Category Archives: Catholics in Recovery

Catholic, Alcoholic, Addict

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I went and did it again. I created another online community for Catholics who are alcoholics and addicts. I know, I know, you’re asking me, “Why, Paulcoholic, have you done this thing which has proved so fruitless in the past? Don’t you remember your past attempts, all doomed by various financial, technical, and human follies? Why do you persist?” I don’t know. Maybe if I try it often enough it’ll eventually work out, some combination of time, talent, and place where finally people will come and take part and there will be a thriving online community of Catholics sharing their own experience, strength and hope with each other, in a safe Catholic setting.

I created it on the Awestruck Catholic Social Network. Please go here—–> Catholic, Alcoholic, Addict on Awestruck.tv.

I describe it as: “A Group for those Awestruckers who have suffered or still are suffering from alcoholism and other addictions. This is the place that while you’re here on Awestruck you can come to to talk about things important to you: your addiction, your story, struggles, and what gives you strength and hope. Whether you consider yourself “recovered” or “in recovery” is not important, nor is whatever recovery program that you belong to (or even if you belong to one). This is not a Twelve Step Group, but Step discussion is just fine. NO CRITICISM of anyone’s recovery program (or lack of) will be tolerated. Fidelity to the Church is required (same basic requirements for Awestruck membership). Feel free to discuss anything relevent to the Faith and addiction. If you get strength and hope from certain things like the lives of the Saints, post about it! If you wish to discuss Apparitions or locutions, THEY HAVE TO HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE CHURCH. No unapproved Apparitions, etc.”

Also, if you’re worried about privacy and anonymity, there’s this:

“The Group’s settings are “Private,” rather than “Public,” just in case anyone has problems re: anonymity.

‘This is a private group:

-Only users who request membership and are accepted can join the group.
-This group will be listed in the groups directory and in search results.
-Group content and activity will only be visible to members of the group.'”

So, join up and start sharing! I thoroughly love Awestruck, and now spend most of my social networking either there or on Facebook. As the “Catholic, Alcoholic, Addict Group” is hosted on someone else’s dime, and as I do spend considerable time there, I can almost guarantee that I will never terminate it, even should it prove unpopular or unproductive. In case you missed my recent “promotions” of Awestruck, here’s a link to my posts about it—–> Awestruck.tv posts on Sober Catholic.

I also made a change (maybe temporary, we’ll see how all eighteen mebers feel about it) to the “Matt Talbot Way of Recovery” Community on Google+, I renamed it “Catholic, Alcoholic, Addict” Why? To quote from my post in there: “Absolutely no disrespect intended to Matt Talbot, but calling it the “Matt Talbot Way of Recovery” presumes a particular approach to addiction recovery. What would be the “basic text” of this Way (the Philip Maynard book) is out-of-print and the publisher has no intention of bringing it back into print.

We can always add a category entitled “Matt Talbot,” for anyone wishing to post specific things re: him.” And I did create the latter thing, a forum category entitled “Matt Talbot,” where people can discuss him. You can find the Community here———> Catholic, Alcoholic, Addict Community on Google+.

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!!)

Matt Talbot Way of Recovery on Facebook and Google+

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I have been running the Matt Talbot Way of Recovery email discussion group on Yahoo since December 2011, and like past endeavors of mine to establish a Catholic-based recovery discussion community, it has its busy times and ghost-town echo chamber times. I am debating on whether or not to shut it down. Since it is hardly used, it would be one less thing for me to keep track of. If it was busy, and had other moderators, I’d be keeping it around. So…

There are no immediate plans to do either, but as a way of transitioning to something new, I have done two things: revive the Matt Talbot Way of Recovery on Google+ by soliciting assistance (and getting it!!!!) and inviting people to join; and create a Matt Talbot Way of Recovery Group on Facebook.

There are differences between the two, and these reflect some differences between Facebook and Google+. The Facebook Group is “Secret,” meaning that you cannot find it in Facebook Search, nor can access it via the URL. Only members can see it and see what is posted in it. I decided to create it as a Secret Group as the alternatives may be too “privacy-invasive” and anonymity-threatening to some people. A “Closed” Facebook Group, for example, is searchable and findable by non-members, and non-members can see who is in it. Still, a threat to anonymity as people on Facebook associate with family, friends and co-workers and may still not want the current or past addiction known. So, if you’re on Facebook and would like to join, your alcoholism would still be kept secret from anyone else.

In order to be a member of the Facebook Group, you have to be added to it by an owner/moderator. So far, that is just me, and for me to add you, you have to be my Friend on Facebook. Here I am on Facebook and after getting there, send me a Friend request along with a message as to why you’re befriending me.

The Matt Talbot Way of Recovery on Google+ is a “Private” Community, meaning it is searchable and findable by people looking for such a thing, but non-members cannot see who is in it, nor what is posted there. I tested this by asking my wife to look for it. She found it, but just saw Matt’s picture and the Community name, with an “Ask to Join” button for prospective members to click on.

In order to be a member of the Google+ Community, go here: Matt Talbot Way of Recovery on Google+. Click on the “Ask to Join” button and you’ll be approved (or maybe not 😉 ) by myself or the other guy who moderates it.

Why possibly kill off the Yahoo Group only to create the MTW on FB and G+? I spend a lot of time on the two social networks and it is easier for me to keep an eye on them and participate. If the MTW on these nets follows the path of previous endeavors, I am less likely to shut it down for lack of use. Unless I abandon G+ and FB (unlikely), as long as I am a member, the MTW will remain alive there.

New requests to join the MTW on Yahoo may be met with requests to just join it on FB and/or G+.

If you’re a new member of the MTW on Facebook or Google+, I can use moderating (and promoting) help!

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!!)

Not Saints Yet

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Number 9, over at Catholic Alcoholic mentioned today about a new organization for Catholics suffering from addictions. Called Not Saints Yet, it is, to quote from their website, “…a new organization whose goal is to evangelize, or re-evangelize, Catholics, especially those in recovery.”

It is run by Ken J, of the Calix Society in Philadelphia. I remember Ken J from several years ago when he was a member of Catholics in Recovery (later Recovery for Christ), a now defunct online social network for Catholics suffering from addictions.

In addition to their above-named mission of evangelizing Catholics, Not Saints Yet also seeks to become a clearinghouse of information about other organizations that are helping Catholics in recovery.

You can find more information about the Calix Society at this link.

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. Michael the Archangel, Day 8

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On this 8th day of the Novena, we pray for the strength of perseverance in Faith.

The main reason why I started this blog, and the failed social networks involving Catholic addiction, is that too often in 12 Step meeting rooms (and online gatherings) I’ve seen Catholics leave the Church.

I feel it is my duty to stem the tide. I doubt I’ve been very successful, being only one person, but I shall continue anyway.

Why do they leave? It is my conviction that there is excessive moral relativism in the rooms, as well as the sin of indifferentism. Moral relativism is subjective morality, in that morality is situational and based on feelings and not on objective truth. Objective truth means that morality is fixed in terms of things which are always right or always wrong. Indifferentism means that all religions are the same. “It doesn’t matter which one you belong to, as long as you believe.”

Nonsense, if you are a follower of Christ and believe in the accuracy of Divine Revelation.

The idea of a Higher Power may be fine for non-believers or non-Christians, but for Catholics and other Christians the only real Higher Power is Jesus, God Incarnate. If you make anything other than Jesus your Higher Power, you are engaging in idolatry.

Twelve step groups have increasingly led people astray in their Faith. They develop a watered-down Catholicism or depart for a non-denominational Church. The leave the Church that Jesus, the Divine Physician, established with all the healing Sacraments and Saints.

(((sigh)))

We take the Faith and live it. We don’t trade it in for something else, “as long as I don’t take a drink today, I’m OK. I’ve got my Higher Power!” We take the Faith, apply the Gospel to our daily lives, find healing in the Sacraments, and respond to the Gospel’s message by carrying it to others. In doing “good works” we spread the Gospel by our actions (service and volunteering, acts of charity) or by word (conversing or bearing witness to others).

Now, to the Novena:

Begin the prayer with: O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father…, etc.

By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all good works in order that we may attain the glory of Heaven. Amen.

[Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys after your intentions for fidelity to the Faith.]

To say the entire Chaplet, click here:
Chaplet of St. Michael

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!!)

Thoughts on recovery social networking

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Last week I shut down the “Recovery for Christ” social network for lack of interest. I have not given up on an online interactive community for Catholics recovering from addictions, but it will have to wait while interest is rebuilt.

To that end, there is an alternative, maybe a temporary one. Google has started a new social network called “Google Plus.” The “Plus” may eventually be a rival to Facebook. It has a lot of the same features as Facebook, but with one chief difference: “Circles.” Circles are a way to organize your contact list, but unlike Facebook’s method of grouping friend lists, on G+ you can target their lists with posts and other sharing. In other words, when you post something to G+, you have the option of sharing it with only a few friends.

With this lies the possibility of G+ members having Circles of friends for specific purposes, such as for online recovery work. People can connect with each other and freely share their struggles with a select few.

So far, G+ is by invitation only. If you are not a member and want an invite, email me through this blog and I’ll send you one. Be sure to include an email address. (My blog’s email address is a different Google account than the one I use for G+) If you are already a G+ member, contact me through here and we’ll link up there!

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!!)

Recovery for Christ is shutting down

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The Recovery for Christ social network for Catholics recovering from alcoholism and addictions will be shutting down as of July 19th, when the domain name registration expires.

I am sorry for any inconvenience, but my heart was no longer in it. And whatever assistance I had at times was about as enthusiastic as I was! I am by no means complaining, I take most of the blame as I didn’t work as hard at it as I could have or should have.

It was the right thing, perhaps gone about the wrong way. Maybe by the wrong person (me). At least I met several fine people with whom I will continue online relationships. But Recovery for Christ will be dead in just over a week. The Holy Spirit knows what’s best and inspires people to do God’s will. If things are of God, they endure, if they are purely human, they fail.

A social network is only as good as the willingness of people in the network to socialize. An online community of lurkers is not a community.

There would be the occasional burst of activity, and then a roaring silence. I would log in after some period of inactivity, only to find that someone had been on a few days before, begging for help. There was no one, myself included, around to hear that voice screaming into the night, asking for help. There was another time when I was on and a woman had engaged me in a chat and told me about her rape. It caused a relapse. I had emailed several female members hoping to enlist their aid, but none ever showed up over the next few days. I assisted her as best I could. I had hoped that she’d get better help from female members, but nothing came.

For a while there were attempts to organize online chat meetings, staggered about the week to accommodate people. They never came to fruition, beyond the 1-3 at most usually in attendance.

This all gradually sucked enthusiasm.

I had many plans, but never got around to implementing them. This is why I take the most blame.

I may revive it someday, but I will try and go about it in a different way. I will perhaps attempt to solicit support in the blogosphere instead of going it alone. I’m thinking that through blogging and such, myself and others can develop a possible interest, and then recruit people who will develop/run/admin/patrol/moderate from the start. Maybe in that manner it will gain the Lord’s blessing and grow and endure. If that does not happen, then perhaps there isn’t a need for an online community like a social network for Catholics in recovery.

I have always wondered why there wasn’t anything like the network, why there are far more non-denominational forums and networks and practically no Catholic ones. And the Catholic Church is the Church with the sacraments of healing. Perhaps therein lies the answer.  With the Eucharist and Confession, perhaps Catholics have no real need for an ongoing Catholic-focused recovery program. This can be discussed in any future revival.

But now I just do not have the time. Between my regular day job, this blog and other projects, I cannot give this project the time it needs.

Anyway, as I said, the network might rise again, when I and others can do it properly. I don’t want it to be “my” site, there would be no point. History will just repeat itself if the network started up again as an individual effort. I would prefer to be just one of several admins, part of a group effort.

I should have all 290ish email addresses from the members, so if/when a successor is a go, there’s a potential member list and people will be contacted. If you wish to be on the mailing list, email me. The email addresses for me are along the sidebar.

This blog will live on. Only Recovery for Christ is closing.

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!!)

Catholics Recovering for Christ on Facebook

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As many readers know, there is a Catholic social network entitled “Recovery for Christ” found here: http://www.recoveryforchrist.com. It is a successor to a previous network: “Catholic Recovery” (or Catholics in Recovery”, the original name.)

The network had Facebook components, which are undergoing changes. Here is a copy of an email I sent to all Facebook Group members, a copy of which is also on the Group’s sister Page:

“Apparently Facebook is going to archive all Groups created under the old Group format.

There has been a request that I update this Group to accommodate this new format. I am not going to do that for a few reasons, namely:

This Group, as well as the Page of the same name was basically just an “advertisement” for the organization’s non-Facebook website. I had hoped that Facebookers who are in need of the resources will find the Group and Page, and eventually migrate to the main website. This hasn’t happened all that much, but that isn’t important right now.

Since Facebook is changing Groups, I am availing myself of the opportunity to revamp the whole project. I took the liberty of creating a new Group and new Page, both reflecting the main website’s new name, which went from being called “Catholic Recovery” to “Recovery for Christ” in July 2010. It also moved to a new web address at the time (more on that, later.)

Hence, this Group and the accompanying Page are now also called “Recovery for Christ.”

The new “Recovery for Christ” Group is secret, meaning that no one can see who is a member and what goes on in it. (I am not even sure if it can be found in a Facebook search.) Therefore members can freely post without worrying what their other Facebook Friends will think. I created it that way for the traditional anonymity concerns and perhaps so more people will use it.

The “Recovery for Christ” Page is open, meaning anyone can see who’s there and what is being posted. The Page is basically just a calling card for, and informational posts about, the main website. The Page is also (this is the important thing) a portal to the new secret Group. Facebookers can find the Page, see that a secret Group exists, and petition to join the Group.

Ultimately, the best way to participate anonymously is to go to the main website: http://www.recoveryforchrist.com. Please bear in mind however that the “Recovery for Christ” site will be undergoing some changes within a month, so perhaps people might want to wait. The Recovery for Christ Facebook Page and Group will have news of any and all changes.

So, that’s it. To find the Page, type in the Search box “Recovery for Christ”, or email me at sobercatholic@facebook.com or sobercatholic@gmail.com. I can also add you to the Group. Group members can also invite people to the new Group.

Any questions, email me at either address above.

Thank you!”

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!!)

Catholic Recovery is now Recovery for Christ

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This is just an announcement that the old Catholic Recovery Social Network is now moved over to its new web location, the new site can be found at:

Recovery for Christ

(or http://www.recoveryforchrist.com if you’re having trouble seeing the link).

I successfully transferred all the CR site info such as member accounts, Groups and Forums to the new RfC site. So, if you were a member of CR, you’re now also a member of RfC. All you have to do is claim your account, which can be done in this manner:

Go to RfC. Then attempt to login using your login username from CR. This would be your username or email address that you used for CR. (I am not sure which one RfC recognizes as valid, it handles things differently. Try both.) Anyway, you might fail in your attempt to log in, as there was an error of some sort when the site went live. If this happens, then please use the Password Recovery option. To do that, do this:

Just below the login fields where it displays the place for the username and password, there is a linked question that says “Lost your Password?” Click on it. Type in your email address that you used for CR. You will get an email very shortly. When it arrives, click on the link in it. This confirms the email address is a valid one, and another email will be sent to you. This one contains a new temporary password. Go back to RfC and login with your username and this password. Then see the bar at the top? Click on “My Account”, then in the drop down menu click on “Settings”. Change your password there. You can also change you username here, too.

So far, I do not know if you can upload photos and videos. The importer couldn’t handle them. I have them all archived, so they’re not lost. This is something I will investigate. RfC uses “BuddyPress”, so if any reader knows how media can be uploaded, email me or post a comment.

Another difference is that the old discussion forums are now Groups. Unlike CR, there were discussion forums apart from Groups, on the new site all discussion forums were made into Groups. This is how BuddyPress handles things. This is not a problem, an easy change to get used to. If you started a discussion or replied to one on CR, I think you are automatically now a member of the corresponding RfC Group.

There is a possibility that posts might be missing. Although the importer said everything successfully transferred, I am not sure if everything did.

Other than that, you can do on RfC basically everything you did on CR. I set up a Private Group called “Catholic Recovery Reunion Group” which you can use to seek out old friends from CR. You can also do a member search if you remember their username. CR will still be available until August 19/20 (or 20/21 depending on time zone, I think), so you can visit it and your Page and look up things. (Friendship connections also didn’t transfer over, so you’ll have to search for and “refriend” people.)

I think that’s it for now. I have the next few days off from work to tend to the new site, I also have most of next week off, so I should be around Recovery for Christ quite often.

If you were a member of CR before, sign up again and claim your account. If you weren’t, the please, join up at the new “Recovery for Christ”!

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!!)

Catholic Recovery will move the week of July 25, 2010

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Just a message to all that Catholic Recovery will be moving to its new location during the week of July 25th.

I will actually try and transfer everything on Tuesday, July 27th. I have Tuesday through Saturday off from work, and except for some out-of-town guests visiting, I can devote those 5 days to making the move and doing whatever follow-up is necessary. This is just in case anything goes wrong or members need someone around to answer questions.

I also have planned another 5 days off the week of August 1st (again, Tuesday through Saturday). My vacation for that week hasn’t been approved as of yet, but probably will. So there will be another almost full week to devote to tending to the new home.

Hope to see you all there next week!

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!!)

Catholic Recovery will be moving

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This is the contents of an email sent out to all members of Catholic Recovery

“This is for all who are member of the Catholic Recovery social network:

Catholic Recovery is undergoing some changes.

The Network is moving to a new location and will have a new name. The move is because Ning, the current host, is eliminating all free networks as of August 20th and is starting to charge fees.

Our network did have plans in place to continue, however, due the the state of the economy affecting myself and the other members who offered to support the site, remaining on Ning is no longer an option. Perhaps this is God’s will as in fact a much better situation fortuitously became available.

A CR member and good friend of mine has his own hosting account that he is sharing with me for some projects that we are working on. He suggested that I move CR to this new host, and as a result, I am.

The site will have a new name: “Recovery for Christ”. While the old name “Catholic Recovery” was nice, and described its purposes, the new name better identifies who we recover for, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We ultimately recover for Him, to be the persons we were created to be. It is also more in line with the Matt Talbot Way of recovery, in which you transfer your love for alcohol or other addictions onto a love for Jesus.

In addition, “Catholic Recovery” or “Recovering Catholics” is too often used by people who feel they need “recovering” from Catholicism. Hence, a name change. It will still be the same site, just a new name.

I am in the process of moving all of the current site content to the new site. I do not know how long that process is. So hopefully all the old forums, blogs, photos, videos and Groups will be soon available at the new location. Just in case the migration doesn’t go as planned, if there is any content such as videos and photos, or forum postings that are of interest, you may want to download or copy-and paste sometime before August 20th. After that date, Catholic Recovery will be gone from its current location.

As a part of this process, you should receive another email with activation instructions for your account at Recovery for Christ. Part of the migration process involves the sending out of account activation emails. If you get this, then you’ll know that things went well and the new site is up and running. There may be a few things to sort out afterward, but all the familiar stuff should be there. Just click on the link in the email and you’ll be taken to the new site.

If that doesn’t work, you’ll get an invitation from me.

With that, I hope to see you soon over there!”

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!!)