A Reflection for the First Sunday in Lent
The Fruits of Our Lenten Labors By: Andy Rivas In his recent 2019 Lenten message, Pope Francis reflected on how fasting, prayer and almsgiving can lead us to a profound conversion. Each of us has…
Winter 2019: What We’ve Been Up To
2019 got off to a rapid start for all of us at CMN. No sooner had we returned from our Christmas celebrations that we were diving into planning for new events, conferences, and campaigns. Within two weeks…
Sharing the Transformative Power of Restorative Justice
“You should do restorative justice! You Catholics are all about restorative justice!” These were the words of Episcopal priest Alison DeFoe to Deacon Andy Grosmaire after his daughter Ann died of a gunshot wound from…
Hope Over Death: A Catholic Family’s Journey of Forgiveness and Restorative Justice
On April 2, 2010, Ann Grosmaire died after being shot by her fiance, Conor. Moved by their Catholic faith and inspired by Saint John Paul II’s forgiveness of Mehmet Ali Ağca, Ann’s parents, Kate and Deacon…
A Healing Garden in Philadelphia
Restorative justice invites us to cultivate moral imagination, to watch vigilantly for creative ways to heal pain caused by violence and build spaces for transformative encounter to take place. Fr. Paul Morrissey shares how he…
Climbing the Mountain to a Restorative Future
By: Caitlin Morneau Envision our criminal justice system as a mountain, one of many in the range of systems that influence life and culture in the United States. Nearby peaks represent the economy, education, and…
Catholic Universities Create Restorative Encounter through Learning
By: Caitlin Morneau If you’re familiar with restorative justice, you’ve probably heard about victim-offender dialogue, where individuals involved in the same or a similar crime, come together to discuss how the incident impacted their lives and…
Throughout the Country, Small Groups Pilot Modules
By: Caitlin Morneau Restorative justice is a beautifully challenging undertaking. Its focus on relationships and alignment with gospel values of mercy, redemption and reconciliation inspire hope for a renewed spirit of justice. However, this approach…
Joining CMN’s Journey of Restorative Justice
By Caitlin Morneau Since beginning my work at Catholic Mobilizing Network, I have reflected upon when and how I first felt called to issues of criminal justice. There were several childhood moments that signaled early…
A Journey of Healing and Reconciliation Through Restorative Justice
Catholic Mobilizing Network is pleased to have been invited to be the creative voice for Education for Justice’s 2018 Lenten Reflections. Featuring the writing of several members of CMN’s staff and board, these reflections are meant…
A Step on the Journey of My Prison Ministry Years
Sister Dolores Chepiga, a Sister of St. Joseph, has been committed to serving individuals who are incarcerated for nearly four decades. Here, she shares the role that restorative justice played in her formation and ministry….
Forgiveness Circle Creates Space for Reflection and Healing
Sister Janet Ryan, OSF of Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation recounts a recent experience participating in a Forgiveness Circle and the power this restorative practice have in healing and reconciliation within a community. At…