Digital Resources on Harm, Healing, and Human Dignity: A Catholic Encounter with Restorative Justice
Harm, Healing, and Human Dignity: A Catholic Encounter with Restorative Justice is a faith formation resource to help parishes, small groups, and individual believers reflect on the Catholic call to restorative justice.
The Digital Reader’s Guide below offers videos and example of ministries for each of the book’s five chapters.
Chapter 1: When We Think About Justice
Precious Blood Center’s Peacemaking Circle
Fr. David Kelly is executive director of Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation (PBMR), a restorative justice ministry in Chicago’s South Side. In this video, he explains more about peacemaking circles and how they make a difference in the lives of youth that PBMR serves.
Chapter 2: When We Experience Harm
A Catholic Family’s Journey of Forgiveness and Restorative Justice
In 2010, Kate and Deacon Andy Grosmaire learned that their daughter Ann had been shot by her fiancé, Conor. Moved by their Catholic faith to forgive Conor, and dissatisfied by the criminal justice process, the Grosmaires, along with Conor’s parents, Michael and Julie McBride, fought to address the crime in a way that allowed their voices to be heard.
At an event on November 5, 2018, Kate and Deacon Andy told their personal story of restorative justice. Watch their talk:
One-Pager: What is Restorative Justice?
CMN’s one-page handout gives an introductory overview of restorative justice and ways its practices can be applied in various settings. Download and print copies to complete an educational workshop or spread the word about restorative justice with others in your community.
Click here to download the one-pager.
Restorative Justice Ministry: San Francisco
In the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Julio Escobar leads “A Ministry of Presence,” which allows those who have lost loved ones to homicide support one another on their healing journey. Together they memorialize the locations where their loved ones died and are present with others who have similar experiences of loss and grief. When family members feel ready, they visit with individuals in juvenile hall to share their stories.
These encounters offer an opportunity for those responsible for crimes to think differently about the harms they committed and consider the impacts of their actions. They also allow victims to share the stories of their loved ones in ways that may prevent future violence. Watch the video here:
Chapter 3: When We Cause Harm
Prayer Vigil for an Execution
A recent revision to the Catholic Catechism made on August 2, 2018 states:
“There is an increasing awareness that the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes. In addition, a new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state.
Lastly, more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption.
Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,’ and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”
Church teachings makes clear that even when incarceration is needed for community safety, it should not be without the opportunity for transformation and hope. This vigil invites us to prayerful witness in honoring the lives and dignity of those facing imminent execution and all those who are incarcerated. Download the prayer vigil here.
Bridges to Life: Restorative Justice Program
Bridges to Life, an in-prison restorative justice program based in Texas, combines restorative dialogue between incarcerated individuals and victims of similar crimes with life-skills training and spiritual support to inspire change that brings healing and reduces recidivism. Watch a video about how it works:
A Native American Tribe Is Using Traditional Culture to Fight Addiction
Some people turn to drug use because they feel disconnected from their family, community, or culture. A community in Maine is using restorative circles to rebuild relationships and reclaim cultural identity in ways that are fighting the opioid epidemic. Watch the video:
Chapter 4: When We Consider Community, Systems, Structures
Paths of Renewed Encounter: A Restorative Justice Engagement Guide for Catholic Communities
Paths of Renewed Encounter invites individuals and groups to embrace healing approaches to crime, harm, and injustice while reflecting on the unique ways that Catholic ministries and teachings can shepherd processes that transform relationships, communities, and systems. It draws on the experience of a wide array of contributors, the prophetic call of Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti,” and the well-known pastoral cycle for social action.
Click here to download a digital copy.
TED Talk on Racism & the Criminal Legal System, by Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson is a death penalty lawyer and founding director of Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) in Montgomery, Alabama. EJI opened the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery to commemorate the lives of those enslaved and lynched in America.
These memorials compel us to encounter and come to terms with the history of racism, our country’s original sin, to understand its impact in the present day, and to consider how we can play a role in truth-telling and healing.
In this video, Bryan Stevenson goes into more depth about the relationship between race, the criminal legal system, and the future of America. Watch the talk:
Chapter 5: When We Become Agents of Restoration
Conversations in Communion: Parish Dialogues for Connection and Understanding
Conversations in Communion: Parish Dialogues for Connection and Understanding is a formation program that equips Catholics to introduce the restorative practice of circle process in their parishes and ministries. Together, this facilitator guide and virtual training build capacity for deep listening, authentic encounters, and fuller participation in Catholic parish and ministry life.
Find a Circle Trainer
For many Catholics, after learning about the principles and practices of restorative justice, they wish to become trained in circle keeping. CMN’s dedicated webpage offers discerning questions and suggested organizations experienced in conducting circle trainings with faith communities. To find a circle trainer, click here.