As a cradle Catholic, I was familiar with Eucharistic adoration. I vaguely remember going with my class in elementary school. However, I was not a practitioner of this method to adore Jesus. Truth be told, until 2015 I was not really a faithful Catholic. I went to...
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Why Being Sober Wasn’t Enough to Keep Me From Being Miserable
Apr 28, 2020 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Personal Testimonies, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Sacraments, The Twelve Steps | 5 Comments
After I first became sober I thought that I’m better now. I can handle it. I had been in AA for years and attended hundreds, maybe thousands, of meetings. I had volunteered, read the Big Book, and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and worked through the Twelve...
Encountering Mary’s Motherly Love in Eucharistic Adoration
Apr 7, 2020 | Help from the Saints, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Sacraments | 0 Comments
During this time of uncertainty and fear, one thing I am certain of is that God is with us and will never leave or forsake us. As never before, we are being called in faith to pick up our cross and walk this lonesome valley. The good news is that we are never alone...
The Irreplaceable Role of a Priest in Recovery
Apr 2, 2020 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Sacraments, The Twelve Steps | 1 Comment
When I first came to a recovery program I was brought to it by a very caring woman who saw the pain I was going through. She stressed the need for having a sponsor and suggested that I listen and find someone with a length of sobriety whom I respected. There was an...
5 Strategies for Overcoming an Addiction to Porn and Masturbation
Jan 28, 2020 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Pornography & Sexual Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Sacraments, The Twelve Steps | 2 Comments
Before discussing five strategies that help me stay clean with regard to porn and masturbation, let me start by explaining that nothing short of the grace and mercy of God ever worked in helping me experience victory over this ongoing battle, which spanned over 40...
Caught in the Hands of a Loving God
Dec 12, 2019 | Pornography & Sexual Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Sacraments | 0 Comments
Those of us who have fought the battle of habitual sin often times have had difficulty with the feelings and consequences of being caught in our sins. When we think back to the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, after the Fall, we recall that they hid...
The Hidden Addiction
Nov 5, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Other Addictions, The Sacraments, The Twelve Steps | 6 Comments
I’m an addict. But you can’t tell by looking at me. I don’t have needle marks and I don’t smell of alcohol. I’m not a compulsive gambler or a shopper, either. I’m a food addict. And I hide it well. Most of my family members and work associates are unaware of my...
A Short Reflection on Reconciliation: A Key to Understanding God’s Love
Oct 3, 2019 | Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Sacraments | 1 Comment
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 | 0 Comments
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 | 4 Comments
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...