As we have met with survivors, we have seen firsthand how the reality of trauma, especially institutional or religious abuse, rarely stays confined to the emotional or spiritual realm. It also can completely upend a person’s life, leaving someone to navigate severe financial strain, housing insecurity and one medical crisis after another.

We cannot do as much as we would like to at this early stage of our growth to support survivors in material need. But one thing we decided to do as a start was to create an anonymous Survivor Wish List.

We are partnering directly with survivors in our network who are facing serious material need and asking them to add to a wish list with items they need.

Every two to three months the recipient of this wishlist will change.

You may wonder how often we speak to survivors who are struggling and the answer is actually quite often.

We are currently walking alongside survivors who are:

• Living transitionally in motels or even their car

• Facing chronic medical issues that prevent them from working

• Struggling to afford everyday essentials

One survivor recently shared a quote with us from the author Lucia Berlin that reflected their situation:

Poor people wait a lot. Welfare, unemployment lines, laundromats, phone booths, emergency rooms, jails, etc.

We want to reduce that waiting.

We want to encourage and show the brave survivors we speak to that they are not alone, that we all see them, and that, along with their spiritual needs, their immediate, physical needs matter deeply to God and to us.

We hope you will join us in supporting this initiative to provide in a “little way” for some of the material needs of the survivors we meet with.

Survivor Wish List

Please consider sharing this post with friends, family, or your parish community!

As someone who spent years crafting the art of writing, AI is at once a marvel and, at the same time, a terrible disappointment. Once a lover of the em dash, I now use it less because AI also loves em dashes. Perhaps more disappointingly, when my mind sparks with creativity and I connect two disparate images with an analogy that I had never considered before, I wonder, “Will this sound like AI?” The attention and contemplation required by excellent writing have been cheapened by doubt.

Technological advances often bring with them delight, efficiency, and grief.

Canadian media theorist and Catholic, Marshall McLuhan, argued that every time we extend a human function beyond ourselves through technology, both an amputation and an extension of the human person occur. He gives the example of a wheel as an amputation of the human foot, which allows us to walk faster. As technology becomes more advanced, what is amputated and extended in the human person becomes more and more interior. He compares “electric” technology, which in his time was television and radio, to extending and numbing our central nervous system. As a result, he dramatically concludes, “In the electric age we wear all mankind as our skin.”

AI extends McLuhan’s concept even further; with AI, we amputate and numb our minds.

All this can sound quite negative and anti-technology but McLuhan was neither. He was simply a realist who urged people to actually face the real benefits and consequences of technological advances. Pope Leo’s new encyclical Magnifica Humanitas takes a similar approach. Echoing Pope Francis’ argument in Laudato Si’, Pope Leo contends that “technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate and use it” (§ 9). He prophetically calls us to face the reality of AI in our world, both the benefits and consequences, so that we can safeguard the human person, writing that, “Each generation inherits the task of shaping its own era, of guiding history to become a place where the dignity of every person is safeguarded, justice is promoted and fraternity is made possible” (§ 1).

At the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Leo wrote a message on the occasion of a theater production honoring Peruvian investigative journalist Paola Ugaz, who wrote about the “Sodalitium of Christian Life” (SCV), an ecclesial organization that was suppressed by Pope Francis due to abuse and corruption. In his message, Pope Leo wrote, “Prevention [of abuse] and care are not just pastoral strategies—they are the heart of the Gospel.”

Abuse prevention is the heart of the Gospel. Not a side issue. The heart of it all.

When I heard these words, I thought, “This is a good sentiment, one I hope plays out in this pontificate.” So when I began to read Magnifica Humanitas and saw that the subtitle was “On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence,” I felt hopeful. Pope Leo uses the verb “safeguard” two dozen times in the encyclical, a word most often connected—at least in the European world—with abuse prevention. There’s no public acknowledgment at the moment of the language Pope Leo used to draft the encyclical but, because English is his first language, I wondered if he drafted it in English. Even if he did not, was the use of that verb and its connotations purposeful? Upon reading the encyclical carefully, I think it was.

The encyclical begins with a historical summary of Catholic Social Doctrine on the dignity of the human person—-a wise move that gives a strong foundation to the text in an increasingly contextless world. As I read this introduction, I thought, “How can we speak of the ideal of human dignity without facing the ways members of the Church—including its highest leaders—-have failed to protect and respect human dignity?” In my opinion, this is a key failure when it comes to many modern efforts to evangelize and explain the magisterial teachings of the Church. We focus on the beauty of the ideal while disregarding the real. This dissociative approach leads us to look like hypocrites to those on the outside looking in.

As expected, Pope Leo writes about the ideal in Magnifica Humanitas: “Human dignity does not depend on a person’s abilities, wealth or position in life, nor on the right or wrong choices made; instead, it is a gift that precedes and transcends each person, endowed by God as an expression of his unfailing love” (§ 50).

He then goes on to write about justice:

Justice is not merely about the fairer distribution of resources or the correction of current injustices, but also assumes a restorative dimension. It aims to mend broken bonds and reintegrate those who have been excluded, taking into account the wounds caused by injustices, such as wars, colonialism, racial or gender discrimination, violence against entire peoples and exploitation (§ 79).

Of course, all of his observations are true. Yet, also, when writing about the institutions of the world, if the Church does not apply these same principles to herself, these words become ironic. “Please do not let this be ironic,” I thought. As I read on, I prepared to be disappointed—as I often am when I am looking for frank appraisals of the gap between the ideal and the real in our lived experience of the faith.

And then… Pope Leo said the quiet part out loud:

Social Doctrine is not merely a message addressed to society; it is also an examination of conscience for the Church—a home and school of communion that is always called to ensure that the principles outlined in this chapter are applied, especially within its own structures (§ 86).

We cannot speak of the ideal and call the powers of the world to this ideal unless we acknowledge our own failures within our own structures to honor the dignity of the human person. In other words, the Social Doctrine of the Church is not just about our work outward toward others in need in the world, it’s about working toward justice and human dignity from within.

Pope Leo then describes justice lived out in the Church:

Living out justice in the Church means purifying ecclesial relationships and structures from distortions that give rise to inequality, lack of transparency and abuse of power. In this regard, listening to the victims of spiritual, economic, institutional, sexual and power-based abuse, as well as abuses of conscience, is an integral part of a journey toward justice, which includes acknowledging the harm done, just reparation and taking steps to prevent it from happening again.

As Sisters of the Little Way, this point is fundamental to the work we do. We do not believe our mission touches on a “side issue” in the Church. Our mission of listening and standing in solidarity with those harmed within the structures of the Church is fundamental to the Gospel and to our effectiveness in preaching it. If recognizing and respecting human dignity does not come with making reparation for our failures when we do not, we become hypocrites.

The more we are able as Church to recognize the reality of our failures openly and work toward repair with humility, the more effective our evangelical witness will be.

Pope Leo models how this can be done in Magnifica Humanitas.

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The novena to Saint Joan of Arc—an important patron saint of our community—begins today, May 21st.

Saint Joan’s legacy is one of fierce trust, prophetic courage, and unwavering faith. Her life reminds us that God sometimes calls us to take bold steps that the world may not understand—steps that may even appear to end in failure. But with God, nothing is wasted. Even what seems like defeat can bear lasting and transformative fruit.

Though young and without influence, Joan listened to God’s will and responded with a courage that defied fear and cold rationalism. In this way, she lived the little way of confidence in God, not shrinking from danger but stepping forward in obedience and love.

Her bold witness calls us to live with that same courage: to choose truth even when it costs us, to stand with the vulnerable even when it isolates us, and to trust God’s voice even when the path is unclear.

We invite you to join us in praying our novena prayer to Saint Joan, written in the spirit of our charism:

Novena to Saint Joan of Arc

O Saint Joan of Arc, in the name of Jesus,

I ask you to bring my prayers before the throne of God,

in confidence and trust.

Intercede for me, holy and courageous saint,

in all my suffering and needs.

Please pray for the following intention [name your intention].

Saint Joan, I beg you to take me under your protection,

that I may follow in your footsteps:

to do God’s will no matter the consequences,

to speak truth boldly,

to courageously take up just causes,

and to stand with the suffering—

especially those who suffer from abuse by members of the Church, as you did.

Prisoner for the love of Christ, may we,

who are held captive by fear, misery, and affliction,

unlock these dungeons

with the key of uniting our sufferings to the Cross,

by which you escaped victorious and unscathed

from the injustices and cruelty of hypocrites.

O most powerful Saint Joan of Arc,

combat with your prayers any evil at work

in my own heart and in the hearts of all members of the Church.

Pray for those who suffer unjustly,

and obtain for us the grace to win the greatest battle:

to remain alongside Jesus, even when the cost is high—

so that we may join you one day in heaven.

Amen.

I have gained such solace from the Saints who have sought Christ with reckless abandon throughout history. Bringing the difficult experiences of my own life’s journey to prayer sensitizes me to the gift of our heavenly heritage. The lives of the Saints are a treasure not because we possess in them a mold from which to cast other Saints nor to contort ourselves into for reshaping, but more significantly, they are a prized specimen of humanity offered in freedom for our own loving dissection and scrutiny.

As humans, we tend to hold ourselves and others suspect—we are often small-minded and lacking in most virtues, especially faith. I am certainly prone to this. And I must admit the particular verse in the Litany of Humility that pangs me most speaks of “the fear of being suspected.” I surrender this fear in prayer again and again.

The Saints provide hope in the face of our neediness and want because they have offered their lives, some in a hidden way and others made visible by God’s will, revealing over time a human life permeated by the transforming love of God. Their testimony and witness are offered in complete surrender rather than by human effort alone. Pope Benedict XVI once wrote, “The only really effective apologia for Christianity comes down to two arguments, namely the saints the Church has produced and the art which it has grown in her womb.” We need both right now in the Church, and we are especially desperate for saints.

For this reason, I love to draw the Saints: their faces, slumped shoulders, eyes dignified by suffering, weather-creased and joy-filled wrinkles, the embodiment of their idiosyncratic personalities taken up in Christ. I enjoy drawing from photographs for this reason because these artifacts are like relics of the modern age. A hole punch from the book of salvation history, photos hold their humanity like a time capsule made present in a more stark way than iconography, which veils to reveal the sacred. As I stare at the faces and bodies of the Saints for hours while I draw, holding the stories their features speak, it feels like I am glimpsing Christ’s face. In this veneration, I can adore my living Lord incarnate in the face of history, which gives me new hope for every circumstance. Through them Christ speaks anew, “You are not alone. I am faithful. I am with you. Nothing is impossible for God. You are precious to me.”

During these days I have been drawing closer to Servant of God Julia Greeley. I am asking the Lord for a share in her detachment from honors and for magnanimity in the face of being held suspect. Who was this former-slave-turned-philanthropist convert who lived in Colorado during the mid-to-late 1800s? And how, O Lord, did she live so freely? And love so indiscriminately, even to the point of humbly giving her own gravesite to a poor stranger? How did she demonstrate such magnanimity to beg for the poor during the day and deliver charity under the cover of night, sparing those she served the social stigma that would have been wrongly placed on anyone aided by a Black woman? Despite her joy and generosity, her presence made people uncomfortable. Perhaps it was her race, the fact that she only had one eye, or that she unabashedly called others into sacrificial giving in every interaction.

Either way, it’s easy to take in the facts and draw the general shape of her without seeing her exactly, and I did this. I spent weeks drawing her face, but something was missing. Her gaze in my drawing seemed a bit vacant, harsh, and somewhat distorted. I had to spend a lot of time looking and relooking, stepping away from drawing what I thought I saw and truly look at the photograph. What made her alive? What is creating the distortion? I studied the light and proportions. I made adjustments that helped and everything seemed to be in place, but her quiet gentleness and joyful knowing was missing.

Finally, midway through a retreat at a monastery, I was filled with a quiet peace and simplicity before the Lord. I was praying to Julia Greeley for a very difficult situation that we were going through. I looked at the photograph I was drawing from again; it’s the only photo of her in existence. Blurry and over exposed, you can still sense the specificity of her character and a tremendous hope hidden almost entirely behind her eye. Looking at my drawing and her image side by side, it became apparent that the spark that enlivened her features was packed into one line. A convex line I had rendered concave that held the weight of her drooping left eyelid. When I made the correction, all her gentleness, compassion, hope, strength, and magnanimity came forward. In the way she squinted from the light of the sun, I could now see how she reflected the Son of the Father.

That moment impressed me deeply and made me think about how much we miss if we are not able to see Christ in one another, as well as the work it takes to truly see as Jesus does.

We decided to see if it made it to every state and we were thrilled to find out that our magazine landed in at least one mailbox in every state in the US!

We are so moved to see this mission resonate so widely.

The Little Way Magazine is a comprehensive introduction to our ministry, detailing our journey, our current projects, and the vital feedback we’ve received from survivors. Most importantly, this magazine features the story of a survivor who found a path toward healing through our podcast, Descent Into Light.

We also announce a new project that we are working on called The Fringes.

How to Read:

• Request a Hard Copy: We would love to mail a copy to your home. Please sign up for our mailing list here.

• Read the Digital Edition: To view the magazine online immediately, please click here.

Want to Help Us Distribute the Magazine?

Thank you to all our volunteers who are sharing the magazines with friends, parishes, and local dioceses.

We originally printed 5,000 magazines and, because we had such a large number of people who wanted to share the magazine, we are almost out!

But never fear, we are printing more magazines. So, if you are interested in distributing the magazine in your parish or diocese, please email your name, address, and the number of magazines you would like to: assistantsistersofthelittleway [at] gmail.com.

A Special Invitation

One of our priest friends, Fr. Brent, has invited people to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his priestly ordination by sharing our magazine and listening to our podcast, Descent Into Light. He writes:

With my 25th anniversary coming up in five weeks, I have a specific request to make of those of you willing to help me make a meaningful commemoration of it. I won’t have any party or celebration (other than a private Mass). Instead, I’m asking each of you to consider using whatever influence you have to get the Sisters of the Little Way magazine actively distributed and promoted at your parish, university/seminary, fraternal organization, deanery meeting, etc. Send me pictures of the distribution and I’ll post them with my gratitude. Alternatively, you could arrange discussion groups to listen to their Descent Into Light series, and send me group photographs. I won’t ask you for anything else until my 50th!

If you volunteer to distribute our magazine, please share pictures with Fr. Brent on X in honor of his 25th priestly ordination!

To our international supporters:

We value your presence in this mission. While we typically mail our newsletters globally, the postage for this magazine was simply too high to manage this time. We hope you will join us by reading the digital version linked above! And please share the digital version with your friends and local parishes.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us.

As we continue to educate ourselves for our mission, we have been participating in CMN’s training in restorative processes to better equip our work of healing and truth-telling.

We are deeply thankful for the vital work CMN does within the Church, moving us away from purely punitive frameworks and toward a culture of reconciliation and restorative justice. This training has reaffirmed for us that the Church’s contemplative tradition and restorative justice are deeply intertwined. Both require:

• Radical Listening: Giving space for the “voiceless” to be heard without interruption or defense.

• Truth-Telling: Naming the harm exactly as it happened—the first step of any authentic healing.

• Communal Responsibility: Understanding that when one member of the Body of Christ is wounded, the whole Body is called to participate in the healing.

As we approach the holiest week of the year, CMN has published a collection of reflections for Holy Week 2026. This collection includes a reflection by Sr. Theresa Aletheia for Palm Sunday.

An excerpt can be found below:

Palm Sunday — “Crucify Him!”

by Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble

“All four Gospels recount a haunting moment in Jesus’ passion: the crowd’s cry, ‘Crucify him!’ The same voices that once shouted ‘Hosanna’ now demand his death. It’s not just a historical detail; it reveals the indecisive cowardice of the human heart. And the tragedy is not just that the crowd rejects Jesus but that they do it together, caught up in the mimetic fervor of imitation and rage.

Responsibility and moral agency disappear in the rage of a crowd fearful of isolation and losing status. All the crowd’s anxieties fused into a single demand: ‘Crucify him.’ We all know this moment well—the moment of choosing self-preservation or comfort over truth and sacrifice.”

You can download the full reflection and the complete Holy Week collection through the Catholic Mobilizing Network at the link below:

Download the Holy Week 2026 Reflections

It has been a privilege to learn alongside the Catholic Mobilizing Network community. We encourage you to learn more about their work.

We hope these Holy Week reflections serve as a meaningful resource for your own prayer and reflection.

We are deeply grateful for the growing community that has gathered around this mission.

As our work continues to develop, we created a simple print magazine to stay more intentionally connected with you.

Join Our Mailing List

This is not a glossy publication or an academic journal but we hope it will be a thoughtful update from us on:

• Our journey since we have begun

• Survivor stories of impact

• Facts and news about our mission

• An announcement of a new project

• Ways you can pray for and support the mission

Many people have asked us how they can stay informed about our mission beyond social media. Our mailing list is the most reliable way to do that. (If you are already on our mailing list, you will receive this magazine!)

We do not send frequent mailings. Just as with our Substack, we are careful about how much we share. But when we do email or mail you something, we will try to make it meaningful.

If our mission matters to you—if you believe the Church needs greater honesty, healing, and integrity—we would love to keep you close to our work.

You can click the button below to sign up for our mailing list to receive our magazine for 2026 and any future updates.

Join Our Mailing List

Also, if you would like to pass out our magazine in your diocese or parish to help us get the word out about our mission, please sign up here to be an Outreach Volunteer and we will reach out and send you extra copies!

Thank you all for your support.

Your prayers, encouragement, and concrete help make this work possible.

The Good Samaritan teaches us that hope is not a passive feeling but a gift given by God and lived through a conscious act of the will. It is a way of living that calls us to embrace our own vulnerability so that our response to others’ needs becomes a participation in Christ’s redemption.

The Good Samaritan sees the wounded man and is moved with compassion. To truly see another is to recognize when their vulnerability is being exposed. In contrast to the priest and the Levite, the Samaritan shows us that responsibility begins with this capacity to recognize need—and to respond in a way that safeguards the dignity of the other. His action renders justice to his neighbor. In this sense, hope is not merely a feeling but an act of “suffering with.” In a world that often turns away from pain, the Samaritan reveals that true hope is found in the willingness to enter into another’s vulnerability.

We are each called to be Good Samaritans. This means not only proclaiming the Gospel but also drawing near to those who are hurting, standing in the breach, remaining present, listening to their stories, and accompanying them with the hope of Christ. When we do this, we help others discover that vulnerability is not weakness but a sacred place where God’s redeeming and reparative grace can enter—not only for them, but for the whole Church.

Whose vulnerability am I tempted to pass by?

In times such as these, it feels especially necessary to return to this parable and to ask ourselves: does my own example “reveal in all clarity the joy and the demands of the way of Christ?” (CCC, 1697)

We are excited to release a new series of videos exploring themes that have deeply shaped our own reflection on the Church today, especially in light of abuse and the urgent call to reform. We hope you will join us as we seek to stir meaningful conversation, invite critical thinking, foster spiritual and personal integration, and practice deep listening both online and off.

In this video, Sr. Theresa Aletheia reflects on what true Church reform really requires—through the lens of St. Hildegard’s prophetic vision, Benedict XVI’s hard words about abuse, and the insights of media theorist Marshall McLuhan. She explores why our digital age creates a kind of spiritual numbness, how “self-made reform” often fails, and why the Church desperately needs wonderers, artists, and especially survivors who see reality more clearly than most of us dare.

To explore the topic of abuse in the Church further, we invite you to listen to our new eight-part audio documentary Descent Into Light, where we open up about spiritual abuse, grief, and the hard but beautiful path toward renewal.

*This video was originally given as a talk at Notre Dame for the "True Genius: The Mission of Women in Church and Culture" conference in March of 2025.

Join Us on YouTube

As we wrap up our two-year journey creating Descent Into Light, we’re excited to announce that we are launching our YouTube channel.

We hope you subscribe!

Subscribe to our YouTube

The first video we are sharing is a behind-the-scenes look at our podcasting journey. From makeshift studios and Kentucky trucks to studying safeguarding in Rome and wrestling with our own stories, we explore how God kept drawing us deeper into honesty and courage in sharing our stories.

We also want to take a moment to express just how grateful we are to our supporters. Our work would not be possible without you.

When Descent Into Light was just an idea, many of you bought microphones and other equipment for our studio.

When we had the last-minute opportunity to study abuse prevention in Rome, we received a flood of donations so we could afford the trip.

Many of you have bought daily food staples and other supplies from our Amazon wish list, contributing in concrete ways to support our daily living expenses.

And many of you began to donate to us monthly, making it possible for us to continue in this mission.

Finally, and most importantly, you sustain our mission daily with your prayers.

We could not do this mission without you.

You made Descent Into Light possible.

Thank you.

If you feel called to include us in your end-of-year giving, please consider donating by visiting GiveButter.com/LittleWay.

Dear Friends,

The need for healing in the Church is great.

When we first met Jennifer, she told us through tears: “I still believe in God, but I can’t go to Mass. I feel exiled from the Eucharist.” Jennifer had been a dedicated Catholic for decades when she reported her abuse to her local diocese. Unfortunately, her experience left her feeling betrayed. Jennifer’s story is not unique. We have met many like her—faithful people who feel pushed to the fringes of the Church.

This wound to the Body of Christ is profound.

Our Mission Of Hope

Yet, in the very place where the Church is most wounded, God is present. We believe Jesus is calling people from every walk of life to address the roots of abuse in the Church and to participate in a culture of safeguarding and care for human dignity. We believe that reaching out to people on the fringes of the Church—especially those who have been wounded, abused, or scandalized by her members—is important.

An Invitation

We cannot accomplish this mission alone. If God is asking us to begin a community that reaches out and stands in solidarity with those on the fringes of the Church, especially those who have been harmed in the Church, then we trust he is also calling others—perhaps you—to help build it with us.

Would you prayerfully consider joining us in this mission through your prayers and financial support?

Our First Fruits

With God’s grace and your support, we’ve already seen the first fruits of our mission. We just finished releasing our first project: Descent Into Light, which has consistently been in the top 5% of podcasts! This limited series audio documentary unpacks the reality of adult abuse in the Church by weaving together survivor stories, our own experiences, and the insights of theologians, psychologists, and experts.

You can listen to Descent Into Light here or wherever you get your podcasts. Please share with friends and family.

Forming a Strong Foundation

In 2025, we are grounding this mission with careful planning and wise guidance. To help our mission endure and bear fruit, we are laying the foundation for a strong network of support:

Established a Board of Directors for our 501(c)(3)

Convened a Resource Advisory Council to support local mission growth

Pursued advanced training in safeguarding, mental health, spiritual direction, and theology

As we look ahead, we are planning for growth—and we invite you to dream with us.

Dreaming For Growth

By 2027, our plan “Building a Safer Church Together” includes:

Purchase a convent large enough for ten sisters

Welcome our first group of postulants

New Convent & Formation House: $2.5 - 2.9 million

Annual Cost for Three New Vocations: $100,000

Total Fundraising Goal by 2027: $3 million

Building a Safer Church Together

We are using one of the top fundraising platforms for nonprofits called Givebutter. To donate via credit/debit card, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and ACH bank account, click here or scan this QR code:

If you prefer to donate through Square or Zelle, click here for more info.

Checks made out to “Sisters of the Little Way” can also be sent to:

P.O. Box 36, Mount Sterling, KY 40353.

Please note that we are a 501c3 organization; our EIN is 93-2357117.

If you are considering investing in our mission with a larger gift and would like to learn more, we would be happy to share additional details. Please reach out to us at info@sistersofthelittleway.com for information about an upcoming conversation with interested benefactors.

What does it mean to hope—not with blind optimism, but with the quiet strength born from walking through darkness?

In Episode Eight of Descent Into Light, “Hope Illumines the Dark,” we close the series not with an ending, but with a beginning. Sr. Theresa Aletheia and Sr. Danielle Victoria share how, after a period of uncertainty, God opened an unexpected door. Against the odds, they prepare for Rome with a new home and the conviction that their vocation—to listen to survivors and call the Church to reform—is not just possible but in God’s plan.

This final episode explores:

• The last stage of grief: hope grounded in God’s presence, not in perfection

• How speaking openly about abuse in the Church demands both risk and courage

• Why real reform requires not just changes in law but conversion of hearts—and why it involves all of us

Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv., reflects on the urgency of addressing abuse and the Church’s call to be present to those on the margins. And Dr. Julie Hanlon Rubio explains why the Church’s approach to abuse needs to expand to better protect adults in vulnerable situations. Together, their insights show that hope is not naïve—it’s the only way forward.

This final chapter asks: Can the Church embody a hope that does not deny wounds but tends to them with integrity, humility, and light?

Thank you for walking with us through these eight episodes. This is not the end—it is a call to keep going, together, in the light of Christ.

If you would like to dedicate at least one hour of adoration or prayer for survivors and for the intention of preventing abuse in the Church, please sign up here and download our free prayer aid.

What happens when the truth you’ve been waiting for finally comes—but not in the way you hoped?

In Episode Seven of Descent Into Light, “Exposed to the Light,” we step into the stage of acceptance. After years of waiting, Sr. Theresa Aletheia and Sr. Danielle Victoria finally learn the Vatican’s decision in their second case. What they receive is not resolution but painful clarity. And yet, with that knowledge, they also discover the freedom to take their next step in conscience.

This episode explores:

• How “acceptance” in grief is not resignation but courage to move forward with truth

• Why survivors often face skepticism, silence, or subtle dismissal when they speak out

• How telling the truth publicly can break cycles of silence and create space for healing

• The critical role bishops play in shaping cultures of safety, accountability, and trust

Journalist JD Flynn reflects on why adult abuse has been so under-acknowledged in the Church. And Bishop Andrew Cozzens shares what it means to lead with transparency and to walk with survivors personally.

This episode asks: What does it mean to accept a reality that will never feel fair—and still choose to live in truth? And how can we move from protecting reputations to protecting people?

Stay with us as Descent Into Light continues releasing a new episode each week—moving through grief with honesty, toward a hope rooted in Christ.

In Episode Six of Descent Into Light, “Forging A Little Way,” Sr. Theresa Aletheia and Sr. Danielle Victoria reach the moment where their paths converge. In this episode, we enter that stage of grief where the fog begins to lift and something new begins to rise. In our upward turn, we both begin to see something new: a little way opening up before us. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t easy. But it was real.

This episode explores:

• The “upward turn” in grief, when clarity and courage begin to rise in the midst of loss

• Why preventing abuse requires people willing to be inconvenient

• The risk and fragility of founding a new community of sisters in today’s Church

• Why listening to survivors requires more than compassion—it demands systemic change

Alongside their own story, Sr. Theresa Aletheia and Sr. Danielle Victoria speak with Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ, a leading global expert on safeguarding and abuse prevention, and Sara Larson, founder of Awake, a Catholic nonprofit accompanying survivors. Both offer insight into how real change begins when people choose honesty over denial, courage over comfort.

This episode asks: What does it take to begin again when everything familiar has been stripped away? And how do you hold on to hope when the future feels impossible?

Join us as we step into the unknown, following the mysterious movement of grace where endings give way to beginnings.

Stay with us as Descent Into Light continues releasing a new episode each week—moving through grief with honesty, toward a hope rooted in Christ.

In Episode Five of Descent Into Light, “The Displaced Weight of Abuse,” we follow Sr. Theresa Aletheia as she navigates depression, loneliness, and the crushing burden of responsibility that often falls on survivors when others fail to act. After the first abuse case at the Vatican was decided in a way that she believed left others vulnerable, Sr. Theresa Aletheia prepares for her final vows in Italy. Carrying both grief and hope, she faces a decision she never expected to make.

This episode explores:

• How depression and loneliness emerge as part of the grief process for survivors

• The dynamics of mimetic desire and the scapegoat mechanism and how they’re related to abuse

• How practices like memento mori and grounded faith can provide clarity, resilience, and courage in the face of spiritual betrayal

Professor Luke Burgis explains the human patterns behind scapegoating that take place in most institutions and communities unless they are worked against intentionally.

Counselor Paul Fahey illuminates how abuse of power can operate subtly within spiritual settings.

This episode asks hard questions: Why does the burden so often fall on survivors, and how can communities take responsibility instead? It’s an invitation to reflect, to name what is happening, and to break cycles of silence.

Stay with us as Descent Into Light continues releasing a new episode each week—moving through grief with honesty, toward a hope rooted in Christ.

How do we face the truth about spiritual abuse when it comes at a cost?

In Episode Four of Descent Into Light, “Bargaining with the Storm,” Sr. Danielle Victoria takes listeners into the turbulence of the bargaining stage of grief, confronting not only the abuse she experienced but the culture and systems within which it occurred. During the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, the storm outside mirrored the storm within—forcing Sr. Danielle to reckon with the full complexity of spiritual abuse.

This episode explores:

• How survivors can wrestle with conflicting versions of reality, holding onto what was safe while confronting what was harmful

• The subtle ways spiritual authority and obedience can be misused to manipulate conscience

• How institutional culture and vices can enable abuse, even when intentions are good

Theologian Fr. Samuel Fernández explains how abuse of conscience can take over a person’s inner moral compass.

Philosopher Dr. Bernard Prusak highlights for listeners the role of institutional culture in shaping behavior, both virtuous and harmful.

This episode illuminates how abuse can be both personal and systemic, and how grappling with these realities is essential to building safer, more honest faith communities.

Stay with us as we release a new episode each week, for eight weeks, moving through the stages of grief toward hard-earned hope.

In Episode Three of Descent Into Light, “The Courage to Be Angry,” Sr. Theresa Aletheia confronts the storm of emotions that followed learning about abuse within her community. What began as fear and confusion gradually gave way to anger—a stage of grief often misunderstood, especially in spiritual contexts.

This episode explores:

• Why anger is a crucial and healthy part of healing from spiritual abuse

• How betrayal trauma and moral injury can disrupt faith, trust, and identity

• The subtle ways victim-blaming can compound harm in religious communities

• Why confronting institutional failure is necessary for real accountability and safety

Licensed mental health counselor Regina Boyd notes that healing from abuse involves confronting difficult emotions like anger, which often reflect the injustice survivors have endured.

Theologian Dr. Marcus Mescher helps listeners understand that moral injury can result in profound psychological, spiritual, and moral distress, leaving survivors confused, isolated, and distrustful of institutions.

Doctoral researcher Lucy Huh highlights how victim-blaming can occur in communities and how it’s related to institutional courage and betrayal.

This episode isn’t just a story of trauma. It’s about reclaiming one’s voice, understanding the full scope of harm, and stepping into the sacred space where anger becomes a catalyst for justice, awareness, and hope.

Stay with us as Descent Into Light continues releasing a new episode each week—moving through grief with honesty, toward a hope rooted in Christ.

In Episode Two of Descent Into Light, “Bride Grooming,” Sr. Danielle Victoria shares the confusion and inner turmoil she experienced under the direction of a trusted priest. What seemed like guidance and intimacy with God gradually became a space where boundaries blurred and spiritual authority was misused.

This episode explores:

• How denial can protect us and keep us from facing abuse

• The subtle ways grooming—of both individuals and communities—can appear in adult spiritual settings

• The danger of spiritual bypassing: using faith to move past warning signs

• How vulnerability, devotion, and trust, all things necessary and good in the spiritual life, can also be exploited by predatory leaders

Licensed mental health counselor Regina Boyd explains the protective—and sometimes disorienting—role of denial in the grief process.

Benedictine monk and spiritual director Fr. Boniface Hicks, OSB helps listeners understand the sacred trust required in spiritual direction and how its violation can be profoundly damaging.

This episode illuminates the complexity of abuse in faith contexts and how something life-giving can be misused, leaving survivors to untangle what was sacred from what was manipulative.

Stay with us as we release a new episode each week, for eight weeks, moving through the stages of grief toward hard-earned hope.

We are deeply grateful to Nick and Corynne Staresinic for their help in producing this project; it would not be the same without their creative collaboration and technical expertise.

What happens when a spiritual leader you trust turns out to be someone very different from what you believed?

In Episode One of Descent Into Light, “Sacred Trust Shattered,” Sr. Theresa Aletheia takes listeners into the moment when her world cracked open. What began as admiration for a spiritual leader unraveled into a devastating shock.

This first episode explores:

• The shock and disorientation that follows spiritual betrayal

• How grooming can hide behind spiritual language and “holy” appearances

• Why power and consent must be understood to protect adults from abuse in faith settings

Licensed mental health counselor, Regina Boyd, who has worked closely with survivors of clergy abuse, unpacks the grief and trauma that survivors of spiritual abuse often experience.

Theologian Dr. Julie Hanlon Rubio sheds light on clericalism as a structure of power—not just a few “bad apples.”

This isn’t just a story about darkness. It’s about taking steps toward hope and renewal.

Stay with us as we release a new episode each week, for eight weeks, as we move through the stages of grief toward hard-earned hope.

The trailer to our newest project, Descent Into Light, is now available. Two years in the making, this project is dedicated to all survivors of abuse in spiritual settings, especially those within the Catholic Church.

But before you press play on Descent Into Light, a warning:

If you’re looking for light, feel-good Christian content, this audio documentary may not be for you—and that’s okay.

This series is for the courageous. It’s about hope, but not the easy kind. This is about hope forged in darkness.

If you choose to listen to the eight episodes ahead, you will face what many would rather not see.

But survivors of abuse in church settings can’t unsee these things—and we owe it to them, and to future generations, not to look away.

Through personal stories, expert insights, and moments of raw honesty, Descent Into Light explores both the shadows of spiritual and sexual abuse and the light of resilience, courage, and faith that shine despite the darkness.

If you choose to stay, know that you’re not alone. Others are listening too.

Together, we can face the darkness—because God lights the way.