A Retreat for Survivors of Abuse in the Church
A few months ago I was invited to be one of the facilitators for Awake’s annual summer retreat for survivors of abuse in the Church. That invitation was humbling and…terrifying.
The question I had was, "What do I have to offer?" When I talked with Kristina about it I expressed that I know I’m gifted in preaching and teaching, but this retreat doesn't focus on that as much as community and connection. Then there’s the element that my own faith in the Church feels unsteady at times. So what do I have to offer? Rarely do I have feelings of inadequacy anymore, but I did here.
The rest of the leadership team were gracious and encouraging when I shared this with them. And in the past few months I’ve been able to participate in some of Awake’s retreat meetings and survivor small groups. Every time I leave those conversations I know in my bones that Christ was present there.
What do I have to offer? I know I have empathy, genuineness, and a desire to be present with others who are seeking goodness, truth, and beauty despite the ugliness and evil they’ve experienced in the Church. That feels like enough for the Lord to multiple and do good things with.
The retreat is July 26-28 and 24 survivors from 15 states are participating. Here are some reflections from some of the attendees last year:
“I cannot stress enough what this retreat has done for me as a survivor. The extraordinary value of being with other survivors for the first time ever was amazing... For those of us survivors who have spent much of our lives hiding in the shadows and feeling irrelevant, ignored, and judged, this meant the world.” ~ Amy
“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting very much to come of the weekend. It turns out I had a series of very moving and meaningful experiences that I can only attribute to the work of the Holy Spirit.” ~ Mike
“Coming here was a beginning in my healing process. I felt free to cry and be angry… I felt I was with friends who would understand my tears, silence, shame, guilt, and confusion. I was loved and felt care just where I was.” ~ Rosana
“This retreat was a turning point in my life as a victim-survivor... There was no doubt that God was present. For the first time, I felt hope that things can get better, not just for myself but for the entire Catholic Church.” ~ Lucy
I want to invite you to consider helping with this retreat in two ways. First, if you feel called to, please keep this retreat in your prayers, specifically that God will use this retreat to enkindle a renewed hope for everyone participating.
The second thing is that Awake is raising money specifically for this retreat. The entire cost of the weekend will be approximately $17,000 or about $650 for each attendee. However, Awake does not charge for survivors to attend and they even provide travel stipends for those who need help with the cost of getting to Wisconsin.
You can donate to the retreat here: https://givebutter.com/awakeretreat
Thank you for your support!