Michael is Executive Director of the National Catholic Restorative Justice Initiative.

A clergy sexual abuse survivor, Michael first came forward to tell his story in 2006 first to his wife, then to his local parish priest and ultimately to officials of the Archdiocese of
Chicago, which began the Independent Review Board process.
Thinking back to that time, Michael considers telling his story to the Independent Review Board as a healing milestone where he reconciled himself to the fact that the traumatic childhood abuse he endured is obviously a part of him but does not define who he is. An additional healing milestone is his meeting with Cardinal Francis George. As a way to unburden himself, he told him his story of childhood abuse and the long-
lasting consequences on himself and his family. Cardinal George apologized to Michael for the abuse imposed upon him, and Michael accepted his apology. Michael considers
this moment to be a model of restoring ourselves back to right relationship with each other and with God.

The creation of the National Healing Garden has been a massive collaborative effort, and Michael wishes to express gratitude for the prayerful support of so many
stakeholders across the Church including bishops, victim assistance coordinators, NCRJI, Catholic University of America and most importantly to victims/survivors of clergy abuse for the courage and grace to share their stories.

Michael is Chair, Hope and Healing Committee, Archdiocese of Chicago. He is past President of Prevent Child Abuse – Illinois, a Virtus Consultant, and author of “Acts of Recovery” and “The Healing Garden” ACTA publications.

Esther is a devout Catholic living with her husband and daughters in Ohio. She is a convert to the Catholic faith with a passion for sharing it. She spent the better part of her twenties as a lay missionary in New York City along with a year in religious life. 

During her time as a missionary, Esther experienced spiritual abuse and sexual assault by a Catholic priest, followed by a traumatic reporting process. In 2019, she shared her story through Catholic News Agency in the hope of bringing light to the situation.

After a period of healing, she felt called to walk alongside other victim-survivors and to bring awareness to the wounds of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. She currently volunteers with Awake as a Survivor Circle co-leader. Each person she has encountered through this sacred work has a profound impact on her life. 

Esther is incredibly grateful to be on the committee for the National Healing Garden. It has been a privilege to work towards a tangible sign of hope with this committee. Her hope is that this garden would be a place of healing and hope for each person who walks the grounds, especially those who have experienced sexual abuse by a Catholic leader.

Joseph Pabst (JJ) is an abuse survivor from the Archdiocese of Atlanta,.

JJ states: "Though I am a man who was sexually abused by a Catholic priest in 1978, this is not how I define myself today. The journey to who I am today, is one of the shared themes this healing garden represents. Only select saints heal in isolation, sent by God to the desert for a season. The rest of us need each other. We heal together." 

How does the heart of the flock find peaceful rest, or linger in a joy that spills over - when the shepherd is the wolf?  If your personal peace and joy are caught up in the pursuit for that answer, JJ leans in to say, "You are not alone."

Today, JJ defines his peace and joy this way: "I am a richly blessed, Catholic family man, drawn to ministries involving music, fellowship, and learning..."   He first began sharing the story of his journey in 2009, which began a healing season of counseling. 

After officially reporting the abuse to his archdiocese, JJ recalls his face-to-face meeting with then Archbishop (now Cardinal-ret.) Winton Gregory in 2014. "When he apologized to me on behalf of all the shepherds, a bookmark was tucked into my heart. Never underestimate the touch of your words in your brother's heart."  

JJ was introduced to Mike Hoffman and the National Healing Garden project by his archdiocese victim assistance director in the fall of 2023. "It was an easy and eager YES!"

My name is Joe Montanez and I was molested at Saint Raphael's Catholic church in Santa Barbara, California when I was an altar boy during the years of 1970 and 1971. My predator was one of the most notorious molesters in the state of California.

In 2018, I decided to get help and confront my fears. First, I met with Dr. Heather Banis, Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Next, Dr. Banis and I met with Archbishop Gomez to discuss the creation of sacred healing garden space- A sanctuary where those who are hurting may find healing and reconciliation. As of today, 5 regional healing gardens have been created throughout the archdiocese as a result of these meetings. An additional 6th garden is being created in Santa Barbara, where my rape occurred. 

These gardens reflect the Church's love for survivors who have been hurt by someone they should have been able to trust. They represent our commitment to help victims to work toward healing, and to bear their burdens with them. We pray that in the silent beauty of these gardens, many may come to hear God's voice, to know his love and compassion, and his longing to comfort them, and make them whole again. 

Bishop Evelio Menjivar was born August 14, 1970, in Chalatenango, El Salvador. He migrated to the United States in 1990 and in 2023 became the first Salvadoran bishop in
the country.

Bishop Menjivar attended St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, Florida, receiving a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. He attended the North American College in Rome and
obtained a master’s degree in theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome (“Angelicum”) in 2002. He pursued licentiate studies at the Pontifical
Scalabrinian Institute for Pastoral Theology for Human Mobility in Rome before his ordination. He was ordained to the priesthood for The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington on May 29, 2004. Bishop Menjivar was ordained as an auxiliary bishop of Washington on February 21, 2023, by Cardinal Wilton Gregory at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.

In 2024, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Georgetown University. Throughout his ministry, he has actively supported workers, promotes social justice for immigrants and the healing of those wounded by clergy abuse.

He is a member of the National Healing Garden planning committee, and he participates regularly in speaking engagements on these issues.

Deacon Bernard (Bernie) Nojadera is the Executive Director of the Secretariat of USCCB's Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection, where he has served since 2011.

Formerly, he served as Director of the Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults with the Diocese of San Jose, California, from 2002-2011.

He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Joseph College, Mountain View, California; a Master of Social Work degree specializing in health and mental health services from San Jose State University; and a Master of Arts in theology from St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, Menlo Park, California.
He has been a member of the San Jose Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the County of Santa Clara Interfaith Clergy Task Force on the Prevention of Elder Abuse, and the County of Santa Clara Task Force on Suicide Prevention. He offers national and international trauma-informed workshops/trainings on the ministry of safeguarding, safe environments, victim and survivor accompaniment, HRO (high reliability organization) principles, and topics on leadership and communication. He is a military veteran and permanent deacon with the Diocese of San Jose, CA.

Bernie is a grandparent, married, with two adult children.

Stephen P. White is the former Executive Director of The Catholic Project. From 2019-2026, he led The Catholic University of America's response to the clergy abuse crisis, focusing on the collaboration of clergy and the laity. He served as executive producer for the award-winning podcast, Crisis: Clergy Abuse in the Catholic Church.

For over a decade, Mr. White was a fellow in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, DC. His work focuses on the intersections of faith, politics, and culture, frequently applying Catholic social teaching to contemporary issues. Mr. White is the author of Red, White, Blue, and Catholic (Liguori Publications, 2016) and writes a bi-monthly column for The Catholic Thing. 

Mr. White studied politics at the University of Dallas and philosophy at the Catholic University of America. He lives in Virginia with his wife and four children.

Sara Perla is the Acting Director for The Catholic Project at Catholic University, after serving as the Communications Manager from 2020-2026.

Ms. Perla was a writer for the project's award-winning podcast, Crisis: Clergy Abuse in the Catholic Church

Ms. Perla worked at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for six years as the Program Specialist for the Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, which was part of the Committee for Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth. Before that, Ms. Perla taught high school theology.

Ms. Perla studied sociology, philosophy, and theology at The Catholic University of America and received her Masters in Theological Studies from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family.