Awake Blog
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Jennifer-Marie Burchell
”I am finally at a point in my healing journey where I can claim my own story.”
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.
The 10 Blog Posts You Read Most in 2025
As 2025 draws to a close, we share the 10 most-read stories on the Awake blog this year.
John Bellocchio
“I have found that healing grows when the Church sees survivors not as threats to its reputation, but as prophets for its renewal”
Considering the Role of Race and Power in Clergy Abuse
Christopher Spencer Gurley, a PhD student studying African American religious history at Stanford, offers his take on how attitudes about the priesthood, race, and clerical authority have contributed to abuse in the Church.
What is Institutional Betrayal? And How Does It Relate to Church Abuse?
Institutional betrayal occurs when leaders of an institution fail to protect members from harm or do not respond with support if someone reveals that they’ve been hurt.
Courageous Conversation: The Role of Seminaries in Creating a Safer, More Compassionate Church
Last week, Awake gathered voices deeply engaged in seminary life to explore how seminaries can respond to the crisis of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
Denise Buchanan
“Silence destroys the body of Christ. Protecting survivors and demanding accountability does not attack faith; it is an act of fidelity to it.”
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.
One Year of Bridge Dialogues: Bridging the Gap Between Abuse Survivors and Priests
This October marks one year since the public launch of Awake’s Bridge Dialogues, an initiative that brings together three Catholic priests and three abuse survivors in a confidential setting for facilitated conversation.
Nancy Pieffer
“I am so grateful to say that my life is more than my trauma, and in many ways I triumphed in spite of my pain.”
New Audio Documentary Explores Spiritual Abuse of Adults
“Descent Into Light” is an eight-part documentary created by Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble and Sr. Danielle Victoria Lussier of the Sisters of the Little Way. In this Q&A, the sisters tell us what inspired this project.
Courageous Conversation: Listening to Survivors: What Has Helped My Healing Journey
Awake opened its sixth season of Courageous Conversations with a moving conversation among survivors who shared personal reflections on their healing journey. The panelists shared how they’ve come to understand their journey towards wholeness—what supported them, what hindered them, how they experienced the Church along the way, and what they recommend for those seeking to walk alongside survivors.
5 Things for Survivors to Consider When Sharing Their Stories
People who have experienced abuse in the Catholic Church report that sharing the story of their trauma helps their healing. At the same time, it’s necessary to share these sacred stories well, to ensure that the telling is helpful and not a source of unintended harm, says theologian Rebecca Pawloski.
Tim Lennon
“When I first stepped forward, I did so alone, as an individual. Now I step forward as part of a worldwide movement of survivors.”
Pope Leo Responds to Letters from Survivors
It’s been a meaningful week for Awake: the mail brought a letter from Pope Leo XIV, written in response to the moving messages from survivors that Executive Director Sara Larson carried to the Vatican in June.
“I Was Surrounded by Beauty and Glimmers of Hope and Goodness”: Reflections from Awake’s Third Annual Survivor Retreat
Just a few weeks ago, Awake held its third annual retreat for survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic leaders. This was my second time helping as a facilitator. I’m relatively new to Awake—first connecting with Sara only a couple of years ago—but it quickly became clear to me that Awake is unlike any other community I’ve been a part of, and so is this retreat.
Abuse Survivor Brings His Story to the Stage, Finding Healing and Joy
Jay Sefton has turned his experience of clergy abuse and his attempts to navigate the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s victim’s compensation fund into a one-man play, “Unreconciled.” He will perform the play later this month at the SNAP National Conference.
Awake Delivers Heartfelt Survivor Letters to the Vatican This Week
This week, Awake Executive Director Sara Larson delivered a set of 37 letters—written by abuse survivors to Pope Leo—to the Vatican in Rome.
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.”