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A Step Twelve Reflection: Giving Away What We Have Been Given
Oct 22, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, The Twelve Steps
Step Twelve: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. If I could sum up Step Twelve in a very basic way, I would say it like this: to do your...
Simple Advice for When We Question God’s Love for Us
Oct 17, 2019 | Help from the Saints, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Twelve Steps
One of my local churches has recently distributed signs stating very simply, "We all have questions." Sometimes we question the very existence of God. Sometimes we question His nature: is He truly all powerful? Omnipresent? All knowing? All merciful? All loving? Can...
The Body Keeps Score: Real Recovery Includes Emotional Healing
Oct 15, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Psychology & Therapy, The Twelve Steps
When I started recovery, the stories that people told me about both their addictions and the families they came from fascinated me. As a man named “Dan” once said, “My family put the fun in dys-FUN-ction.” Over and over again at 12-step meetings, I have heard people...
A Step Ten and Step Eleven Reflection: Maintaining What God Has Given Us
Oct 8, 2019 | Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Twelve Steps
Step Ten: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Step Eleven: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to...
A Short Reflection on Reconciliation: A Key to Understanding God’s Love
Oct 3, 2019 | Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Sacraments
Over the last couple of years I have made a decision to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation as often as I can. One church in the area makes the sacrament available on weekdays, although most churches make it available on Saturday afternoons. Since I am an in-home...
A Step Eight and Step Nine Reflection: Participating in Christ’s Reconciling Work
Oct 1, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, The Sacraments, The Twelve Steps
Step Eight: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Step Nine: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. In Step Four through Step Seven, all of my...
A Step Forward After Relapse
Sep 24, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, The Sacraments, The Twelve Steps
The chicken fat dripped onto the charcoals and sizzled and flared and smoked. And the baseball game was loud on the radio. The announcer between play by play activity talked about a frosty cold bottle of beer. Those simple words ended months of sobriety. It must be...
How to Find Healing When Your Family Member Is an Addict
Sep 19, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Twelve Steps
The disease of addiction is devastating on families. Everyone related to the addict often struggles immensely to live with and try to help the person they love dearly and desire more than anything to help. However, many times with our attempt to help our loved one we...
A Step Six and Step Seven Reflection: Resisting Our Weaknesses by the Grace of Jesus Christ
Sep 17, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Twelve Steps
Step Six: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Step Seven: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. When I asked a friend in another 12-step program what advice he would give to someone doing Step Six and Step Seven for the first...
How Eucharistic Adoration Healed My Father Wound
Sep 10, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Sacraments
A few years ago, I was at a wedding when I was struck by the particular charism of the priest offering the ceremony. He was warm, relaxed, and extremely welcoming. He also could read a room, which was reflected in the way he presented his homily to a largely...
![A Step Twelve Reflection: Giving Away What We Have Been Given](https://catholicinrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/harli-marten-M9jrKDXOQoU-unsplash.jpg)
A Step Twelve Reflection: Giving Away What We Have Been Given
Oct 22, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, The Twelve Steps
Step Twelve: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. If I could sum up Step Twelve in a very basic way, I would say it like this: to do your...
![Simple Advice for When We Question God’s Love for Us](https://catholicinrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/mayur-gala-2PODhmrvLik-unsplash-e1570548333203.jpg)
Simple Advice for When We Question God’s Love for Us
Oct 17, 2019 | Help from the Saints, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Twelve Steps
One of my local churches has recently distributed signs stating very simply, "We all have questions." Sometimes we question the very existence of God. Sometimes we question His nature: is He truly all powerful? Omnipresent? All knowing? All merciful? All loving? Can...
![The Body Keeps Score: Real Recovery Includes Emotional Healing](https://catholicinrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/mitchell-hollander-_zBxc8T-Y1Y-unsplash-e1570294406743.jpg)
The Body Keeps Score: Real Recovery Includes Emotional Healing
Oct 15, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Psychology & Therapy, The Twelve Steps
When I started recovery, the stories that people told me about both their addictions and the families they came from fascinated me. As a man named “Dan” once said, “My family put the fun in dys-FUN-ction.” Over and over again at 12-step meetings, I have heard people...
![A Step Ten and Step Eleven Reflection: Maintaining What God Has Given Us](https://catholicinrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/umit-bulut-qbTC7ZwJB64-unsplash-e1570542422203.jpg)
A Step Ten and Step Eleven Reflection: Maintaining What God Has Given Us
Oct 8, 2019 | Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Twelve Steps
Step Ten: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Step Eleven: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to...
![A Short Reflection on Reconciliation: A Key to Understanding God’s Love](https://catholicinrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/shalone-cason-UHXQXcQqSoM-unsplash-e1569339357811.jpg)
A Short Reflection on Reconciliation: A Key to Understanding God’s Love
Oct 3, 2019 | Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Sacraments
Over the last couple of years I have made a decision to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation as often as I can. One church in the area makes the sacrament available on weekdays, although most churches make it available on Saturday afternoons. Since I am an in-home...
![A Step Eight and Step Nine Reflection: Participating in Christ’s Reconciling Work](https://catholicinrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/mads-schmidt-rasmussen-178879-unsplash-e1569338538338.jpg)
A Step Eight and Step Nine Reflection: Participating in Christ’s Reconciling Work
Oct 1, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, The Sacraments, The Twelve Steps
Step Eight: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Step Nine: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. In Step Four through Step Seven, all of my...
![A Step Forward After Relapse](https://catholicinrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/DSC0091-2-e1569330875977.jpg)
A Step Forward After Relapse
Sep 24, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, The Sacraments, The Twelve Steps
The chicken fat dripped onto the charcoals and sizzled and flared and smoked. And the baseball game was loud on the radio. The announcer between play by play activity talked about a frosty cold bottle of beer. Those simple words ended months of sobriety. It must be...
![How to Find Healing When Your Family Member Is an Addict](https://catholicinrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/luis-galvez-I8gQVrDcXzY-unsplash-e1568132774290.jpg)
How to Find Healing When Your Family Member Is an Addict
Sep 19, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Twelve Steps
The disease of addiction is devastating on families. Everyone related to the addict often struggles immensely to live with and try to help the person they love dearly and desire more than anything to help. However, many times with our attempt to help our loved one we...
![A Step Six and Step Seven Reflection: Resisting Our Weaknesses by the Grace of Jesus Christ](https://catholicinrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/eberhard-grossgasteiger-398985-1-e1568129746887.jpg)
A Step Six and Step Seven Reflection: Resisting Our Weaknesses by the Grace of Jesus Christ
Sep 17, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Twelve Steps
Step Six: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Step Seven: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. When I asked a friend in another 12-step program what advice he would give to someone doing Step Six and Step Seven for the first...
![How Eucharistic Adoration Healed My Father Wound](https://catholicinrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/dckbo-9o7ga-josh-applegate-e1568126908272.jpg)
How Eucharistic Adoration Healed My Father Wound
Sep 10, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Sacraments
A few years ago, I was at a wedding when I was struck by the particular charism of the priest offering the ceremony. He was warm, relaxed, and extremely welcoming. He also could read a room, which was reflected in the way he presented his homily to a largely...