Encounters With Dignity Catholic Mobilizing Network

Aswad Thomas is no stranger to the physical and psychological impacts of crime and violence.
His experience as a victim of gun violence led him to his current work with Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice — an organization that centers the voices of those most impacted by crime in the work of finding and creating solutions to it.
In this episode, Aswad highlights a key tenet of restorative justice: that responses to harm should always be victim-centered. He also shares about victims’ rights and services, and how we can support a reality where the response to harm and crime is one that is rooted in safety for all.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, over 1.2 million people are incarcerated in the U.S. right now. For 27 years, Felix Rosado was one of those individuals.
At the age of 18, Felix was told he would die in prison as punishment for the crime he committed — but the criminal legal system did nothing to ask him to reckon with the consequences of his actions, or make steps towards repair.
In this episode, Felix shares how returning to his Catholic faith and learning about restorative justice set him on a journey of taking true accountability, transforming his life, and ultimately gaining his freedom.
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Resources from this episode:
Watch Felix’s 4-minute mini-doc: youtu.be/xFkal1XvDmk?si=RE0rB3JlBcOa_GPgRead “Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice” from the USCCB: www.usccb.org/resources/responsibility-rehabilitation-and-restoration-catholic-perspective-crime-and-criminalRead “Fratelli Tutti”: www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.htmlRead “Transcending: Reflections Of Crime Victims” by Howard Zehr: www.amazon.com/Transcending-Reflections-Victims-Howard-Zehr/dp/1561483338Bureau of Justice Statistics: bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisons-report-series-preliminary-data-release

Andrea’s youngest daughter was just a toddler when her father was struck on his bicycle by an intoxicated driver.
Learning to process the grief of his death was something this family had spent most of their lives doing. But 15 years later, that journey took a big step forward when Andrea’s daughter asked to “meet the man that killed Daddy.”
In this episode, Andrea joins us to share what it was like to participate in a restorative process with the man who caused her husband's death, and how she continues to live out her journey of healing and forgiveness.
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Stay connected with Catholic Mobilizing Network and our mission to end the death penalty and promote restorative justice.
Sign up to get our emails at catholicsmobilizing.org/join
Ready to learn more about restorative justice? Register to attend an upcoming Intro to RJ workshop at catholicsmobilizing.org/intro-rj
To hear more stories like Andrea's, sign up for our blog at catholicsmobilizing.org/blog

For Fr. Dustin Feddon, the practice of being present with people who are currently and formerly incarcerated is a restorative act — a witness to the dignity of each person and the hope of redemption.
In this episode, Fr. Dustin takes us inside solitary confinement and death row in Florida, places where so few people are allowed to visit, and gives a glimpse into the interior lives of men living, and dying, there. He also shares about how these experiences inspired him to found Joseph House, a community of formerly incarcerated people.
Throughout our conversation, Fr. Dustin recalls how he first came to learn about restorative justice and how it continues to shape his parish and community-based ministries.

Encounters With Dignity is back for its second season — and we can't wait to share it with you.
Host Caitlin Morneau, Director of Restorative Justice at Catholic Mobilizing Network, offers a sneak peek into this new season which will take a close look at the U.S. criminal legal system through the eyes of those most profoundly impacted by it.
Tune in for new episodes coming January 2024! You won't want to miss it.

The season of Advent is a time for looking inward — a time to take stock of where we are in our faith journeys and our relationships with God and neighbor.
Those of us at Catholic Mobilizing Network — who’ve been working behind the scenes to bring you Encounters With Dignity — have been looking inward too. As we conclude Advent and move into a New Year, we will begin a process of exploring what the future holds for this podcast.
In the meantime, our podcast host, Caitlin Morneau, has some ideas for how you can continue learning about restorative justice and discerning ways to bring restorative practices to your community. And when we are ready to announce “what’s next” for Encounters With Dignity, she’d like you to be the first to know.
Tune in to hear how you can stay engaged in this transformative work, and join CMN via email at catholicsmobilizing.org/join.