The Domestic Violence Awareness Ministry seeks to bring attention and awareness to the important issue of domestic violence.
“Every violation of the personal dignity of the human being cries out in vengeance to God and is an offence against the creator of the individual.” —Pope John Paul II, On the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World, 1988, no. 176.
Domestic Violence Support Program. Come learn more about domestic violence, meet others with similar experiences, share your story and become part of a supportive community. Adult residents of Cook/Lake County who are experiencing or have experienced domestic violence are eligible for this free and confidential group. Meets over Zoom. For more information or for meeting link, contact: (312) 655 – 7106 or mprasek@catholiccharities.net.
10•16•21 – Raise Your Voice. The Domestic Violence Outreach Ministry of Chicago invites you to the 6th Annual Archdiocesan-wide Mass for Domestic Violence Survivors. Join in person or virtually (link will be provided) to pray for an end to domestic violence. Raise your voice in prayer for domestic violence victims and their families on Saturday, October 16th at 5:30pm at Holy Name Cathedral, 735 North State Street, Chicago IL.
10•20•21 – Break the Cycle. Shelley Welch, Senior Manager of Annual Fund Giving at WINGS Program, will speak on Domestic Violence. You’re invited to join the conversation on Wednesday, October 20th at 7:30pm at: Queen of All Saints’ Holy Name Room, 6277 N. Keene Ave., Chicago, IL 60646. Signs will be posted for directions to the Holy Name Room. For more information, contact Ann Kalaska or Adele Bach.
Hosted by the “Friends Against Domestic Abuse” Network of Queen of All Saints, St. Mary of the Woods and St. Martha’s in Morton Grove, under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Domestic Violence Outreach Ministry (ACDVO).
Each year, the Holy Father asks for our prayers for a specific intention each month. In February 2021, Pope Francis’ intention was: “We pray for women who are victims of violence, that they may be protected by society and have their sufferings considered and heeded.” As St. John Paul II stated in his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, “Society as a whole must respect, defend and promote the dignity of every human person, at every moment and in every condition of that person’s life.”
Earlier, the OLBS Domestic Violence Awareness Ministry hosted Aimee Dinschel, a social worker with more than 15 years experience providing counseling and support to survivors of interpersonal violence, to present the Webinar Cycle of Violence. Please read the following reflection from Brian Michalski, Pastoral Minister, and a parishioner.
This engaging Webinar, Cycle of Violence, combined video, questions and interactive discussion to present the power and control dynamics of abusive relationships and the cycle of violence, as well as review healthy relationship dynamics. Some themes that emerged during discussion:
Domestic Violence is a Culture of Life issue. All life, from conception until natural death, is valued life. Violence or destruction against life at any point is not to be tolerated.
Can You Spot the Cycle of Violence Stages? The “Honeymoon” stage is marked by grooming, followed by the “Tension Building” stage which aims to shift blame to the victim and culminating in the “Acute Explosion” stage where the aggressor lashes out physically and/or emotionally. As the cycle repeats, the time lapse between stages decreases and ultimately focuses on the “Acute Explosion” stage.
Why Do They Stay? The reasons are many and varied. It is important to note that often the most dangerous time for someone being abused is when they attempt to leave (US crime data stats that 16% or 1 in 6 deaths involves domestic violence). Additionally, many abused women have been conditioned to believe they are to blame and that if they can change, the person they fell in love with will return and all will be well.
One of the most moving moments in the evening came when survivors of domestic violence shared their own witness stories following one of the videos. It underscored Dinschel’s point about the importance of letting victims of domestic abuse be heard, to validate them.
If you would like the recording, please contact the parish office (847) 979-0901 or info@olbsegv.org.
Are you called? OLBS Domestic Violence Awareness ministry is working with other churches in the area to raise the awareness. It affects everyone. Please call the Parish Office for more information today (847) 979-0901 or info@olbsegv.org