Category Archives: Blessed Virgin Mary

Triumph and Sorrow

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Earlier this week (September 14th and 15th) the Church celebrated two feasts which I had written about before in these two posts: Triumph of the Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows.

I think it is intentional that these 2 feasts are linked by being placed a day apart.

The triumph of Jesus on the Cross was His death. Death is usually a defeat but His liberated us from the prison that was ours. He opened the gates of Heaven for us. Heaven is now attainable, whereas previously it was prohibited to us by the Original Sin of Adam. ( Genesis 3) The Sorrows of Mary were many but in tying these dates together, the Church is perhaps emphasizing Jesus’ suffering, death and burial and how they must have ripped apart the heart of Mary as she witnessed them.

Both Jesus and Mary are marked in their obedience to God the Father’s will. Jesus accepted that His role and mission was to suffer and die for our sins. Mary accepted hers as being the bearer of the Messiah, the Savior of Humanity. Her willing submission to God’s will linked her life to that of Jesus.

So it can be said of us. If we accept that our duty as Christians is to submit ourselves to God’s will in our lives, looking to the Church for guidance, then we open ourselves to the sufferings and sorrows about us. In accepting God’s will for us, it is necessary for us to “die to ourselves” so that the inspirations and beckoning of the Holy Spirit can be felt. We decrease, so it can increase. In so dying, we are reborn into the person God intended for us to be and therefore are able to fulfill His plan for our lives. The sufferings and sorrows we feel are our compassion for others.

As addicts and alcoholics, we are especially attuned to this. Our old selves died when we gave up drinking and using. Our truer selves were resurrected from the Cross we nailed our addictions to. And in our new lives we see others about us differently. We see others and broken and wounded souls, as we are also. Our hearts are pierced by the swords of their pain and suffering. ( Luke 2: 34-35)

As Jesus on the Cross gave Mary to each of us to be our Mother, we, in our recovery, are given to others to nurture and sustain them. (John 19: 25-27)

(All Scriptural links courtesy USCCB.)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

God took me for a walk

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I have been feeling melancholic of late. Usually happens near the end of my days off from work or on unproductive rainy days. (Or productive rainy days but the productivity wasn’t what I had planned.)

Anyway, I had just gone outside to say my Evening Prayer, and was awestruck by the beauty of the dusky sky.

I had gone outside and I “got outside.” Sometimes we need to get outside of ourselves, and sometimes that can be accomplished by simply and literally going outside. I went outside to the yards around my house and meandered down the driveway to the country road we live on, and God took me for a walk.

How can anyone see the glory of nature and not believe that there is a Creator, a Master Artist, a Chief Architect, is an idiot. Or hopelessly unimaginative and spiritually dead.

Whatever the result is of “going outside” it is a sure antidote to the cravings of an addiction or the temptations of a relapse. The connection with God disrupts unhealthy thinking.

Luke 1:46-47: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

(Via USCCB.)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Now and at the hour of our death, amen

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Today, August 22nd, is the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. It is the day Catholics celebrate her coronation as Queen of Heaven.

The Hail Mary has the line:

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. .

We are all sinners, and Christianity teaches that this is so. Yet we do have a powerful intercessor with God for us.

That intercessor is Mary.

She can intercede for us at anytime, like any good mother will for her children. All we have to do is ask and the Hail Mary is that prayer.

The time of our death is never known to us, it can occur anytime. Only God knows when it will happen. Cultivating a good relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary is an excellent method of insuring your salvation. The “hour of our death” is a particularly important time of battle, as that is Satan’s final chance to claim our soul for eternity. The Adversary will pull out all the stops in that final hour, if it feels there is an opportunity to win.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with you,

Blessed are you amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

"What to do kit for addictions"

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John W. Garcia, a member of Catholics in Recovery offers this video on basic Catholic tools to aid in your recovery from addictions.

It does answer one common objection that comes up when people state that you cannot rely solely on religion, and that you need the support of a group, the “slogans” and other tools that you develop in recovery meeting rooms. Those are nice, but not needed.

The “What to do kit for addictions” offers all sorts of things the Catholic Faith has that can help you recover, and maintain that recovery. In addition, and this is key, it offers the tools needed to retrain yourself in how you react to things. This seems a central point in any addict’slife.We need to relearn how to react to things in a non-addictive way.

John is also the person behind the excellent Sober for Christ resource.

Watch the video and visit his site.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Solemnity of the Annunciation

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Today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation. I wrote about it before:

Solemnity of the Annunciation, Part 1

Solemnity of the Annunciation, Part 2 (On Humility)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Novena to St. Joseph for Alcoholics: Day 9 (and Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

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Today is the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Via USCCB.)

It is also the ninth and therefore final day of the novena through him for alcoholics.

St. Joseph was the head of the Holy Family of himself, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus. He is the model and guide for family leadership, being responsible for the enormous task of providing and caring for Mary and Jesus.

Alcoholism and addiction rupture families. Repairing relationships with the family is one of the tasks that recovering alcoholics seek to do. Making amends for the hurt and pain caused by a drinking past is long and a courageous trial to overcome.

Establishing a new family is also a goal. Once sober, an alcoholic seeks to have what seemed impossible before, a stable and secure home life.

And so, to that end, we pray:

St. Joseph, model of leadership in a family look with favor upon families and those seeking to belong to one. Intercede with God on their behalf and heal people and relationships so that all who desire it may become part of a happy and healthy family. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Novena to St. Joseph for Alcoholics: Day 1

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As we begin the first day of this Novena to St. Joseph for Alcoholics, we pray:

O chaste Spouse of Mary most holy, glorious Saint Joseph, great was the trouble and anguish of thy heart when thou wast minded to put away privately thine inviolate Spouse, yet thy joy was unspeakable, when the surpassing mystery of the Incarnation was made known to thee by the Angel!

By this thy sorrow and this thy joy we beseech thee to comfort our souls, both now and in the sorrows of our final hour, with the joy of a good life and a holy death after the pattern of thine own in the arms of Jesus and Mary.

Now recite the “Our Father”; the “Hail Mary”, and the “Glory be”.

(Prayer courtesy of: Inter Mirifica.)

If you recall from Sacred Scripture, when Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant with Jesus, he was going to divorce her according to Jewish custom. It is beyond the scope of this blog and this novena to go into that here. It is sufficient to say that he was troubled by the perceived scandal of her “unwed pregnancy”, and that her child was not his. The fact that there was nothing wrong with the pregnancy, as the Angel informed him of its propriety, does not get in the way of the prayer intention of the first day of this novena, which is:

For all who have “unwanted pregnancies” or all those who are experiencing fear and aloneness as they face their pregnancy without a spouse (or responsible partner). May they receive the help and encouragement they need to bring their child into the world. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

What does this have to do with this blog? Easy. If you have been to any number of 12 Step meetings, you are aware that sexual impropriety and misconduct is not an uncommon event in many a member’s past. Single parenthood is common today even way outside of the meeting rooms, but within them there is quite often a tragedy as addiction may have taken its toll on the parent or child. A tragedy may have even been the cause of the pregnancy. Whether by rape, or prostituting oneself for drugs or alcohol, or a lack of discipline caused by the addiction, not all pregnancies are happy and joyous ones.

Often abortion was the “final solution” to the problem, but some had the courage to bring the baby to term rather than commit the abortion.

Some, for whatever reason, chose the abortion out of fear or coercion, or a misguided sense of “inconvenience.” We pray for these people, as well. There is often a subsequent psychological cost to abortion. Many eventually seek out healing for the immense regret over their lost child. We pray for their healing, also. These people are not to be condemned for their act if they have come to regret it and have remorse.

The point of all this praying is that this issue of “illicit” or “unwanted” or “out of wedlock” pregnancy and single parenthood is a work of mercy in need of action. As I’ve said or hinted at before, it is not merely that we stop drinking and develop our sobriety. We need to use our sobriety to grow closer to God and experience His love and forgiveness and to lead others to it. Too many people are hurt and wounded by a number of things. This novena is going to address a whole bunch of those things.

In 12 Step movements we are told to “practice these principles in all our affairs.” Jesus commissions us to live according to His teachings. We don’t just take care of ourselves. We grow in sobriety, therefore we must grow in our responsibility to others.

Sexual sin, even when addressed by repentance and contrition, is painful, even years later. We try to see past the emotions and issues that often cloud our vision and judgment of why people do things. It is in the past and hopefully they’ve reconciled to God.If they haven’t, we pray that they do.

Everyone is broken and wounded. All of us need healing.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes for Alcoholics: Day 9

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The intention of this novena was to focus attention on the healing aspects of Catholicism through a devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. Mary as Our Lady of Lourdes was chosen as she is an obvious recourse for Catholic addicts and alcoholics. She is our primary intercessor with the Trinity, and like any good Mom wants her children to do well.

But there is ongoing healing available within the Catholic Faith. Through the sacraments we have certain access to God’s graces. In the sacrament of Confession (also known as Penance or Reconciliation) our sins are forgiven and we grow in holiness if we have a “firm purpose of amendment.” In the Eucharist (Holy Communion) we receive Jesus. The Divine Healer Himself enters into us. How intimate is that? (And Protestants and Evangelicals claim that the Catholic Church doesn’t encourage a personal relationship with Jesus!)

Pray this novena at any time of the year, it doesn’t have to be in February. But also know that healing is there, all the time (if you are patient and humble and understand that things happen in His time and in accord with His will.)

Pray:

Oh ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comfortess of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. My loving Mother, obtain my request. I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your company and bless you in eternity. Amen

From: Prayers – Catholic Online: “Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes”

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes for Alcoholics: Day 8

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Recovery from addictions is quite often referred to as a “path” or “road”. In AA literature there is the often used phrase: “trudging the road of happy destiny.” Many times people fall away or drift off that road. This is a relapse.

People relapse for many reasons. Some, like me, relapse early on in recovery. The “plan” or program of recovery hadn’t yet firmed up in the person and something too difficult happened and an old crutch was used to deal with the problem. Or some other mysterious reason had caused the person to return to the addiction, it isn’t always a problem too difficult too handle.

A guy I knew in my old AA home group had said that when in meetings during which a person discussed their relapse, he didn’t really pay too much attention as to why the relapse occurred if the individual had been sober for less than 5 years. Five years being a conservative time frame for “early recovery”. Over 5 years, and he focused on the story as he was very much interested in why a person with a proven history of sober living had strayed. Humility pretty much demands that anyone can relapse, no one is ever immune from the life-long allure of your “drug of choice.” No matter how long your sobriety, no matter what your “program of recovery” is, you are susceptible.

But there is always help. Yes, there are the people in your recovery meetings and such that you can call on. But there is also always your Blessed Mother, ready, willing and able to stand by and help her children whenever they are in distress. Just develop the faith needed to trust in her.

Pray:

Oh ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comfortess of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. My loving Mother, obtain my request. I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your company and bless you in eternity. Amen

From: Prayers – Catholic Online: “Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes”

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes for Alcoholics: Day 7

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Yesterday during the sixth day of this novena, I wrote about forgiveness. Today the subject is a related issue, that of resentment.

Resentment it is said, means “to feel again”. We alcoholics all understand this. When we resent something we are reliving the event all over, we nurture the emotion and maintain the grudge against the person who harmed us.

This is obviously harmful. It continues to keep open the wound inflicted upon our psyche and it hinders our spiritual progression. Our hearts are hardened and therefore we cannot hear the still, small voice of God speaking to us.

There is an AA slogan: “Let go and let God”. Basically it means to let go of whatever it is that has gotten you trapped and let God take care of it.

On the surface this would seem to be like shirking responsibility and “passing the buck”, except that it is God I am speaking about here and we are His children. Like any good parent, He seeks to heal us and protect us if we but ask Him. He will heal us of the pain in His time, meaning we end up learning something from the experience and grow closer to Him. If the pain was removed right away, my experience tells me that it will return and nothing was gained from the whole event.

As always, the Blessed Mother is there to help:

Pray:

Oh ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comfortess of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. My loving Mother, obtain my request. I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your company and bless you in eternity. Amen

From: Prayers – Catholic Online: “Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes”

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)