For Joe, alcoholism had always been a part of his life since both of his parents were alcoholics. “I grew up with an alcoholic family,” Joe said. “Growing up was chaotic and as a kid, it gave me a predisposition to the disease of alcoholism.” Joe grew up a Catholic,...
St. Augustine, our very own saint who struggled with an attachment/addiction to sexual compulsivity and lust, can be a heavenly brother for all men who desire holiness and change. This is true even if you merely desire to desire that holiness and change. As St....
It was a catastrophic personal event that plunged me into three years of intense habitual and addictive behavior that needed to be addressed. It was then that I finally recognized my addiction needed to be stopped. Downloading porn videos and images as well as...
It is probably obvious to all of us now—if we didn’t believe it before—but the Coronavirus pandemic has brought to light the reality that we are complex creatures. If Jesus cites (Deuteronomy 8:3) by saying that “man does not live on bread alone” (Matthew 4:4), the...
Brothers and sisters in recovery, how are you faring in our current state of affairs? For a month now we have been restricted from many of our usual daily activities. This means we haven’t been able to attend in-person recovery meetings, Mass, or the Sacrament of...
One of the phrases that I keep hearing get thrown around amidst the Coronavirus pandemic is “nothing has prepared us for this!” And in a sense, this is true. We haven’t seen a pandemic like this on a global scale since the Spanish Flu in the early 20th century. ...
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...
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...
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...
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...