Recent Posts
Christ, the Sacraments, and Catholic in Recovery Lead to Frank’s Recovery from Pornography and Masturbation
When Frank was 13 years old, he began secretly watching sexually explicit videos. But growing up in a religious family in Southeast Asia, he hid this growing addiction. Instead, he would watch, rewind, and rewatch “sexy” scenes in secret—successfully keeping his...
Why Fasting Matters for Us During Lent
During this wonderful season of Lent, many of us turn our attention to the discipline of fasting. Similar to making New Year’s resolutions, many of us decide to give something up for Lent. As a child, I remember wondering why we were called to refrain from meat,...
If All Our Sins Smelled Like Alcohol
Being a Lyft driver, I’m afforded a lot of unique interactions with people. As I was telling someone recently, the job is sort of like being an “ad hoc social worker on wheels.” You just never know who is going to come into your car or what their reason for needing a...
Combating the “Seven Deadly Sins” Through the Spiritual Practices of Recovery
As we enter into Lent, I thought it would be beneficial to list the “Seven Deadly Sins” and the grave effects they have on one’s soul. Opposite each sin, I have listed a virtue that has been given to us as a gift by the Holy Spirit. These virtues help us to live a...
Five Tips for Making (and Keeping!) Our Resolutions This Lent
Many people in North America make resolutions to improve their lives on January 1st. We start the year determined to make this our best year ever, but our high hopes and determination often evaporate like the morning dew on a hot day. In fact, studies show that most...
A Reflection on Attachment, Addiction, Psychology, and Spiritual Formation: Part Three
Attachment, as we have seen in previous articles (Part One and Part Two), is central to addiction, recovery, and spiritual growth. But what is it? Where does it come from? How does it get so compromised that we turn to substance abuse and other compulsive behaviors to...
The Four Virtues and The Role of Grace in Our Recovery
In a recent discussion on how to develop virtuous habits to combat negative ones connected with sexual sin, I was introduced to the four cardinal virtues, which are prudence, courage, temperance, and justice. Each of these virtues can help us live moral lives....
How to Find Healing for the Masculine Soul
Lately, I have been having dreams of my high school years. Many of these years involve specific memories of my failures on the gridiron. Missed tackles. Blown assignments. Not giving enough effort. The inevitable fear that I always played with. Being screamed at by...
How to Respond to Anti-Catholic Sentiments in Recovery Meetings
When I first walked through the doors of a 12-step meeting over 13 years ago I was hopeless, helpless, and desperate for a change. It was by far the hardest and best thing I ever did and I immediately felt accepted in a room full of complete strangers. 30 days earlier...
Codependency, A Toxic Marriage, and Al-Anon: A Secular Carmelite Finds Recovery and Healing
In 1999, Tina was sitting in an Al-anon meeting because of a brother struggling with an addiction to drugs and alcohol. It was during that first meeting when, reading over indicators for co-dependency behavior, she initially realized she might have an issue herself...
Christ, the Sacraments, and Catholic in Recovery Lead to Frank’s Recovery from Pornography and Masturbation
When Frank was 13 years old, he began secretly watching sexually explicit videos. But growing up in a religious family in Southeast Asia, he hid this growing addiction. Instead, he would watch, rewind, and rewatch “sexy” scenes in secret—successfully keeping his...
Why Fasting Matters for Us During Lent
During this wonderful season of Lent, many of us turn our attention to the discipline of fasting. Similar to making New Year’s resolutions, many of us decide to give something up for Lent. As a child, I remember wondering why we were called to refrain from meat,...
If All Our Sins Smelled Like Alcohol
Being a Lyft driver, I’m afforded a lot of unique interactions with people. As I was telling someone recently, the job is sort of like being an “ad hoc social worker on wheels.” You just never know who is going to come into your car or what their reason for needing a...
Combating the “Seven Deadly Sins” Through the Spiritual Practices of Recovery
As we enter into Lent, I thought it would be beneficial to list the “Seven Deadly Sins” and the grave effects they have on one’s soul. Opposite each sin, I have listed a virtue that has been given to us as a gift by the Holy Spirit. These virtues help us to live a...
Five Tips for Making (and Keeping!) Our Resolutions This Lent
Many people in North America make resolutions to improve their lives on January 1st. We start the year determined to make this our best year ever, but our high hopes and determination often evaporate like the morning dew on a hot day. In fact, studies show that most...
A Reflection on Attachment, Addiction, Psychology, and Spiritual Formation: Part Three
Attachment, as we have seen in previous articles (Part One and Part Two), is central to addiction, recovery, and spiritual growth. But what is it? Where does it come from? How does it get so compromised that we turn to substance abuse and other compulsive behaviors to...
The Four Virtues and The Role of Grace in Our Recovery
In a recent discussion on how to develop virtuous habits to combat negative ones connected with sexual sin, I was introduced to the four cardinal virtues, which are prudence, courage, temperance, and justice. Each of these virtues can help us live moral lives....
How to Find Healing for the Masculine Soul
Lately, I have been having dreams of my high school years. Many of these years involve specific memories of my failures on the gridiron. Missed tackles. Blown assignments. Not giving enough effort. The inevitable fear that I always played with. Being screamed at by...
How to Respond to Anti-Catholic Sentiments in Recovery Meetings
When I first walked through the doors of a 12-step meeting over 13 years ago I was hopeless, helpless, and desperate for a change. It was by far the hardest and best thing I ever did and I immediately felt accepted in a room full of complete strangers. 30 days earlier...
Codependency, A Toxic Marriage, and Al-Anon: A Secular Carmelite Finds Recovery and Healing
In 1999, Tina was sitting in an Al-anon meeting because of a brother struggling with an addiction to drugs and alcohol. It was during that first meeting when, reading over indicators for co-dependency behavior, she initially realized she might have an issue herself...