Domestic Violence Committee

Mission

The Domestic Violence Committee is guided by Catholic social teaching. It seeks to assist religious leaders and congregations in improving their skills in understanding and responding to domestic abuse. The committee works to promote a community response to domestic violence through awareness, education and prevention.
The committee’s primary function is to provide domestic violence response training sessions at parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago. These sessions train participants to address all aspects of domestic violence and equips them with the tools and resources to assist and support domestic violence victims who may look to the Church for help.
If you are interested in inviting the Domestic Violence Committee to provide a training session at your parish, please contact Rosi Viquez at 847-882-7580 or email at rviquez@archchicago.org.

Domestic Violence Committee Members

Rosi Viquez (Church of the Holy Spirit)—Program Coordinator
Father Charles Dahm, O.P. (St. Pius V Parish)
Deacon Retired Judge Dan Welter (St. Josaphat Parish)
Carlos Lopez  (St. Pius V)
Sue Low  (Church of the Holy Spirit)
Dolores Tapia  (St. Pius V)
Sisters of Mercy
Sister Dorothy (Good Shepherd Women’s Shelter)

Documents

• When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women
  
  

Resources for Priests, Deacons, and Pastoral Staff

• Suggestions for preaching about family violence
• Sample homilies on domestic violence
• Addressing domestic violence in the sacrament of reconciliation
• Batterers and the sacrament of reconciliation
• What do you say?
  
  

General Resources

• Domestic Violence Fact for Illinois
• Domestic Violence Fact Sheets by Topic
• Equality Wheel
• Equality Wheel—Spanish
• Power and Control Wheel
• Power and Control Wheel—Spanish
• Religious Community Checklist
  
  

Websites

• FaithTrust Institute
• National Domestic Violence Hotline
• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Family Violence Prevention Fund