The Spirit Fire Approach
Spirit Fire believes in relational healing and recovery, and offers friendship person-to-person, heart-to-heart, walking through the impact from abuse in our Church with survivors, family members, parishes, clergy and religious, lay ministries, and leaders. This simple, individual approach leads us into many different forums and relationships. Examples are below.
Pushing Back Against Darkness
The Catholic University of America graciously hosted a Spirit Fire facilitating dialogue among Catholic bishops and survivors of clergy abuse. More about program and exhibit check is here.
Retreats for Survivors
Spirit Fire provides and promotes other valuable options for spiritually healing retreats for survivors and families. For at-home, private retreat reflection, three transcripts are here.
Sacred Spaces & Gardens
Spirit Fire & Friends promote creating healing spaces with beautiful art and plants individually, in family homes, and as public gardens.
Pastoral Care Formation
One of Spirit Fire's primary activities is to inspire formation of clergy, religious, lay ministers, and therapists with trauma-informed programs as well as individual discussions and support.
Prayer Services
Spirit Fire relies on prayer and encourages prayer of any kind among all people who are affected by the wound of abuse. For some of our prayers and programs, check here.
Parish Healing & Involvement
Spirit Fire serves parishes processing the impact of scandal, developing programs to heal and to promote awareness and healing broadly.
Clergy as Survivors
Extensive, confidential resource hub of support (individually and in groups) for survivors of abuse who are diocesan or religious clergy.
Child Protection
Resources and information promoting the protection of minors and all vulnerable adults through awareness and training. More here.
Church Leadership
Spiritual friendship and availability for pastoral care for survivors and family members, and for parishes and clergy.
Free Articles & Resources
Wide-ranging resources and simple chats to provide the right resources for anyone seeking to offer trauma-informed pastoral care. More here.
Pontifical Summit 2021
In June 2021, Teresa was the opening speaker for the first Pontifical Summit on Pastoral Care for Survivors of Clergy Abuse. "Learning to Listen" (Transcript) was published as part of conference proceedings later that year.
Clergy Retreats
Teresa has led or participated in many programs aimed at supporting clergy who are both seeking to provide pastoral care to survivors and families -- and reeling from abuse in the Church, too.
Pontifical Commission Listening
During 2020 and 2021, Teresa facilitated virtual listening sessions for survivors of abuse and family members to speak to Working Group II of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
Legacy Videos
As the first wave of reform-minded Catholics who implemented the Charter begins to give way to new similarly devoted Catholics, Spirit Fire has been capturing interviews for posterity.
The Healing Voices
From 2014 to 2020, The Healing Voices Magazine was an e-zine published and edited by survivors of clergy abuse who wished to create a safe forum for the voices of all people affected by the scandal of abuse in the Catholic Church to share reflections and information -- promoting understanding, and fostering a sense of peace and secure pathways for reconciliation over time.
The Healing Voices eventually was read by hundreds of regular subscribers found across the United States, Europe, Rome, and all English-speaking areas of the Catholic Church.
Newspapers for Bishops
The Healing Voices published an newspaper for the 2017 and 2018 USCCB General Assembly of bishops in Baltimore, showcasing survivor ideas for pastoral care and healing. PDF coming soon. Copies available on request.
