A couple of weeks ago, we hosted a facilitated discussion for Catholic young adults on the clergy abuse crisis. More than 100 individuals came, and we received overwhelmingly positive feedback. People appreciated the opportunity to learn some facts about the crises facing the Church, and many felt empowered after learning how researchers have framed the issue of abuse. Everyone wanted a place where they could talk, and some expressed that the event had given them their first sense of hope in these crises.
Certainly, some had their criticisms, pointing out many other topics that could be addressed that were not covered in the event. But the event gave us all somewhere to start.
Since that time, we’ve heard from many people throughout the American Church who want to learn more, facilitate dialogue, and organize for change. But they don’t know how to start, and the Church certainly lacks resources in this area. So we’ve put together the YArespond Facilitated Discussion Toolkit, a starter kit for organizing your own facilitated discussion. The toolkit includes educational materials, our PowerPoint presentation, and guides for the event organizers. It is set up primarily for large parish events but can be adapted for a variety of formats. You can download the toolkit at our Dialogue Materials page!
We’re constantly looking for ways to grow and develop our materials, so don’t be afraid to reach out and tell us what else would be helpful to you and your community!
YArespond was begun by a group of Catholic young adults based in the Twin Cities seeking informed and holistic ways to respond to the abuse crises in our Church. We focus on a fourfold response consisting of prayer, education, dialogue, and action. Currently, we are working on developing resources for parishes and ministries to host events and dialogues. Learn more: