Black Catholic restorative justice virtual training set for August

A new virtual training course will help train Black Catholic ministry leaders in restorative justice practices, the latest cohort in the “Conversations in Communion” program from Catholic Mobilizing Network.

The three-week, 9-hour course in August will be led by a diverse slate of African-American leaders rooted in justice work.

CMN, known for its advocacy on issues such as abolishing the death penalty, describes the program as “[equipping] Catholics to introduce the restorative practice of circle process in their parishes and ministries.”

“Together, this facilitator guide and virtual training build capacity for deep listening, authentic encounters, and fuller participation in Catholic parish and ministry life.”

Leaders for the Black Catholic ministry leaders cohort, the tenth group overall in the CIC program, including spiritual director and leadership coach Carolyn D. Townes, OFS; consultant and parish ministry director Christian M. Bentley; and campus minister Kayla Jackson-Wolff.

The program functions as an extension of the CIC facilitator guide, a 46-page booklet that helps ministry leaders learn more about the restorative circle process and the potential benefits. The guide was itself an outworking of Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality, which drew many Catholics to learn more about intentional listening programs in the Church.

Restorative circles, themselves drawn from Indigenous peacemaking practices, involve facilitators guiding a dialogue focused on universal contribution, deep listening, and transformative outcomes. The practice has been used increasingly as a method of restorative justice in educational, corporate, and correctional settings.

“It involves participants sitting in a circle with a facilitator guiding the dialogue in which every person has an opportunity to contribute a response,” CMN says in a description of its facilitator guide. 

“The structure of circle process allows for rich encounter in which participants share openly and listen deeply.”

CMN, which has taken on a broad restorative justice approach, has become known in recent years for its restorative circle advocacy and launched the first cohort in its CIC program in 2024.

As with all cohorts, the three online sessions in August will include training on nature and utility of the practice, experiential learning, spiritual integration, and diverse applications of the circle process.

The three-hour gatherings will begin on Saturday, August 2, and take place weekly at 11am ET. Applications are open now with a priority deadline of Friday, July 18. CMN describes the application process as a “discernment” process, intended to be combined with prayer and community conversations. A combined application process is also available for groups of 8 or more. The cost for the training is $50.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

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