You Are Invited to Walk the Way of the Cross with Survivors
"Where is God now? Where was He then? When all you once believed in—your family, your church, your faith—seems a lie, you wonder if there really is a caring God. When I found out that my abuser was a serial abuser, a priest that had been passed from parish to parish and no one stopped him, I had nothing to cling to. Who could I trust now? Even God seemed like a liar."
These words from Deborah are part of one of the many reflections that survivors have written for tomorrow night's Way of the Cross online prayer service. Their powerful words will be paired with the traditional stations of the cross, inviting all of us to reflect on the suffering of Christ, made concrete in the suffering of those who have been abused.
I have prayed the stations of the cross many times in my life as a Catholic, but I know this time will be unique, and I would love to share this experience with you. I hope you will join us tomorrow evening or pray with the recorded version of this service on your own time. You can sign up here.
Let's unite in prayer and lamentation, together,
Sara Larson
Executive Director, Awake Milwaukee
PS - If you missed last week's Courageous Conversation, make sure you check out the blog summary and event recording below. The abuse of adults in our Church is something all Catholics need to grapple with. We are especially grateful to Esther for helping us understand by telling her personal story in such an honest, vulnerable way. Please honor her courage by listening.
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Blog Post - Courageous Conversation: Panelists Describe Pain, Loneliness, and Healing After Clergy Sexual Abuse in Adulthood
"Awake Milwaukee’s latest Courageous Conversation was an emotionally intense discussion of the wounds suffered by people sexually abused as adults in the Catholic Church...
The March 18 event began with Esther Harber, a 38-year-old wife, mother, and committed Catholic, recounting her rape by a priest in October 2010 while she was serving as a lay missionary in New York City. She said that when she summoned the courage to tell her pastor what happened to her, he helped her contact archdiocesan officials, 'and from there the reporting process was hell,' she said. 'It was more traumatic in some ways than the rape itself.'"
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Watch the Event Recording
(including Esther's powerful story)
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From Our Social Media
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Please Join Us In Prayer
As we prepare for tomorrow's Way of the Cross, could you please pray for everyone involved in this service? For Sara Knutson and Elizabeth Brick who are leading the planning, Deacon Keith Hansen who will be reading the Scriptures for us, and especially for the seven survivors who have contributed reflections for our prayer.
Lord, please bless their work, their words, and their technology!
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