Clerically Speaking E260: Descent Into Light
Oct 21, 2025
Sister Danielle and Sister Teresa are co-founders of the Sisters of the Little Way, focusing on healing for survivors of abuse and the formation of a new religious charism. They dive into their mission and the discernment that led them to create a new community. The sisters discuss their audio documentary, Descent Into Light, emphasizing the importance of centering survivors' experiences. They tackle topics like institutional vulnerability, the nuances of grooming, and the power dynamics within the church, all while sharing their personal journeys and the feedback they've received from survivors.
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Beauty First, Littleness As Witness
- The Sisters frame their charism around 'beauty, truth, and goodness' with beauty first to reveal form in human life.
- They embrace littleness as a spiritual posture to witness God's transcendence through weakness and reparation.
Stepping Off A Cliff Into The In-Between
- Leaving their former community felt like stepping off a cliff into the unknown with no car, habit, or money.
- Friends bought groceries, donated, and prayed, sustaining them materially and spiritually in the in-between.
Rome Study Reoriented Their Scope
- Six months studying safeguarding at the Gregorian in Rome widened their view to global patterns of abuse and adult abuse nuance.
- That international perspective reshaped their audio documentary's scope and content.