts from our archive.
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Care for the Caregivers: Awake Implements Support Offerings for Staff and Volunteers
“We are now launching a new initiative that we’re calling ‘Care for the Caregivers,’ which offers a range of opportunities that our Staff, Survivor Circle Team, Leadership Team, Board of Directors, and key volunteers can access for emotional, psychological, and spiritual support.
This initiative is one way we can live out Awake’s core value of compassion—while also helping ensure that those who carry this mission can do so in a healthy way for years to come.”
Rooted and Rising: Dr. Eileen Dombo Discusses Setting and Maintaining Healthy Boundaries
On Wednesday, April 22nd, Awake concluded the first season of Rooted and Rising, a series featuring presentations from mental health professionals to offer practical tools for healing. This event brought together attendees from across the United States and beyond, reflecting Awake’s growing community of survivors, loved ones, and supporters committed to healing and transformation.
How Do Other Faith Traditions Address Abuse?
How do Jewish, Protestant, and Muslim communities address abuse by religious leaders? What can Catholics learn from these other faith traditions?
Moral Injury: The Unexpected Wounds of Sexual Abuse in the Church
It’s little surprise to members of the Awake community that the twin crises of sexual abuse and cover-up in the Catholic Church have caused grave wounds, especially for victim-survivors of abuse. But recent research by Catholic moral theologian Marcus Mescher and his colleagues at Xavier University in Cincinnati sheds new light on some of the ways these crises have injured the Church.
Awake Welcomes Four New Members to Our Survivor Advisory Panel
This week on the blog we welcome four new members to the Awake Survivor Advisory Panel, who introduce themselves to the Awake community.
Alexandra Buchlmayer
“Owning my story, despite the lack of legal action, was a huge part of my healing journey. It broke the bonds of secrecy and shame.”
Awake Leaders Reflect on the “Good Fruit” of Centering Survivors—and Plan for the Year Ahead
Last weekend, a group of Awake leaders and committed volunteers continued the biannual tradition of gathering online and in person to connect and build community, and consider big picture questions for the year ahead.
Mary O’Day
“Healing my image of God has been incredibly impactful in both healing my trauma and helping me learn to accept love.”
Awake’s Way of the Cross with Survivors Offers Meaningful Holy Week Prayer
Awake’s annual Way of the Cross with Survivors invites us to see the traditional Stations of the Cross from the perspective of people who have experienced harm in the Catholic Church.
Frank Meuers
“The most difficult part of my journey was not the abuse itself but the lack of response from the church to that abuse.”
Vince Pérez
“I aim to promote understanding by educating church leaders and congregations about the compounded effects of racism, sexism, and clergy abuse on BIPOC survivors.”
Awake Leaders Gather for Strategic Planning and Look Ahead with Hope
Last Saturday, leaders from Awake gathered in the Milwaukee area and virtually for a strategic planning day to brainstorm, discuss, and set our priorities for the next three years.
Awake’s Top 10 Blog Posts of 2024
As we embark on a new year, it’s a good time to review our 10 most popular blog posts from 2024. This allows you to catch up on any you might have missed!
Amy Pearce
“I want other survivors to be reassured that what happened was not their fault, that they are not alone, and that they are both lovable and loved.”
Awake Introduces Four New Members of the Survivor Advisory Panel
This week on the blog we honor four new members of the Awake Survivor Advisory Panel, who introduce themselves to the Awake community.
Join Us in Welcoming Meghan Fiebelkorn to the Awake Staff!
This week we are honored to introduce Meghan Fiebelkorn, Awake’s new full-time associate director. Here she tells us a little about her career background, what she and her family do for fun, and the projects that she is the most excited to undertake with Awake.
Awake Warmly Welcomes New Associate Director, Whitney True Francis
On September 4, Awake joyfully welcomed Whitney True Francis, our second full-time staff member. As she begins her work with Awake, we asked Whitney a few questions about her background, personal life, and hopes for this role.
Awake Team Gathers for Annual Meeting to Reflect and Plan
Last weekend, thirty members of the Awake community from across the United States assembled for a hybrid, day-long meeting to socialize, reflect on previous work, brainstorm future projects, and pray together.
Courageous Conversation Explores Accountability for Bishops Under Vos Estis
Last week, Awake welcomed two respected observers of the Catholic Church to consider the first five years of Vos Estis Lux Mundi, a papal decree that created new church laws and procedures for reporting and investigating sexual abuse.
Awake Celebrates Easter with Way of Light Prayer Service
Last week, Awake celebrated Easter by praying the Via Lucis, or Way of Light. This devotion, similar to the Stations of the Cross, meditates on Jesus’ Resurrection appearances to his disciples through Pentecost.